Page 107 of Stand: Part One

Her admission had set something off in me that blazed to such a ferocity it demanded immediate retribution. She had finally confirmed what I’d already known for so long and all I wanted to do was fucking strangle her until her life flashed before her eyes. And judging by her cautious demeanor, I’d successfully reached my mark.

Jaden’s eyes slowly shifted to mine, a blank expression on her face. I held up the water bottle and gave it a little shake.

“You know everything down here is transactional,” I reminded her.

She swallowed again and attempted to clear her throat.

“Good morning,” she rasped, her voice barely a broken whisper.

Setting the mug down on the nightstand, I cracked the lid of the bottle and pulled out a straw from the nightstand drawer to place it inside the opening. I then held it out to her lips.

Slowly, Jaden took the straw into her mouth and sipped down the water. She was careful not to go too fast, remembering that I would remove it if she did. The bottle was halfway gone when she finally released the straw.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice sounding a little less dry.

Setting the bottle aside, I took the mug in my hand and held up a spoonful of the oatmeal for her to see. She’d missed dinner yesterday, so I had hoped that her appetite might have some sway over her this morning.

Evidently, I was wrong as her eyes widened slightly, the shadow of discomfort passing over them. She wanted to refuse but knew I wouldn’t allow it. She would eat what and when she was told, whether she wanted to or not.

“If you let me lie on my stomach, I’ll eat every bite, even if I’m full,” she offered, her eyes pleading with me to accept. “Please.”

See? Transactional.

Not only did the offer afford me her compliance, but she was also reminding me of her ability to satisfy both our needs at the same time. She knew I’d want to assess the damage I’d done to her back. So while she would gain one desired action, I’d gain two.

Jaden knew exactly how to negotiate in our little world down here.

Of course, I could always decline the offer and force her anyway, the transaction being submission for another moment unaccompanied by pain. But where was the fun in that?

I found too much enjoyment in watching her little mind spin for another way to benefit from pleasing me. Those priceless lessons taught her the mutual value of obedience. When Jaden spoke my currency, she became quite the little capitalist with a very impressive profit margin.

On a nod, I accepted Jaden’s offer, setting the mug aside to reach up for the latches of her restraints.

Releasing one, it allowed the chain to slide to the middle of the headboard, naturally lengthening it. I did the same to the other side and slightly extended the length of the ones at her ankles.

Jaden groaned as she carefully shifted her body to the side, a grimace tightening her facial features. Bending her elbows, she gasped as blood rushed back into her limbs, her forehead pressing into the pillows as her shoulders hunched.

The chains were now long enough for her to tuck her elbows against her chest as she settled into a comfortable position, resting her temple against her wrists.

Returning to my place on the side of the bed, I ran my eyes over the bold new colors painting her back. I imagined she felt worse than she looked.

But even as her screams had fed the violence running through my veins, I hadn’t broken her skin like I had threatened to. She had, after all, told me the truth. But I knew how to cause pain without destroying the body.

You’re welcome, little girl.

Grabbing the mug, I gave it a stir and held up a small spoonful to Jaden’s mouth. The portion was mouselike in comparison, but I knew she’d have a better chance at keeping it down with smaller bites.

Parting her lips, she took the spoon into her mouth. True to her word, she swallowed every bite. I let her finish off the water bottle before tossing it into the trash. Jaden then closed her eyes and sighed, letting the contents of her stomach settle.

Unable to help myself, I gently ran my fingers through her hair, marveling at the softness and vibrant coppery color.

Jaden hummed quietly, the corner of her lips curving just a tiny bit, like she was trying to hide it. One singular moan and my cock was already primed for her, an instinctual need to create more of that intoxicating sound.

Little tease.

Battling against my soul’s need for her, it was easy to forget why Jaden was down here in the first place. Easy to replace the pain of her betrayal with the pleasure of her body’s inevitable forced surrender.

For several weeks, I struggled with decision of when to punish her for her involvement in Kayla’s escape and the lies she told to cover it up. But the second I noticed she wasn’t wearing her wedding rings after I’d already warned her to keep them on, I finally fucking snapped.