Hooked (Never After Series)

“Will she be staying tonight, sir? I can make up the guest room if she is.”

I look over to where Smee is standing in the kitchen, drinking from a mug of tea.

Cocking my head, I take a sip from my own cup, the liquid singeing my tongue as I swallow. “Why would you assume she’d be staying anywhere other than in my bed?”

His eyes widen the slightest bit, and curiosity sneaks through my thoughts at his sudden interest.

“No reason. I just thought I’d offer.” He walks to the kitchen sink, placing his cup in the basin before spinning around to lean against the lip. “I won’t be around tonight, and I didn’t want to leave you with the setup is all. I know how you like your own space.”

I lift my chin, my gaze soaking up his mannerisms. He seems on edge, almost like he’s uncomfortable that she’s here. “Big plans?” I ask.

I’ve never taken an interest in Smee’s personal life, and quite honestly, I still don’t care. But talking to him is a distraction from the girl locked in my room, and I find myself craving a break from the anger that surfaces whenever I see her face or think her name.

Smee grins, running a hand through his hair, the kitchen lights glinting off his dark brown strands. “You could say that.”

“Well, I appreciate your hospitality, however it won’t be necessary.”

I’m undecided on what to do with her after the gala. Part of me wants to throw her back in the JR’s basement and let her rot. It’s no less than what she deserves. The other part wants to tie her to my bed and use other means of forcing the truth out of her. It infuriates me that she still acts as though she’s innocent. Like she has no idea what she’s done.

No matter, I’ll be able to tell a lot from the way she interacts with her father this evening. I sent the twins ahead, ensuring that our plates were at the guest of honor’s table, and I can’t wait to see what’s on the menu.

Loud knocks pound from down the hallway and I smirk, draining the last of my tea and placing it back on the counter.

Smee’s eyes widen as he looks toward the noise and then back at me. “Is she stuck in there?”

I stand, buttoning the jacket of my tuxedo and walking past him, pausing to squeeze his shoulder, the muscle tensing under my palm. “What I do with my toys is none of your concern, Smee.”

His eyes go flat and he inclines his head. “Apologies, boss man.”

I wave him off, smiling. “Forgotten.”

My hand slips into my pocket, retrieving the skeleton key as I walk to my bedroom door. The banging is loud, the force of Wendy’s knocking making the wood rattle against the hinges. I slide the metal into the lock, the door clicking as Wendy’s flushed face greets me, her fist poised halfway in the air.

The corner of my lip lifts. “Is everything alright? You sound awfully frustrated.”

The ruddiness of her cheeks makes a vision of her beneath me flash before my mind, and arousal spears through my middle. I shake off the thought and glance down her form, the dress I had Moira pick out hugging her every curve.

She looks stunning. The picture of grace and poise, a powder blue fabric with a sweetheart neck and an open back. Sophisticated enough to be seen on my arm, yet ravishing enough that every man will wish he could have her.

My perfect little pet.

She grits her teeth. “You locked me in there.”

“A precautionary measure.”

I stare at her for a few more moments, drinking her in like fine wine, remembering what it felt like to be inside of her. Blood rushes to my cock, making it jerk against my leg.

She puts her arms out to her sides. “Well, do I pass your approval?”

Frustration wells in my chest at my constant attraction to such a conniving wench. I force it from my mind, replacing it with the black mass that’s been burning the fragments of my soul ever since Ru’s death.

The death I’m wholly convinced she was part of.

My eyes narrow, vines of anger wrapping around my muscles like ivy. “You’ll suffice,” I say.

She scoffs, and I turn my back. “Come along, it won’t do to be late.”

Her heels clack behind me on the polished wood floor, and I resist the urge to look back, keeping my focus on the fact that she’s a traitor. She’s out of her mind if she believes I buy her obedience ploy. It’s a mistake to underestimate me, thinking I’ll fall for such petty, silly tricks. Which is why I had to bring her brother Jonathan into the fray. I don’t particularly like using children as bait, and in all truth, I don’t plan on actually harming the boy. I didn’t even make a true phone call. But the quickest way to acquiescence is to hit someone where they’re most vulnerable, and Wendy has a soft spot for family.

The ride to the convention center is silent. Wendy’s fingers twist together as she stares out the window, her face drawn and sullen. I sit across from her in the limo, hatred mixing with lust like a volatile cocktail, sparks flying through my body, making me vibrate with an energy that makes me feel as if I’m on the edge of combustion.

I find it extremely irritating that I’m not able to control my body’s reaction to her. I was blinded by lust the first time around; both for her, and the thought of my enemy’s daughter choking on my cum.

Truthfully, that idea still appeals to me, only now my eyes are wide open, and they’ll never shut again. I let her get too close, became too relaxed, even in that short amount of time.

Most likely because I never truly viewed her as a threat.

“I don’t suppose I need to remind you what will happen if you misbehave tonight?” I ask as the limo pulls to the curb.

Her eyes narrow. “I’ve been going to functions like this since I could walk. I don’t need a pep talk.”

I can feel her ire all the way across the car, and it does nothing but fuel the flames.

“That may be so,” I respond, leaning forward. “But now you’re walking on a leash, pet. So don’t do anything that forces my hand.” I rise from my seat, moving next to her as I reach in my pocket and pull out a thin, velvet case.

Her body cowers against the limo door, as if even being near me is too much for her to bear.

My fingertips trail along her neck, pushing her silky hair to the side. “You will not try to escape.” I open the case, a whoosh of breath leaving her as she takes in the diamond-encrusted choker. “You will not say or do anything that could raise concern.”

I slip it from the box, the gems cool against my hand, and I lean forward, placing it around her neck, my fingers tracing her skin as I fasten it in the back. My eyes flick from her lips to her throat, a shot of desire pooling low in my abdomen. “There.” My hand brushes over the jewels before resting on the swell of her cleavage, my palm rising and falling with her heavy breaths. “Every good bitch needs a pretty collar.”

She rips her head away, gazing out of the window. I grip her chin in my hand, turning her face back. “You will not, under any circumstances, take that necklace off. Do you understand?”

Her jaw clenches. “I understand.”

“Excellent.”

I signal to the driver that we’re ready to leave, and the door opens for me to stand. I exit the limo, turning around and reaching back into the car. Wendy’s fingers tickle my palm as she places her hand in mine, and I lift her up and into my arms at the same moment flashes of light go off from the cameras lining the red carpet.

Wrapping my arm around her waist, I tug her in close, watching as she transforms in front of my very eyes. Her face lights up, a megawatt smile gracing her features, her eyes warm as she gazes up into mine. My heart skips, revulsion following closely behind, because once again my body is out of control when it comes to her.

I lean in, my nose inhaling the scent of her hair. “Be a good girl, and I’ll let you sleep in a bed instead of on a stone floor.”

Her spine stiffens underneath my hand, and she grins up at me, but her eyes hold something cold and dark. “Lead the way, master.”

As we walk inside, my stomach flips and twists in knots, anticipation flooding through my veins.

I’m so close I can feel it on my tongue. And it tastes like vengeance.