Page 20 of Coercion

Ruby feels like an animal that’s been caged so long she’s forgotten she even has claws or how to use them.

But I’ll admit there’s a small part of me that wants to be the one to teach her. To turn her into something ferocious, someone to be reckoned with.

To show her that all the cruelty she’s experienced up till now is done. That I’m going to protect her. That I’m going to look after her.

I’mup with the sun. We didn’t draw the curtains and I’m quick to pull them across and block out any light. My new wife is still out for the count and, though I let her sleep for a few morehours, in the end my need to get out of this damned suite is what makes me wake her up.

She stirs, letting out a soft moan and then, as she opens her eyes, she recoils back as that fear takes over her completely.

“It’s okay.” I say in what I hope is a reassuring way.

She doesn’t meet my gaze but her eyes dart around like she’s trying to assess how much danger she’s in. I can practically see the way she’s folding herself inward, taking all those tiny pieces of herself and hiding them away behind the docile mask she wears so well.

“What time is it?” She whispers.

“It’s early,” I reply. “But we need to leave.”

“Has, has something happened?”

“No.” I say. But I want us both as far from Levi’s reach as I can get now. I hold up her dress, giving it a shake as she gets out of the bed. Thank god it’s got a zip and not some fancy corset back because I wouldn’t have the patience to do it back up, nor would I be able to stop myself from touching her given the opportunity. “We can eat back at my house. I’ll have a breakfast prepared for us.”

“Okay.” She says like she doesn’t have any opinions, like she doesn’t have any thoughts of her own, like she’s some simple minded creature that lets the entire world control her.

I’m going to change that.

I’m going to bring out the real Ruby, the girl that she’s buried so deep inside she’s forgotten who she is.

She takes the dress from my hands, slipping it up over that beautiful body that I’m trying so hard not to leer at. I do the zip back up, half wishing I could rip it off and devour her and the cameras be damned.

“Let’s go.” I say, taking her hand and she lets me lead her out.

There’s still champagne on the side. If I were more of a romantic I’d let us enjoy the view from the balcony, I’d indulgein everything this suite has to offer; we’d sit out in the hot tub, watching the city come to life, we’d have a lazy breakfast, wearing the fluffy white robes and matching slippers.

Only, I’m not that sort of a man.

Romance is as obscure a concept to me as mercy is, as forgiveness is.

And truth be told, I want the security of my own house. The safety of my four walls.

If Ruby wants to soak in a hot tub then I’ll buy her one. I’ll have an entire spa complex built if that’s what will make her happy, though I suspect she’ll never voice that want for fear of displeasing me in some way.

At the door Noah and Jace greet us. Ruby’s eyes widen as she stares from one overbearing tattooed man to the other. We might have technically arrived here with just the driver but we weren’t going to remain that way. A part from anything else, I wouldn’t put it past Levi to gut me in my sleep.

The car journey takes long enough that she falls back asleep. Her head lulls against the leather and I’ve got the best view of her cleavage if I choose to look. Which, naturally I do. I can’t seem to stop looking. To stop staring at her. My hands are itching to touch her, to just reach out and take what’s technically already mine.

In my head I told myself she was a barely more than a child. From the pictures, that’s what she looked like. I never expected to be attracted to her. I never expected to want her.

But now, now I can’t take my damned eyes off her.

She’s my wife; and that thought alone makes my dick harden.

But Nico and I had an agreement. I’m not going to fuck her. I’m not going to touch her any more than I already have. I’m the one in control here. I’m not going to let a little desire change who I am. Maybe we shouldn’t even be sleeping in the same bed because she feels like a temptress come to bring me to my doom.Some siren sat out on the rocks, calling to me with a secret song only I can hear.

As we pull up to the security gates, she wakes up. Her eyes meet mine and she gives me a shy half-smile.

“We’re here.” I say. It’s same line I said when we got to the hotel. It sounds stiff. I sound almost pompous.

She lets out a sigh that could be a shudder. Her eyes drift past the walls and to the huge house beyond and her jaw drops.