Savage Chains: Scarred (Men in Chains #1.6)(13)
Author: Caris Roane

Angelica. His voice in her head felt like the softest vibration.

He gripped her waist tighter, then slowly ground his h*ps into her. She could feel the hard length of him and gasped as his tongue began to plunge in and out.

For a first kiss this one rocked. She couldn’t get enough of the warm feel of his lips, his tongue searching the recesses of her mouth, then driving once more, of his arms flexing and releasing.

She let her thoughts flow. I wanted to take you home that night at the Ocean Club.

When he drew back he leaned his forehead against hers. “If things had been different, I would have gone with you, maybe even stayed all night.” He caressed her arms. “I’ve wanted you badly, but this situation …”

“I know. So, how about we pay our respects to our elegant host, then get the hell out of here, if it’s okay to skip those other parties.”

He smiled. “We’ve made our appearance, so we’ll be fine. You can leave the shoes, though. I’ll carry you if have to.”

“Can’t you just fly me out of here?”

He shook his head. “There’s a basic rule when there’s this much drinking. Everyone walks.”

“You mean you broke the rules flying me up the stairs?”

“I took a chance.”

Angelica glanced behind her and saw that the room beyond was empty; “Let’s go then, because if I see one more na**d woman on her knees in front of another self-satisfied slaver I may go ballistic.”

He smiled. “Then we’d better get you home.”

He led her on her leash into the hall, then down the stairs. More than one partygoer glanced at Angelica’s bare feet and seemed to approve. She hadn’t realized that her barefootedness might be received as a way to control her. How ironic that instead Reyes had saved her some pain. His fellow Starlin members would be extremely disappointed if they knew the truth, bastards that they were.

He’d just reached the open front doors when Engles’s voice reached across at least forty feet of foyer. “Reyes, where have you been keeping your prize? Ah, you’ve stripped her of her shoes. I approve. Now if only she lost the costume.”

She felt Reyes bristle as he turned in Engles’s direction.

Engles, with a drink in one hand, caught Reyes’s arm with the other, lifting it high. “Our highest bidder for one of our finest trophies in a long time.” A burst of applause followed.

Angelica felt sick.

“I believe I now regret not exceeding your bid.”

“You’ll have a chance at her six-month mark.”

“Ah, yes.” He smiled, then glanced around at his guests. “You’ll notice how well-preserved our beauty is despite that she was in the hands of a man like Reyes all last night. But he’s assured me that he has plans to recoup his investment at her six-month transition. I suggest you all start saving your money for the chance to bid on her once she completes the process.” He then turned to Angelica and took her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. “For I have no doubt that you’ll survive and when you do you’ll become the perfect slave-companion. Again, I envy Reyes.”

Angelica knew that those slaves who survived the six-month mark underwent a terrible sexual transition that caused them to fully embrace the slaver lifestyle.

As she stared into Engles’s evil dark eyes her spirit rose up within her, demanding that she speak. Though he still had hold of her chin, she squared her shoulders. “But if all the rumors about you are true, I wouldn’t have lived to see my six-month transition had I been in your hands.”

Reyes’s voice was suddenly in her mind. Angelica, back down, now.

Engles’s nostrils flared and his dark eyes flashed. “You dare to speak to me in that manner, slave?” He released her chin but lifted his hand high, his lips pulled back, fangs showing.

She cringed, turning away from him, knowing she’d get hit.

When nothing happened she righted herself, appalled to find that Reyes held Engles’s arm trapped in his powerful grip.

The two men glared at each other.

Angelica, Reyes called to her sharply, mind-to-mind. Drop to the ground and prostrate yourself at my feet. Hold on to my ankles and put on the best begging-for-mercy show you can think of.

She fell down instantly and began sobbing. “I’m so sorry, master. I forgot myself. Please forgive me. Forgive me.”

“Silence, slave,” Reyes bit out.

Angelica didn’t dare look.

“You must discipline her!” Engles shouted. “Here and now.”

“She will be disciplined. Beyond that, you have no rights other than my apology for my slave’s thoughtless behavior.”

“She shows no respect. You have not brought her into proper submission, which means that your current method doesn’t seem to be working. All slaves are worthless and need to be taught well from the second you take possession. It’s clear to me, you still have a lot to learn.”

###

Reyes stared into Engles’s hard, dark eyes. He held the man’s arm high overhead, his fingers gripping Engles’s wrist. But Reyes felt no give whatsoever.

“Relent,” Reyes said quietly. “I will discipline my slave, and she clearly realizes now that she erred. Remember how much fight this one has. And again, I’m taking my time to season the meat. That is my way. And so far, she’s proved savory. I’ll have her in my game room next, for a few hours, teaching the lesson, as you suggest, that she so badly needs.”

Finally, Engles started to relax, pulling his arm away. “And we do have our rules.” He tugged on the cuffs of his silk shirt. “And I have no rights over your slave. But I would like to own her one day. I’d like her to learn a new set of lessons at my hands. In fact, I look forward to it.”

Reyes dropped his arm to his sides and felt a little flattery might help. “I looked at several organizations before setting my sights on Starlin. What I always valued, that isn’t true across the board, is that the owner has all the rights and members of the organization are not allowed to infringe on an owner’s property, not where his slave is concerned, at least not without permission.”

“You know our laws well.”

“I do.”

Engles once more glanced down at Angelica. His tongue made an appearance between newly emerged fangs. The bastard lusted after her, which sent off a warning bell in Reyes’s head. Engles would do what he could to gain control of Angelica. More than at any other moment, Reyes understood Engles’s mind and his purpose. The man was biding his time.