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Chapter Twenty-Four

Quinn

I promised myself I’d try and make some headway with Jacob today. Talk to him, find out more about him. But time dragged on, the locked door started to piss me off more and more, and as soon as he opened it, I couldn’t help poking the bear.

And now look where it’s got me.

Hot stripes burn across my ass and thighs, and I can taste chocolate on my lips from where he smeared it across my face. I don’t want to think about what I must look like. The tip of something presses against my pussy, but it’s much too small to be his cock. What weird thing does he have planned now? Why can’t he just fuck me like a normal guy?

I shouldn’t want it, but last night, after he reminded me I mustn’t touch myself, it was all I could think about. I hardly slept, lying there alone, my hand creeping toward my clit of its own accord until the warning buzz made me snatch it back.

I spent the whole night tossing and turning, craving the thing I couldn’t have. Another reason I felt like rubbing chocolate all over his stupid sofa.

If he’d just fuck me, I know I’d get off. It wouldn’t even take me long. But no, he’s put something thin inside me. What the hell?

Next, he’s probing at my ass yet again, sliding in another plug. “What’s your obsession with sticking stuff up there?”

He twists the plug, and I groan. Even that feels good, I’m wound so tight. If I could only touch my damn clit for a second.

“Your arse belongs to me, so I’ll stick whatever I like up there.”

It shouldn’t sound sexy, but in his flat British accent, somehow, it does.

When the thing in my pussy starts to vibrate, I shriek and roll to face Jacob. He doesn’t stop me this time, just smiles down at me. It only vibrates for a couple of seconds, just enough to tease, then shuts off. What the…

Another burst, longer this time, but nowhere near long enough. A longer break, then a single, tiny buzz. Christ. I press my thighs together, understanding dawning as Jacob says, “It’s set on a random pattern. Maybe at some point, it’ll go long enough for you to come. Maybe not. It’s out of my control.”

My mouth drops open at the calculated cruelty of it. Another, longer buzz. Maybe…

Nope. It stops.

Fuck this.

“Perfect. Hold that pose, love. You like being messy. I can help with that.”

I hadn’t realized his cock was in his hand, but now it’s all I can see. I shriek and try to roll away, awkward with my hands bound behind my back, but he’s on me before I get the chance. He grips my hair and holds my body down with his knee as he works himself in rough, fast strokes.

“You’re the hottest little fucking brat I’ve ever seen. I’ve wanted to do this all day. Open wide.”

I snap my lips together instead as his hand speeds up. The buzzing starts again, and everything about this is driving me crazy. His weight on me, his hand in my hair, the sight of his spectacular cock… Jesus.

“Just fuck me!”

I didn’t even know I was going to say it before the words are out, sizzling in the air. Oh God. Why did I say that? His smirk is as unbearable as the way the vibrations cut off just as my peak starts to build.

“Aw. Not yet. Maybe later, if you’re a really good girl.”

I hate him. I hate…

He shoots all over me, sticky ropes of come splattering my face and chest. I lick my lips without thinking, and the salty taste fills my mouth. He groans, the satisfied groan of a happy man, and I’ve never felt so fucking jealous.

He holds me in place, studying me. I can’t help getting sucked into his eyes. Green, but not boring green. A deep forest shade. They’re way too pretty for such a big, rough guy, and his brow creases as he catches me looking.

His chest still rises and falls rapidly; his hand is still tight in my hair. It’s a long, frozen moment, neither of us willing to look away. Then, in one fierce motion, he yanks my face toward him and kisses me.

He fucking kisses me.

I’m so shocked I freeze for a second before instinct takes over and I open my mouth to let his tongue in. He’s rough, taking control of my mouth, holding my hair tight as he explores me. I relax into it, the unexpected sensation washing away any desire to resist. His stubble rasps on my skin, scraping deliciously. I knew it suited him.

When he finally releases me, I gape up at him, lips swollen and sensitive. “I thought you hated mess?”

He grins, and it’s the savage grin of a pirate or a Viking invader. “Sometimes it’s worth it.”

He wipes the residue of chocolate and his own come from his face and lifts me up to sit. He unfastens my hands, and I roll my shoulders.

“Come on. We’re going out.”

He stands, holding out his hand like I’m a lady at a ball instead of covered in chocolate and come. “What?”

“Out. We’re going out. Get your shoes on.”

“But…” The vibrator springs to life, making my point. “These things, and my face. I need to—”

“They’re staying in, and you’re not getting washed. You can do the best you can with your hands. Argue, and I’ll make you wear the cock gag, too. You’ve missed a day.”

I stare, hardly able to process his rapid change of direction. I’d expected a shower, maybe followed by him finally making good on the threat to fuck me. “Why?”

“Because you took the piss and messed up our home. Now you can wear it on your face for a while.”

Shit.

I swipe at my face with my hands, rubbing off the worst of the come and, lacking other options, wiping it on my clothes. Jacob would freak the fuck out if I used his sheets, and I’m done antagonizing him for a while. “I thought the crop was the punishment?”

He snorts. “Hardly. That was just for fun. You make a mess, you wear a mess. That’s the rule.”

Another rule. Great. I get to my feet and tug the skirt down, horribly aware of the things inside me. “Why these things?”

I’m going to go insane if I have to keep the vibrator in for much longer. My thighs are clenching, my pussy contracting every time it kicks into action, and I’m sure I’m leaking down my thighs.

“They’re keeping you nice and warm, just in case I feel like fucking you later. Now. Shoes.”

Every step is torture, moving the vibrator and plug around in ways that feel too good. I shove my feet into my sneakers without untying the laces, and he sighs. “That’ll ruin the shoes.”

“You’re rich. You can get me new ones.”

Seriously. Why can’t I shut the fuck up?

He lands a hard slap on my ass in answer, and it lights up the welts from his crop again. He can punish me anywhere anytime. No one in this place would give a shit if he bent me over and spanked me in the street. I’m just his property.

A shiver runs through me at that thought, punctuated by another pulse of the vibrator. It’s seriously working against me right now.

“Where are we going?”

“To see someone.”

Informative as ever. “Any particular someone?”

“A weird guy. Brace yourself.”

Lovely. The cold hits me as we step outside, and I wrap my arms around myself. “I need a sweater.”

“What, and hide the beautiful mess of that top? Never.” He shoots me a sidelong glance as I try to tug the crop top lower. It’s covered in chocolate smears and suspicious white stains. “Did you wear that tarty getup just for me?”

“No.” Yes , but I’m not admitting it.

“Good. You’ll be glad to show it off, then.”

Mercifully, we manage not to bump into anyone Jacob knows as we walk to see the “weird guy.” A few people give me odd looks, but I keep my head high. Let them look.

The randomly buzzing vibrator is a different matter. I have to force myself not to double over every time it pulses. God, I hope this doesn’t take long. We reach a new building, this one a utilitarian block without the architectural flare of the rest of the place.

“This is where the Brotherhood’s computing power lives, underneath here.” Jacob taps his foot on the ground. “I don’t use much for what I do, but some Brothers are a different matter. Like Seb.”

He presses the intercom button, but the door slides open before he gets a chance to speak.

“What does Sebastian even do?” I can’t imagine him involved in anything too intellectual.

“Trading algorithms. He’s a genius with it.”

Huh. Suits him. We step into an elevator, and I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirrored wall. Oh, good God. I look like a whore on her fifteenth trick of the night. I scrub at my face with my hand whilst Jacob watches smugly. Then the vibrator kicks to life, and my face contorts in a very obvious way. I thought I was hiding it better than that.

My cheeks burn as we approach a door that slides open without Jacob doing anything. Weird. Do they have cameras? The room inside is as boring as possible, just a bunch of screens in a circle surrounding a desk. A man turns when we enter, an annoyed look on his face. “Candice, we talked about this.”

One of the screens flashes to life, and the man and room fade into insignificance. A woman appears on the screen, perfectly human but just…not. Something about her tips me off that it’s not some video feed, I don’t know what. Maybe I’ve spent enough time playing games to have a sixth sense about it.

She pouts, and I’d swear her irritated look is real. “Don’t be silly. These are our guests. And we have someone new! What’s your name?”

She smiles at me, and I’m transfixed. She’s amazing. The most lifelike AI I’ve ever seen. I smile back, and her eyes brighten at my attention. She must be able to see me through some sort of cameras. “Quinn. What about you?”

“Well, don’t you have beautiful manners? Most people pretend I don’t exist. I’m Candice.”

“Candice,” I repeat, mesmerized. Her voice has a hint of an accent. “Where’s your accent from?”

She beams, white teeth showing. “A little bit of Scottish, diluted by a whole lot of US.”

I walk to her monitor and seat myself in front of it. It presses the plug into my ass, but even that isn’t enough to distract me.

“Quinn,” Jacob warns, but the other man interrupts. He sounds excited.

“No. If it’s okay with you, please let them converse while we talk. My creations unnerve most people. It’s good for Candice to have another girl to chat with.”

His creations. A creepy word for something amazing. I ignore him and focus on Candice. “What are you? An AI like Cortana in Halo ?”

She laughs. “Sort of. Not as all-knowing as her, though. And we call ourselves CIs—cybernetic intelligence. I don’t like to think of myself as artificial.”

“Of course not. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” She lowers her voice. “Do you like video games?”

“Shit, yes. I spend way too much time on them. Well, I did before he kidnapped me.”

Every time I say it, it loses a little of its sting. Candice’s face creases in sympathy. “Has he let you play since you got here?”

“No.”

It comes out sullen, and Jacob glances over. “What, and have you tell everyone in the game you’ve been taken captive?”

“I have a secure server. I’m not allowed to play outside either,” Candice says, “She won’t be able to contact anyone. Can she play with me, please? Hadrian never will.”

She flicks her gaze to the man. He’s tall, on the skinny side, and probably Jacob’s age but a lot more beaten-down looking, though his eyes are sharp as he looks from Candice to me.

“I don’t care for games. But she’s right, Jacob. Your Ward could play securely without any chance of outside contact. Working as a team with a human would be very good practice for Candice.”

Jacob’s brow creases, but he nods. “If it’ll make you happy, love.”

Candice beams. “Wow. He’s sweeter than I thought he’d be.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d seen him twenty minutes ago,” I say without really thinking, and Candice’s eyes open wide, scandalized.

“You can tell me all about it later, when we can talk without the boys.”

Her excitement is infectious, and I grin. “Promise I will. Now what can we play?”