Page 32 of Beautiful Secrets

All I can hear is the incessant pounding of my own heart. Blood roaring in my ears. My breath coming in soft pants through my nose.

What is he doing?

And then I hear it.

The unmistakable sound of a key going into a lock.

I watch, dumbstruck, as the knob on my side twists open as if by magic.

Cole opens the door. His frame fills it—no way for me to slip past. I back up until I am crowding against the wall-to-wall shower’s cool glass.

He is smiling.

Not like he is about to tell a joke, but like he’s finally about to do something he has been looking forward to for a long, long time.

The fine hairs on my arms and neck stand to attention, goosebumps breaking out on my skin. “I’m sorry,” I blurt out through trembling lips.

“That’s not good enough, little rabbit.” He tugs his belt free, folds it in half, and snaps it.

My body goes rigid.

“It’s my fault.” One side of his full mouth quirks up. “I never explained what would happen if you misbehaved.”

I snarl at him, feeling as cornered as a fucking badger. But if I can lure him far enough away from the door, maybe I could get past him.

And then what? I would still be trapped inside this suite.

All I can do is play for time and hope someone is coming. Or hope he slips on the tiles and cracks open his head.

Not that I want him to die. I just want him knocked out cold.

I lift my hands. “Please, Cole. I made a mistake, okay? It will not happen again.”

“Is that a promise?” he says, tilting his head to the side.

I bite back an irritated growl.

“Because I don’t think we know each other well enough for that.” He snaps the belt again. “Come here.”

I shake my head.

He clicks his fingers. “You have five seconds, little rabbit.”

“Or what?”

Instead of answering, he lifts his hand into the air, fingers spread. He curls his pinkie finger. Then his ring finger.

I move a little closer.

His middle finger curls down.

Now that he is out of the doorway, there is a chance I could run around him. This bathroom is massive—almost as big as the walk-in closet.

He steps up beside the massive tub in the middle of the room.

As soon as his thumb starts curling, I edge closer, watching him warily. He sinks down onto the edge of the tub, the belt dangling from one hand.

“Good girl. Now kneel.”