Page 65 of Built for Mercy

I paused, splaying my fingers wide across her stomach. “You seemed relaxed.”

“Never stopped you before.”

Something in her tone gave me pause—made me realize how hard I really was falling for her, because the man I was beforewouldn’t have cared about giving her time torelax.I would’ve taken and taken and taken until I was satisfied.

“You’re right,” I agreed, throwing her over my shoulder as I rose to my feet.

She shrieked, “Maverick!”

“Don’t act like you mind,” I quipped, smacking her ass as I marched down the hallway to my room. “You’re still at fourteen.”

Sophie stilled. “Fuck,” she swore under her breath. “I’m equal parts scared and turned on.”

I laughed, kicking open my door and stopping at the edge of the bed to toss her onto it. “Good, because I’m not going easy on you.”

Her hair fanned around her head, her cheeks slowly turning pink. It was a delicious fucking sight. A different part—a darker part—of me took over. Flooded my veins, until all I could think about was how much I was going to make her fuckingsuffer.Just like she made me suffer for the last three weeks.

Like she thought she could escape me that easily.

“Strip.”

One article at a time, she peeled off layers to reveal her perfect body, and I noted just how much thinner she looked.How did I not notice this yesterday?Not that she was any less beautiful, but the fact she felt the need to starve herself to begin with angered me.

“Move to the top of the bed. Head on the pillows, legs spread.” She hesitated, so I dipped my chin, lowering my voice. “Now,Sophie.”

Pushing herself up, she scrambled backwards until she was positioned as I instructed. I rounded the bed, stopping at my dresser and pulling open the top two drawers. Locating the items I wanted, I slowly turned back. Sophie glanced down at the ropes and leather handcuffs in my hands, then back at me.

She held one wrist out to me, submitting—making me feel fucking unhinged.

I secured one cuff around her wrist, then looped the soft red rope through the hoop on the cuff and secured it to the metal rings attached to the bed posts.

“Pull,” I demanded, hungrily watching as she tested the durability of the knot. “Such a good girl,” I praised. When I confirmed there was no give, I moved to the other side of the bed and repeated the process.

“Mav,” she whispered as I finished.

My eyes flicked to hers. “Yeah, baby?”

“What are you going to do?”

I grasped one of her ankles, cuffed it, and secured it to the bed post, then moved on to her other ankle, until she was perfectly spread in an X on my bed, her pretty little pussy bared and gleaming with arousal.

Humming my approval, I picked up the final item: nipple clamps attached together by a chain. I rubbed her breasts with my fingers; she moaned and arched her back, her nipples hardening. Smiling cruelly, I clamped them both, feeling feral when I heard her gasp, and stepped back to admire my handiwork.

I devoured the sight of her, running my tongue along my bottom lip. Her dark eyes trailed the movement.

Then, and only then, did I respond, “I’m going to worship you.”

30

Sophie

Iwas breathing too harshly, displayed for Maverick’s perusal and completely at his mercy. I attempted to squirm, but my restraints held tight, and my stomach clenched from the tightening sensation stemming from the nipple clamps.

The dark blue in Mav’s eyes was almost black as he scanned me head to toe. I couldn’t help but feel equally nervous and empowered by my position, becauseI knewif I used my safe word, he’d stop instantly.

Then he did something I didn’t expect. Eyes flashing with dark amusement, he turned on his heels to leave the room. I lifted my head, my jaw agape. Where the fuck was he going?

I was splayed like a fucking meal on his bed and he wasleaving?