Page 35

The flames in the fireplace cast flickering shadows across Vice's face, highlighting the harsh lines of anger and pain that had become all too familiar to her.

His words were a slap in the face, a brutal reminder that she was a pawn in a game she didn't fully understand.

Yet, in the depths of her soul, she knew that she had to break free from the cycle of dependency and manipulation that had defined her life for so long.

Ivy took a deep, shaky breath, pushing herself up to look into his eyes.

"You're right," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside her.

"James didn't love me for who I am. But that's not going to stop me from loving Alice.

She's my priority, and if I have to endure this hell to keep her safe, then I will. "

Vice's gaze softened, his hand stroking her cheek with surprising gentleness. "Your dedication to you're daughter is commendable," he murmured. "But remember, love can be a powerful weapon, and it's one I wield as easily as I do fear."

The words hung in the air, a chilling reminder of her predicament. Yet, Ivy felt a spark of defiance. "Love isn't a weapon," she said firmly. "It's the one thing you can never take from me."

Vice watched her closely, his own desire for her unyielding dominance warring with a strange fascination at her unyielding spirit.

He had never encountered someone so willing to endure for the sake of love, and it intrigued him, even as it enraged him.

He had taken so much from her, yet she still had the audacity to look at him with defiance in her eyes.

Vice's eyes narrowed, the flames reflected in the cold steel of his gaze. A low growl coming from his throat, his thumb tracing a path down her cheek to her full, trembling lips.

"Is that so?" he asked, his voice a soft, dangerous whisper. "Then let's see just how much you're willing to sacrifice for that love."

With a sudden, violent jerk, he flipped her onto her stomach, her face pressing into the plush pillows. She gasped as he yanked her arms behind her back, securing them with a silk tie that seemed to appear from nowhere.

"You think you can outsmart me?" he snarled, his breath hot on her neck. "You think you're love will save you?"

Ivy felt a chill run down her spine, but she didn't flinch. "It's not about outsmarting you," she replied, her voice surprisingly firm. "It's about surviving."

Vice chuckled darkly, the sound sending waves of dread through her body. "Surviving?" He leaned in closer, his teeth grazing her ear. "You're doing more than surviving, little mouse. You're thriving in this game."

The weight of his body pressing her into the carpet was a stark reminder of his power over her. Yet she found strength in her conviction. "I'm not playing you're game," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I'm playing my own."

Vice's hand traveled down her spine, his fingers digging into her skin as he made his way down. With a cruel twist of his wrist, he brought a hand down on her ass, pain and pleasure ran through her. Ivy jumped, as she let out a small noise, her eyes squeezed shut.

He slid his hand between her thighs, his touch surprisingly gentle as he found her clit and began to massage it. Despite the situation, Ivy felt her body respond, a traitorous flush of arousal spreading through her.

“I don’t care who touched you before. I’ll erase their name from you're skin, you're mind, you're soul—until there’s only me.” His words were a dark promise, that sent a electricity through Ivy’s body, a mix of terror and something else—something she didn't dare name.

She clenched her teeth, willing herself not to react to his touch, not to give him the satisfaction of knowing he still had power over her.

"So that’s what you want," she spat back, trying to sound unaffected. "To break me until I'm nothing but a shell of who I was?"

"Breaking you would be too easy," he murmured, his voice a dark whisper that sent chills down her spine. "What intrigues me is the challenge of bending you to my will without breaking you completely."

His fingers continued to work their magic, the pleasure building in her core despite her resolve to resist. She could feel the tension in the room shift, the power struggle palpable as he pushed her closer to the edge of submission.

"You can try," she ground out, her body betraying her as she pushed back against his hand, seeking more of his touch. “But it’s not going to happen.”

"Keep telling yourself that" Vice said, his voice a smug rumble against her skin as he slid his hand away, leaving her aching and empty. He stood up, leaving her bound and exposed on the floor. "Your dedication is admirable, but it's you're weakness that truly captivates me."

Ivy laid there, panting and trembling, her body a battleground of desire and fear. She watched as he strode over to a chest in the corner of the room, his muscles flexing with each step. He opened it, revealing a collection of whips, chains, and other instruments of pain.

Her heart raced, she knew she had to find a way to maintain control, to keep her sanity in the face of his relentless onslaught.

As he selected a whip, his eyes gleamed with anticipation, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the warmth of the pillow beneath her face and the scent of burning wood from the fireplace.

When the first strike of the whip met her skin, she bit her lip to stifle a scream, the pain searing through her body like a bolt of lightning. Yet she remained still, her mind racing for a way to turn this into a victory.

"Scream for me," he ordered, his voice a dark melody that seemed to resonate with the crack of the whip.

Ivy's eyes squeezed shut tighter as she felt the sting of leather on her bare back, the pain a stark reminder of her reality. "No" she murmured, her voice a soft defiance.

Vice chuckled, the sound echoing through the room like a taunt. "You think you're silence will save you?" He trailed the whip down her spine, the tip dancing across her skin like a serpent's tongue. "Your pain is my pleasure, Ivy."

The whip came down again, the sound of leather meeting flesh echoing through the chamber.

Yet instead of the screams of agony he craved, Ivy's only response was a soft gasp that seemed almost...sultry. He paused, his hand hovering in the air, his eyes narrowing. "You’re enjoying this aren’t you?

" he asked, his voice thick with amusement.

Ivy's breath was shallow, her body a canvas of pain and arousal. She met his gaze with a look of pure challenge. "No," she said firmly.

Vice's eyes searched hers, looking for the lie, the crack in her resolve. But all he found was a deep, burning anger and the unshakeable love for Alice. He threw the whip aside, frustrated that she hadn’t given in. Instead, he reached for her, his grip on her wrists tightening.

"If you won't scream," he whispered, his breath hot on her face, "Then you'll do something else for me." He released her from the silk tie, and she took a deep, shaky breath, her body trembling from the assault.

He climbed on top straddling her. Ivy felt a strange mix of fear and anticipation, the lines between the two blurring in her hazed mind. She could feel his rock-hard cock on her ass.

"You’re mine," he said again, his voice a low, insistent murmur that seemed to resonate through her bones. "Say it."

Ivy squeezed her eyes shut. "No," she spat.

Vice's grip on her wrists tightened, his thumbs pressing into her skin. "You will," he growled. "You will say it, or I’ll make you wish you had."

Ivy's eyes remained shut, her voice strong despite the tremor in her body. "Go ahead and try," she said, each word a declaration of war.

Vice leaned down, his breath warm and sweet on her face.

"With pleasure." With that he pulled at her waist pulling her up enough to put a pillow under her hips then drove into her with a relentless force. “You’re such a brat and a stubborn pain in my ass.” He hissed into her ear.

With one hand on the floor just above her shoulder holding her in place and the other still holding on to her wrists.

He slammed into her, the sound of their bodies colliding echoing through the cold, stone chamber. Ivy screamed into the pillow.

Vice's thrusts grew more aggressive, his grip on her wrists unrelenting.

"Oh god," she moaned, the words torn from her chest as the pleasure overwhelmed her. She felt his cock stretching her, filling her up in a way that was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Vice's eyes gleamed with victory, his grip on her wrists tightening. "Say it," he demanded, his voice a harsh whisper.

Ivy's body arched back, her eyes flying open. The room swirled around her, a kaleidoscope of pain and pleasure that made her head spin. She clamped her mouth shut, her teeth digging into her lower lip to hold back the words he craved.

Vice leaned down, his breath hot on her neck. "Say it," he hissed, his thrusts becoming more punishing. "Say you're mine."

Ivy's body was on fire, the pain from the whipping melding with the pleasure of his relentless pounding. "I can't, please." she cried out.

Vice's grip tightened. "You can," he said, his voice a dark promise. "You will."

The orgasm hit her like a wave, crashing over her and through her, stealing her breath.

She bucked against him, trying to get away even as her body betrayed her and she moaned his name.

The pleasure was so intense it almost hurt, and she knew in that moment that she was losing the battle for control.

Vice's eyes blazed with triumph as he watched her come apart beneath him. "There," he murmured, his voice smug. "Now, tell me. Who do you belong to?"

Ivy's breath was rigid, her body still quivering from the intensity of her orgasm. "I belong to Alice," she said through gritted teeth, refusing to give him the victory he sought.

Vice's eyes narrowed, his grip on her wrists tightening. "And what about James?"

"Him too." she said, her voice strained. He leaned in closer, his cock still buried deep inside her. "But what if I told you that James isn't as innocent as you think?"

Ivy's body stilled, the mention of James piercing through the haze of pleasure and pain. "What do you mean?"

Vice leaned closer, his breath a warm caress on her neck. "I know things," he whispered. "Things that might change how you feel about him."

He then continued to pound into her. She pushed her hips back into his thrusts. He smiled. "Good girl." he groaned, his thrusts becoming harder.

Ivy felt the beginnings of a powerful orgasm building. "Tell me," she gasped out between moans. "What do you know?"

Vice's grip tightened on her hips, his strokes becoming more deliberate. "Let's just say James has been playing a very dangerous game," he murmured darkly, his teeth grazing her earlobe. "With someone he's greatly underestimated."

Ivy's eyes widened, the implications of his words sinking in. Her movements grew more frenzied as she chased her own release, trying to process this new information. "Who?" she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vice didn't answer, focusing instead on the feel of her tightening around him. His own orgasm was approaching.

With a final, brutal thrust, he came, filling her with his hot seed. Ivy's eyes rolled back in her head, her body trembling as she reached her peak simultaneously. Her nails dug into his back, leaving faint trails of red.

He kissed her neck, panting, his tongue tracing a path along the delicate skin.

They remained still for a moment, their breaths mingling in the quiet room, the only sound the crackling of the fireplace.

The tension of his revelation hung in the air, thick and palpable, as the aftershocks of their shared climax subsided.

Then, with surprising gentleness, Vice pulled out of her, his cock glistening with the remnants of their passion. "Get dressed," he ordered, his voice still thick with desire. "We have plans.