Collared (Captured by the Billionaire #6)(6)
Author: Julia Sykes

In her waking hours, she often felt a surge of vindictive pleasure at the thought of Celeste wearing a heinous orange jumpsuit in jail.  Mallory had managed to break her nose, and there weren’t any plastic surgeons in prison.  And Celeste wasn’t about to get out on bail after the stunt that she had pulled.

As much as Mallory was thrilled to find herself happily safe and sound with Jake, she was troubled.  She had been hazy when she had first been released from the hospital, but she could still recall her insisting that Jake collar her.  And that she had confessed that she loved him.  He had said nothing about it since, and she was beginning to think that he might never say anything.  Did he not want her in that way anymore?  He had hardly touched her in the past weeks.  He claimed that it was because he was waiting for her to heal, but what if he was just keeping her around out of guilt for what had happened to her?

And so today a mixture of apprehension and excitement filled her as she found herself being led into Jake’s dungeon for the first time since her kidnapping.  Would this be their last session together before he let her go?

As Jake led her through the door by both hands, he gently rubbed the palms of her hands with his thumbs.  His brow was furrowed with concern.

“What’s wrong, Mallory?”  He asked earnestly, anxiously, as he sat down beside her on the huge iron bed.

“Nothing,” she said as dismissively as she could, not willing to confess her concerns.  She couldn’t bear it if she laid bare her soul just to have him callously ignore her words again.

His eyes turned a hard, sapphire blue.  He roughly grasped her hair at her nape and sharply jerked her head back, forcing her to meet his gaze.  “What have I told you about lying to me, sub?”  His voice was soft and dangerous.

Mallory swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat.  She couldn’t deny him, not when he used that dominant tone; the submissive in her instinctively complied.  “You… You haven’t mentioned collaring me again,” she began hesitantly.  Her voice turned strangled as she fought back tears.  “You’ve been so distant since…  I’m worried that you don’t want me anymore,” she finally confessed in a whisper.

Jake let out a low growl, his grip on her hair turning almost painfully tight as he shook her slightly.  “Do you know how hard it’s been for me to resist you these past weeks?”  He demanded, an angry edge to his voice.  “I didn’t want to hurt you, Mallory.  Did you think I was lying?”

“Um,” she practically squeaked under his scrutiny.  “Yes.”

Mercifully, his hard expression softened.  “I won’t ever lie to you, Mallory; a good Dom doesn’t lie to his sub.”  His gaze turned a bit reproving.  “And a good sub doesn’t lie to her Master.”

Mallory’s jaw dropped slightly at the term “Master.”  Did he truly still want to possess her?  A pang shot through her heart as she realized anew how badly she wanted to be his.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” she said quickly, dropping her eyes as guilt shot through her.  She found in that moment that she was truly bothered by his disapproval at her disobedience.  Wonder at the change in her since she met him skittered across her mind; her pride never would have tolerated such demands by any other man.  But she found that she didn’t care.  Indeed, the idea of obeying Jake lit a warm glow in her, making her pu**y throb.  She blushed slightly at her reaction, keeping her eyes downcast.

Jake released her hair, but then his strong fingers were firmly gripping her chin, bringing her gaze back to his.  Looking deeply into her eyes, lines of worry etched his face.

“Mallory,” he said her name solemnly, his voice laced with apprehension.  “You told me that you wanted me to collar you.  Did you really mean it?”

Her eyes widened and she took in a sharp breath.  “Yes,” she answered, sincere.

Jake breathed deeply before speaking.  “You have no idea how I have longed to hear you say that,” he said softly, wonderingly.  “But before you can accept, you need to know what it involves.”

His tone turned a bit brusque, business-like.  “A collar is a serious commitment, a symbol that you belong to me.  I will demand your complete obedience, and you will be punished if you defy me.  Do you understand that, Mallory?”

“Yes…” she said, a bit hesitantly.  “But only in the bedroom,” she said staunchly.  Then her eyes sparkled playfully.  “Or in the dungeon.”

He grinned roguishly.  “Or wherever I want to take you.”  His voice turned more serious.  “But I would never expect you to be my submissive outside of our sexual relationship.”  He tenderly cupped her face.  “I want you to challenge me, Mallory.  I love your spirit and your fire.  I would never make any demands of you that you weren’t comfortable with.  Do you trust me?”

She thought of how he had so skillfully seduced her, never pushing her further than she could handle.  “Yes,” she breathed.  “Unequivocally.”

He ran a gentle thumb over her cheekbone.  “I need one final test before I can collar you,” he said softly.  “Do you remember your safe words?”

A tremor ran through Mallory.  What did he have planned?  Not trusting her voice, she simply gave him a shaky nod.  The corners of his lips quirked up in a pleased smile, but there was a hint of cruelty to the twist of it.  Mallory shuddered, but she wasn’t sure if it was from fear or pleasurable anticipation.

Standing abruptly, Jake took her by the hand and yanked her up with him, all gentleness gone.  He grabbed the hem of her dress and roughly pulled it up over her head before reaching around her to swiftly unclasp her bra.  Her ni**les pebbled in the suddenly cool air, and her cheeks heated as he exposed her so efficiently, almost impersonally.  He pulled her panties down, and she compliantly stepped out of them, kicking off her sandals at the same time.

Then Jake strode across the room at a quick pace.  His strong fingers were curled around her forearm, and he half-dragged her to the corner of the room.  A pair of leather cuffs dangled from a chain directly above her head.  Mallory tried to swallow back her rising fear as he jerked her arms straight up over her head until they were fully extended.