Page 56 of Wallflower

“Karson? Is that you?” her soft voice calls out. I’m half tempted to reply “yes” just to see what she’ll say. But anticipating the way her lush body will tense at my voice, I can’t lie. Not this time.

“Who’s Karson?”

Rose’s eyelids lift lazily, autumn irises locking onto mine. Her gasp is a comical squeak of surprise, and she rolls off the opposite side of the bed, a muffledthumpsounding as she hits the thick grey carpeting.

“There’s no escape, flower,” I drawl. “Crawl to me.”

She muffles a grunt, and then a huff, remaining on the opposite side of the large white, wooden bed.

Everything in here is clean, gentle-looking, like a child’s room. It’s off-putting. I don’t know why she was put in this room, it’s nothing like her.

Then it hits me.

That’s why she’s in here.

It would unsettle her more, not having anything she could find comfort in. This room was meant to chip away at her, which is my fucking job. My irritation with Maximus flares once again, but her squeak of a voice brings me back.

“Help.”

“Problem?” I taunt.

“Maybe…” she replies.

Moving across the room, I round the corner of the bed. Her glazed eyes look up, and I realize she’s not sober. I shouldn’t have expected any less from an underground brothel.

The back of Rose’s tight strapless dress is caught on an anchor hook mounted to the bed frame, rendering her immobile. Her intoxicated body not having the strength or coherency to pull free. The image of utilizing that anchor, binding her to it, fully at my mercy, flits through my mind, sending all my blood flow south.

Kneeling beside her, I chuckle at the annoyed look on her face. The old me would rip her free from this dress, and leave it hanging in tatters still stuck to the bed. However, every fibre of my being wants to peel her out of it slowly, stoke the fire burning within me to an inferno before I unleash myself upon her. My fingers work carefully to untangle her, not wanting to ruin the fabric more than it already is.

Of her own volition, Rose leans in. Her nose brushes up my neck as she breathes me in.

I freeze, every cell stiff and unmoving.

No one touches me, not without permission.

Jerking back, I ask, “Did you just smell me?”

She doesn’t notice the snarl marring my face, her lids fallen shut once again. “You smell good…expensive.” A small smile spreads across her lips, and I rip the remaining material from the hook.

“What are you on?” I demand, firmly taking her chin and tilting it up.

She snickers. “I don’t know.”

“Liar. Open your eyes.”

Rose’s lashes flutter, the soft pink lights amplifying the blush spreading across her cheeks.

“I’m only going to ask one more time, what did you take?”

“What’s going to happen if I don’t answer?” she coos.

I swallow, her eyes tracking the bob of my Adam’s apple. It’s wrong to punish her when she doesn’t know the rules, the repercussions of noncompliance. But fuck, do I ever want to reprimand her. “Do you really want to find out?”

She shrugs.Fucking shrugs.Completely unfazed by the threat I pose.

“What are you going to do? Cut me? Stab me? Take me against my will? Get in line.”

“What are you on?” I growl.