Page 20 of Savage Captor (Deadly Devotion #1)

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“ A training regimen?” I repeat dubiously. “You’ve put a lot of thought into this.”

“Of course I have. I’ve already chosen who I’ll claim, as well.

” Cain’s gaze shifts to the TV, and for the first time since I’ve met him, his eyes lose their deadened quality.

They brighten with something that could be his twisted version of anticipation.

“My chosen will be second. She’ll be a queen… once I’ve broken her in.”

I decide to avoid that minefield altogether.

I know better than to try to dissuade Cain when he’s made his decision, and as messed up as this is, there are undeniable merits— if there’s a strong system in place to ensure that we’re not setting up a trafficking ring.

I don’t want to walk around the compound to be faced with a bunch of timid, broken women sporting black eyes. There have to be rules.

“Back to you,” Cain says. “Scarlett’s strong.

Breaking her will be a task that requires patience, consistency, and a meticulous schedule.

Put together a list of rules for her to follow, and punishments if she doesn’t follow them.

Learn everything you can about her, find out what you can do for her that’d make her happy and settled. Use a rewards-consequences system—”

“You’re insane,” I interrupt .

“Not remotely,” Cain replies. “I already have a six-week schedule for my own woman. Her days are blocked out by the hour. Her training regimen includes a wide array of sexual acts that she’ll gain expertise in, along with some kink testing.

If she revolts or rebels, I will punish her.

If she accepts me and conducts herself with grace, she will get more rewards than she ever could’ve dreamed of. ”

“You’re describing a sex-slavery situation.”

“I’m describing a training schedule that’ll adequately prepare her for her life with me. I don’t intend to fuck her from dawn ‘til dusk. I’ll also spend time with her. Get… reacquainted with her—every piece of her. The dark and light, the good and bad. The evil, the kind, the sultry—”

“I don’t want to hear about it.”

Cain shrugs. “Fine. Back to you, then. I can see you’re on the fence, but you need to make your decision and stick with it. Right now, so we don’t spend time dallying.”

Despite my conflict, I have already made my decision.

Fuck how wrong it is, fuck my doubts. I’m not letting Scarlett go.

She’ll be safer here, where I can keep an eye on her, where I can protect her and treat her with respect—outside of the times when I decide to do remarkably disrespectable things with her. “I want to keep her.”

“Then you better prepare for what that’ll entail. You have your needs and kinks in bed; teach her them. I think the most appropriate way to go about the training period is for our operatives to assume the role of the Dominant in a D/s dynamic.”

I think back to Scarlett’s reaction earlier, when I used my dom voice to tell her to take her meds. She did so immediately. She also flushed when I called her good girl…

Doubt creeps in, muddling my perspective, softening the harsh edge of my need and clearing the fog of obsession. Could I do it? Could I train her to be a good girl, my good girl? Would I be able to live with myself, with her, knowing that I effectively ruined her life?

If I could make her happy, yes. If I could ensure she’d settle, find peace and a purpose for me, I could do it. More, I’d get rid of this conflict that’s eating me up inside.

“They’d need to have the options to work,” I say. “The women. They can’t just be chained to the bedroom. Their aspirations and needs should be met and realized.”

“What happens to them sexually is in the hands of their owner—so long as the situation isn’t rife with abuse,” Cain says. “But if they want to work, they could find a place here. My woman’s a chemist—a brilliant one. She’ll certainly be put to use in the lab.”

I frown. “We don’t have a chemistry lab.” We have a medical wing on the second floor with an aging doctor that treats our guys when they’re hurt, and old equipment—nothing a modern scientist would require.

“I intend to fix that. The Nighthawks will undergo many changes under my leadership, including renovations to the compound. But first, I need to take care of Boyce. We’ll talk more about that in a minute.

For now, back to your chosen; I suggest you get the news out of the way fast. Make clear who she is now to you and to the organization.

List the rules. Have punishments decided on.

Acquire any tools you intend to use in your bedroom activities.

A crop, cane, and flogger would be a good start for punishments—”

“ No ,” I cut him off. “Abso lutely not. I will not hurt her again.” The very thought is repulsive. She’s endured more pain at my hands than any person should ever have to; I will never hurt her again. I don’t know if I could live with myself if I did.

Cain tilts his head to the side as he examines me. “That’s your prerogative. I forgot you weren’t a sadist when it comes to the bedroom. ”

No, I don’t like hurting the women I fuck.

I like to top them, without a doubt, I enjoy tying them up—even giving them a spanking here and there.

But what really speaks to me is controlling their pleasure.

Denying them an orgasm until they’re begging for it, then making them orgasm until they’re begging me to stop and using their safeword.

I haven’t played around with orgasm control as much as I’ve wanted, but now I have the opportunity to indulge myself.

Controlling a woman’s pleasure is much more satisfying to me than controlling her pain.

I think about it. Try to picture it. Scarlett on my bed, waiting with wide eyes and parted lips.

Shifting restlessly around the mattress as I tease her with gentle touches.

Find out what she looks like under her clothes.

Play with her breasts, pinch and roll her nipples, tease her pussy with my fingers and tongue.

Pull back every time she’s close to orgasming until she’s begging for release…

and then set to work. Force her to come as many times as I want her to.

Watch tears of exquisite agony stream down her cheeks.

Find out what’s the best way to get her to obey and how to punish her.

Learn her body so thoroughly I can take command of it with a word. With a look .

Fuck . My cock starts to harden in my pants as all the blood rushes from my brain to my crotch. That visual is too goddamn much.

It’s borderline cruel, keeping her after what I’ve done, but…

she’ll be safer with me than she is in the outside world.

I’ll protect her from her father. I’ll spoil her, find ways to make her happy.

I’ll wipe away the memories of her pain, replacing them with pleasure.

I’ll condition her to be mine, body and soul, and make sure she enjoys every second of it.

“You’re warming up to the idea,” Cain says. “Good. Make a plan and stick to it. I’d advise you to get the bad news out of the way fast. Make it clear who she is and what her new purpose here is. The faster she comes to terms with it, the faster she can settle.”

“What about Boyce?” I ask. “He has it out for her. He wants to hurt her.” Driven by impulse, the need to see her and ensure she’s safe, I pull my phone out of my pocket and click over to the video feed of Scarlett’s cell.

She’s sitting on her cot, hugging one leg just like she was when I was there, and the doc is in the room with her.

He’s holding a clipboard and saying something to her.

After a moment, he sits on the edge of her bed and picks up his stethoscope.

Something dangerous starts to niggle at my gut—I don’t like how close he’s sitting to her.

I don’t like the sight of another man near her.

Jesus, something is deeply wrong with me.

I can’t be thinking like that. This whole situation is messed up, and my…

possessiveness toward her is even more fucked up.

I know my obsession is ridiculous, unfounded…

but obsession rarely listens to reason. I want her, and I have the opportunity to claim her—an opportunity I won’t shirk.

I’ll treat her well. I’ll spoil her, care for her, covet her like she deserves to be coveted.

She has so many qualities I chose to ignore, aside from her beauty. Her tongue is as sharp as a blade, and her wit can cut a lesser man in half. She’s funny. She’s charismatic without trying. She’s powerful… and yet there’s a fragility to her. A vulnerability I want to shield and guard.

“Boyce won’t make a move. He knows I have more power than him here, though he’s not yet sure just how much,” Cain says, drawing my attention away from my phone.

“Keep her close and you can make sure she’s safe.

Bring her here, to your apartment, where nobody can get to her.

You’ll need to make adjustments to the space, of course… ”

I blink at him. “ Adjustments?”

Cain arches an eyebrow. “Yes. You don’t want any weapons out in the open, where she can get to them.

You’re about to tell her you own her body.

You, who have spent quite some time hurting her badly.

If I were her, I’d be looking for the fastest way to kill you.

Don’t make that a possibility for her. You’ll need to put locks on the outside of doors instead of the inside, so she can’t barricade herself from you.

And you’ll need your collection of tools—whatever you’ll use to keep her in line.

She should fear some of those tools and crave others. ”

“You are truly psychotic,” I say, though the words are empty of rancor. Now that I’m being faced with the reality of what I’ll need to do, the amount of work I have cut out for me, my focus is shifting to planning. I’ve made my decision; it’s time to see it through.