Her body began to smolder as she touched the set, imaging them on her and showing them off for him. Nate would never have gotten anything like this for her. Never in a million years. She felt a gnawing ache as she tweaked her nipples erect and placed the shields on. They fit perfectly. She slipped her hand between her thighs to try on the pussy clip and the ache turned into something else. A need to be filled by Victor; a yearning to be taken control of and made to submit.
Goddamn him for knowing her so well; for making her body surrender to his wants when her heart and brain wanted to retreat.
With urgency, she dressed quickly and drove to 2500 East Grace Street. With every subtle movement, she felt the effects of the jewelry, making her wet and anxious.
She no sooner put the key into the lock and turned it, when the door flung open. Victor was standing just inside, blocking her access. His whole body tightened and anger flashed across his face. And something else. Nervousness? A blast of arctic air pushed her against him but he quickly nudged her back outside. The shimmering wave of pulsing fury on his face quickly made her arousal abate.
His hard, corded body vibrated with tension. “It’s not your day.”
A hot wave of embarrassment washed over her for having foolishly shown up only to be refused entrance. “I just wanted to thank you for the gift,” she shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.
A muscle jumped in his jaw as he glanced over his shoulder. “You’re welcome.”
Aggravated and freezing from the winter air, Elsa pushed past him to see a slim brunette staring back at her with hungry, crazed eyes.
Elsa eyed Victor questioningly, but he only stared at her as if daring her to overreact. The faint hint of a smirk on his mouth was like a sucker punch to the gut.
Wanting answers, she lifted her eyebrows and silently challenged the woman. The air was thick with unspoken emotions and Elsa felt the burn of her blue-eyed gaze as it fixed on her.
“Who the hell are you?”
The woman’s tone and attitude grated on Elsa’s nerves. With a mixture of misery for having been played with and resentment, she shot back. “I’m Chapter Eight. Which Chapter are you?”
The woman’s mouth parted in confusion and Elsa turned to face Victor again. Fury pounded and rippled in time to the rapid beat of her heart when she spoke. “I just wanted to say thank you and to tell you that your gift wasn’t necessary. I’ll return them just as soon as I remove them.”
Her words had the precise effect she wanted as evidenced by the feral look in his eyes at the mental image she had just given him.
Gritting her teeth, she fought down the snarl of anger that nearly choked her and stormed out of the house and to her car. With her hands firmly gripping the steering wheel, she felt the heat of humiliation rise to her cheeks. The thought of being only one in a long succession of women he’d exploited and fucked over, stabbed at her.
She had rushed to him like some stupid, lust-struck idiot, playing right into his hands. That fucking note… That Goddamn gift… The way he had taken her the night before and the things he said… All a part of his game.
God, she was so ignorant.
“It’s not your day.”
Recalling his words made her want to scream and keep on screaming until her voice broke. Jealousy tore through her like shards of glass slicing at her soul when she envisioned the woman who looked like walking sex. What the fuck was wrong with her? She had no right to be jealous. No right to feel anything for anyone except for Nate, and she had already massively screwed that up. And all because of Victor and his threats and promises.
“Fuck my life!”
Just as the words rumbled out, she heard a tap on the window. Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she turned the ignition and backed away.
Which is exactly what she should’ve done the moment he set that piece of paper down in front of her with his fucked-up rules.
***
Elsa’s tires squealed loudly, kicking up snow and dirt as she backed out of Victor’s driveway. Furious, he stomped back inside and Mr. Black promptly ripped into Chapter Seven.
She had shown up, uninvited, making demands and asking questions about who the woman in his life was. It had been more than a year and a half since he had ended things with her, and still she fucking couldn’t move on. Upon his return from California, she had sought him out and found his address – stalked him. He didn’t like the tables being turned on him. Elsa had already done that and he didn’t need someone else prying into his personal affairs.
As he gripped her upper arm and dragged her to the door, he mentally kicked himself for selling his secluded home on the outskirts of Richmond. No one ever showed up unannounced there. Well, except for Elsa.
“What the fuck don’t you understand about this being over?” he yelled in her face.
Her eyes grew wild. “Who is she?”
“Listen to me: if you show up here again or call me, I’ll get the authorities involved. Am I making myself clear?” his deep voice boomed throughout the house.
“Do you love her?” she clawed at his chest.
“That’s not important!” he pushed her hands away and shook her by the shoulders. “The point is, I don’t love you! Jesus Christ, you don’t even love me. This is just an obsession!”
He should know. His obsession with Elsa was bordering on the same kind of lunacy.
When he saw Emily’s lips tremble and tears border her wide blue eyes, he loosened his grip. She hugged her body as if trying to protect herself and he was hit with an epiphany. She wasn’t fucked up; Mr. Black had fucked her up. No… he and Mr. Black had done this. They were both at fault for this broken and fragile girl. He could see that now. Everything he had done to try and help her, had only broken her down. His degradation and cruelty had made her weak and unable to see things clearly.
The way he had Elsa.
They were so much alike, Elsa and Emily, both impetuous and unpredictable, yet so different. Elsa – more headstrong, more determined, more dutiful. Everything that Emily and all the other chapters failed at and lacked, Elsa excelled in and possessed.
“Em…” he swept a loose strand of hair off her forehead. “You can’t do this again. I mean it. If you want me to get you help, counseling or something, I can make a few calls for you… call in a few favors.”
“I’d like that,” her delicate voice broke into a whisper.
Mr. Black roiled within him for offering Emily help, but he didn’t give a shit. He was accountable for this woman. And all the others.
14: Deliberate
After contacting a work colleague regarding Emily and dropping her off at his office, Victor drove home to put his frustrated thoughts onto paper before seeking Elsa out. He should’ve been worried about what Emily might tell the fellow psychologist about his unethical activities, but his thoughts were elsewhere. In fact, they were everywhere. Emily’s sudden appearance, his sudden realization, and Elsa’s reaction had his insides twisted into knots.
My impulsive lover… Like a storm, you’ve whipped back in to my life, both cleansing and contaminating me. I have no one to blame but myself.