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“Only good girls get rewards,” he reminded her with another small tug.

Chyanne managed to keep from crying out, but just barely.

“Kneel.”

A shiver ran through her at the order. She had no idea why he would demand such a thing, but she knew damn wellhedid. She could feel her body trembling as she lowered herself, inch by inch, to the floor.

She heard his footsteps retreat, and sighed as she stared at the wall. She’d never taken much notice of it before—it was a wall like any other. Which was a good way of saying she’d never realized how boring walls were before. In fact, as she gazed at the pale beige, she wondered if the color—almost a non-color—had been put there on purpose as added punishment.

“Chyanne.”

With a gasp, she swiveled around in the direction the voice had come from, then gasped again as the clamps punished her for the movement.

Aaron was standing in the doorway, eyeing her with an unreadable expression.

If he’d looked fed up with her, even angry, she could have endured that. But seeing his handsome features in an undecipherable mask set her even more on edge. He was wearing the same leather pants, but he had on a matching vest as well and leather cuffs on his wrists.

Damn. Her pussy pulsed at the sight of him. Somehow, knowing she couldn’t have him made her want him all the more. And stranger yet, having the nipple clamps pricking her skin made her even wetter. She could feel the moisture on the gusset of her panties, and she knew she should be ashamed, but she couldn’t help it.

Maybe I’ll ask the girls if it’s the same for them next time.Ifthere’s a next time. If any of them are still willing to talk to me, that is.

“Arms behind your back,” Aaron said in a voice that was so silky smooth he might have been asking her how she’d slept the night before.

But she saw the flash in his dark eyes, and she had no doubt she’d been issued an order. The pain in her nipples intensified.

Aaron noted that, too, and still his face was expressionless.

Damn, he’s good at this. And I thought I was a tough girl—he’s way outta my league.

Her arms clasped behind her back, her eyes followed his every movement. When she saw him reach for his belt, every part of her tensed, waiting to see what he would do next.

Those unsmiling lips seemed more tempting than ever.

What iswrongwith me? He’s probably about to put me in even more pain, and I’ve never been more attracted to him. What the actualfuck.

But wrong or not, she couldn’t seem to help herself. And when, with one single, commanding tug the belt sang as it whipped through the loops, she couldn’t hide her whimper.

Aaron’s eyes sparkled at her.

With… amusement? Sadism? She couldn’t be sure, and the room felt almost full to the brim with her palpable desire, and wondering what would come next.

He must have been a mind reader, because he seemed all too aware of the power he had over her as he walked over, holding her gaze with every step. When he looped the belt over, she gulped. Then he bent his head, and she winced, bracing for it.

But what she felt was her hands being slid into the loop and then the leather tightening around her slender wrists.

“Now, you’re going to stay just like that.”

She swallowed, hard. She wanted to ask how long, but the ball holding her lips open made that impossible.

“You’ll stay like that for as long as it takes.”

And with that, he left. She watched the open, empty doorway for what felt like hours, and if sheer wanting could have brought him back, he would have filled her line of sight once more.

But before too long she had to turn back around because she was getting a sore neck from holding such an odd position.

The wall did not provide an ounce of relief for even a second. She just became all the more aware of how her neck ached, and how her arms were starting to feel uncomfortable and heavy behind her back.

“I hate this,” she whispered to the pale, boring wall—but not loudly enough to be heard. They hadn’t said, but maybe she wasn’t supposed to talk, even to herself.