Sinful Palace: Ruthless Rulers Book 2

by Hart, Stella

  “Oh, god….” I let out another whimper as the pleasure faded again. A fresh set of frustrated tears sprang to my eyes.

  Logan remained up at the bar throughout my ordeal. Every few minutes, he turned his gaze to me and stared me down, a cruel smile curving his lips as he watched me moan and struggle, fighting the inescapable pleasure and its inevitable denial. I’d never hated him more.

  My thighs were drenched with dripping arousal within an hour, and frustrated sobs wracked my chest. This was worse than any other punishment Logan had ever inflicted on me. When he used to whip me or paddle me down in the old dungeon, I knew what sort of pain to expect, and I knew it had to end after a certain number of strokes unless he wanted to do permanent damage.

  This was different. I’d been pushed to the edge and torn away from it at least fifty times now, and there was no end in sight. There was no threat of permanent physical damage if it didn’t stop, either, meaning it didn’t have to cease anytime soon.

  Every inch of me tingled and throbbed with delirious need, and I clenched my teeth, still desperately trying to find my release. Sweat coated my skin as I squirmed and thrust my hips and pelvis as much as I could, mirroring the actions of the cage dancers several feet ahead of me.

  No matter what I did, it wasn’t enough.

  “Need a hand, gorgeous?”

  I opened my eyes to see a tall dark-haired man standing in front of me. I looked past him to see Logan still sitting at the bar with furrowed brows, cellphone in one hand. He wasn’t looking at me, and he didn’t seem to have noticed the other man’s approach.

  The stranger took a step closer and stroked my face. His breath reeked of bourbon. “You look like you could use some help,” he said.

  I shook my head. “No,” I muttered. “I’m fine.”

  “Aw, come on. I can’t leave you like this,” he said. His eyes gleamed as he spotted the remote on the bench, and he picked it up. “Are you sure you don’t want my help?”

  “I can’t.”

  “But you want it anyway, don’t you?”

  I shook my head again. “No,” I whispered. “Please leave me alone.”

  “All I have to do is click this button,” he said, holding up the remote. “You won’t be in pain anymore.”

  “Don’t.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “There’s no need to be rude. I’m just trying to help,” he said. “No one else will. I’ve been watching you struggle. You’re all alone, aren’t you?”

  “For now, but—” I stopped and cried out as the man suddenly pressed the remote, making the vibrations intensify. They didn’t bring any pleasure with them, though. It was all gone, faded to nothing, because Logan wasn’t in control. The only thing I felt between my legs was a raw ache.

  “Come for me, kitten,” the man growled, sliding one hand to my ass.

  “I can’t,” I whimpered.

  “Do it.” He slapped my ass, making it jiggle.

  “I can’t!”

  He pulled back with a scowl. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” I choked out.

  “Then why won’t you come? You frigid or something?”

  I swallowed another sob. “No, I just can’t. Not without—”

  “What the fuck is going on here?”

  I flicked my gaze to the side to see Logan standing a few feet away, arms folded across his powerful chest.

  The strange man held his palms up. “She was alone,” he said. “I was trying to help.”

  “Did you ask her if you could touch her?”

  “Yes.”

  “And did she give you permission?” Logan asked, eyes blazing. I couldn’t tell who he was angrier at right now; me or the man.

  “Uh, yeah. She did.”

  I shook my head wildly. “I didn’t, I swear!”

  “Look, she said yes with her body, okay?” the stranger said. “She was begging for it, and as far as I could tell, she wasn’t spoken for.”

  “She’s with me,” Logan said, stepping closer. He held out a hand, demanding the remote. “You need to leave, right the fuck now.”

  The man glared. “Why the hell would I do that?”

  “Because you broke the rules. You touched a girl without permission. My girl,” Logan said. “Now get the fuck out before I make you.”

  “Fuck you, man, who the hell do you think—” The stranger’s retort was cut off as Logan’s fist flashed through the air, landing a hard punch on his jaw. He reeled backward with a grunt, and Logan grabbed one of his arms and twisted it behind his back before pushing him to his knees. He made it look easy, like the man was nothing but a skinny child, even though he was around the same height and weight as him.

  “I said: get the fuck out,” Logan growled, twisting the man’s arm even harder until he groaned and squealed like a little girl. He finally loosened his grip and let him go, and the nasty man stumbled away without another word, shooting a fearful glance at us over his shoulder as he ran away.

  Logan stepped up behind me and removed the toy with a loud popping sound. He slid it back into the box with the remote, and then he yanked the skirt of my dress down. “We’re leaving,” he said, releasing my wrists and ankles from their restraints.

  “Why?” I asked, eyes wide. Now that he was touching me again, the earlier pleasure had returned. All I needed was a little push from him, and I could finally come. Finally ease the aching desperation inside me.

  “This was a bad idea,” he muttered. “I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

  “But I’m so close… please let me come.”

  “No,” he said, eyes narrowing. “We’re leaving right now.”

  He grabbed one of my arms and yanked me across the room, fingers digging into my skin. He didn’t say a word as we stepped through the foyer and into the elevator, and when we finally returned to our room on the top floor, he remained silent, eyes filled with anger as he removed his jacket and loosened his tie.

  Confusion made my stomach flutter. “Why did you do that?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

  Logan looked over at me, fingers still fumbling with his tie. “What?”

  “Why did you attack that man? He didn’t hurt me. He was just a dick.”

  He stalked over and grabbed me by the shoulders. “What part of ‘I own you’ do you not understand?” he asked. “No one else is allowed to fucking touch you. Ever.”

  “I don’t understand why it has to be that way,” I said, lifting my chin in defiance. “You can go out and screw as many girls as you like, so why can’t another guy touch me?”

  “Are you fucking serious?”

  “I’m not saying I actually wanted that man tonight. Not at all. I’m just saying the whole concept of no one else ever touching me doesn’t make sense. It’s not fair.”

  “It’s not supposed to be fair,” Logan replied, upper lip curling in a sneer. “And I’m not fucking anyone else, anyway. Only you.”

  My eyes widened. “Really?”

  “Yes.” He pulled back and scratched his jaw, eyes not meeting mine. “Are we done?”

  “No.” I shook my head again as a hundred more questions bubbled up inside me. “Why aren’t you sleeping with anyone else? And why don’t you want anyone else touching me?” I asked. “If we were a real couple, it would be cheating, but that doesn’t apply to us. We aren’t actually together. It’s just a contract. We don’t love each other. We don’t even like each other! So why do you care if someone else wants me or touches me while we’re in the Wonderland Club? It’s not like anyone would report it to the media. You said that yourself.”

  “Shut up, Willow,” Logan hissed, turning away. He lifted one hand to his forehead to rub his temples. “Fuck, I wish I hadn’t even said anything. You never stop pushing.”

  My forehead wrinkled as comprehension dawned on me. “Oh. I’m wrong, aren’t I?” I said softly.

  “About what?”

  I bit my bottom lip before speaking up again.
“You actually have some sort of feelings for me, don’t you?”

  There was a flash across his face as he looked back at me; something sharp and real, gleaming through the haze of anger. Just that one flash, gone in a blink, and then his eyes narrowed again. “You’re so full of shit,” he said.

  “I don’t think I am.” I swallowed hard. “It’s true, isn’t it? You were jealous when that man touched me. Jealous like a real, normal boyfriend.”

  “I was angry because someone else touched my property. That’s all,” he said, still glowering at me.

  A recent memory flashed in my mind, and I pursed my lips. “No. I saw it the other night as well,” I said. “When Rowan tried to rub my shoulder, just as a friendly gesture, you couldn’t stand it. You were jealous, but not in a possessive way. You feel something for me. You wanted to protect me.”

  “I don’t feel anything for you. Not in the way you’re implying, anyway.”

  I took one step forward, closing the distance between us again. “You just admitted you aren’t sleeping with anyone else. Why would you behave like that if you don’t feel the slightest thing for me except anger and hatred, like you always claim? You’re a hot young guy with a ton of money. Basically every girl’s dream. So why not fuck around, huh?”

  Logan jabbed a finger at my chest. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, I do. You just won’t admit it.” I let out a short, sharp breath. “God, this is ridiculous. You expect me to be honest with you, but you won’t be honest with me. You’re a hypocrite.”

  His lips tightened. “So this is you trying your best to be a good girl like we discussed, huh?” he said, one brow lifting. He shook his head slowly. “You really are completely fucking incorrigible.”

  I licked my dry lips and tentatively reached one hand out to his chest. “I just think we need to talk about this.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about,” he said, pushing my hand away.

  “There is. I haven’t forgotten what happened last week, you know,” I said, cheeks warming with a deep blush. “You kissed me after you saved me from Teddy. You felt something that night. I know because…” I trailed off and lowered my eyes, shame sweeping through my body. “I know because I felt it too.”

  “I told you to stop talking, Willow,” Logan said.

  Frustration burned through me. “We can’t ignore this forever,” I said. “We need to be honest or we’ll wind up going insane. Maybe it’s just old feelings from when we were teenagers; I don’t know. But as much as we hate each other, we have to admit there’s something still here between us.”

  “You’re delusional, and you’re also treading on very fucking thin ice.”

  Anger flared deep inside me. “You’re the one who’s delusional. Everything you do is a contradiction. You constantly threaten me and tell me how much you hate me, but your actions betray you every single time.” I jabbed a finger at his chest, mimicking his earlier gesture. “This isn’t all in my imagination. You know it isn’t. Now tell me why you kissed me that night.”

  Logan averted his eyes again. “It was a mistake,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead. “Drop it. Please.”

  I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes. I wasn’t going to let this go. I was finally getting the first real glimpses of the boy I used to know, and that was exactly what I needed. The truth. The real Logan.

  “Tell me,” I said, voice trembling with anxiety and anticipation. “Tell me why you saved me that night. The real reason. Tell me why you kissed me.”

  A vein was jumping in Logan’s forehead now, and his hands were clenching and unclenching in rapid succession by his side. “I said drop it.”

  “Teddy was one of your closest friends,” I went on, refusing to back down. “But you killed him for me. You chose me. Tell me why.”

  Something jumped in his cheek, and his nostrils flared. “I was wrong.”

  “About saving me?”

  “No. I was wrong when I thought we could peacefully co-exist as long as you tried your best,” he said. “You don’t have a best. You’re a spoiled, manipulative little brat. You think you can say or do anything. You think you’re totally fucking indestructible.”

  “No, I—”

  He cut me off, lifting a hand. “You aren’t indestructible,” he growled. “I’ve just been too lenient with you, that’s all. I should’ve never let it get this far. I should’ve broken you from the start.”

  “Logan…” I reached for him, but he shook my hand off again.

  “You really wanna know how I feel about you, princess?” he asked, eyes darkening.

  I nodded. “Yes. I want the truth.”

  “All right. Here’s the truth.” He strode over to the bed and fished his phone out of his jacket. Then he dialed a number and lifted it to his ear. “Hey, Frank,” he said about ten seconds later, turning to face me with a cold smile.

  A dark thread of fear curled up my spine. “Wait… no. Stop.”

  He ignored me. “I know it’s too late to get eyes on the kid now, but could you do it first thing tomorrow morning?” he said. He paused for a beat. “Uh-huh. Yeah. I’m ready. Take the shot as soon as you get it and let me know when it’s done. I’ll send the payment through right away.”

  Cold terror seeped through my insides. “Don’t do this,” I said. “Please.”

  Logan tossed the phone aside and smirked at me. “Too late.”

  The force of his loathing hit me like an avalanche, and I sank to the floor and whimpered as my knees buckled.

  I was wrong. So fucking wrong.

  “Now you know,” Logan said, stepping over to me again. He roughly tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his stony gaze. “That’s how I feel about you.”

  With that, he turned and left the room.

  10

  Logan

  Last night was bad.

  Really fucking bad.

  Holding my head in my hands, I leaned forward and blew out a frustrated breath. There was so much shit I couldn’t get out of my mind. Willow. Her brother. Chloe. Teddy.

  Christ, Teddy… I shot him in cold blood, for fuck’s sake.

  I kept waiting for the remorse to hit me, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t coming. I felt nothing about his death beyond acceptance, as if I knew for sure I did the right thing, even though he was my friend for over a decade before I made the split-second decision to put that bullet in his head.

  It was wrong. I should care more. I should feel guilty. I should feel utterly horrified. But I couldn’t, no matter how much I tried to force it. Something about Willow was holding me back; switching my focus.

  For the last week and a half, I’d tried to convince myself that it wasn’t happening. That I didn’t have any feelings for her. That I only saved her from Teddy because I owned her.

  It was all bullshit, obviously. I knew it the whole time. I just didn’t want to admit it. Not to myself, and certainly not to her.

  Now she’d gone and figured it out anyway.

  I saw the realization flashing in her eyes last night, followed by that smug fucking gleam as she finally grasped the kind of power she had over me. I couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand her realizing that I actually cared for her despite all the shit she’d done. Couldn’t stand her knowing that every time I saw her and touched her, I felt some sort of spark. Some glimmer of hope and warmth, shining through the usual cold fury.

  I wanted to keep hating her, but I couldn’t.

  I hated myself instead, for betraying my sister. What kind of fucking asshole did something so heinous to his own family? Willow literally tried to kill Chloe, left her for dead in the rain five years ago, and here I was, protecting her anyway. Wanting her. Craving her. Needing her.

  It drove me insane, filling me with white-hot rage that burned through my veins like wildfire.

  When Willow figured out the truth and called me out on it, the fire burned higher and higher, bringing the hot mess of emotions inside me to a boiling poi
nt. I kept telling her to drop it, afraid of what I might do if she pushed me too far, but she was too fucking stubborn to listen. She just kept pushing and pushing and pushing until….

  “Fuck!”

  I lifted my head and rubbed my eyes to clear the haze in front of them. Then I pushed off the bed and stepped out into the hallway, unable to sit still a moment longer. I hadn’t slept a wink, but it didn’t matter. My brain kept playing last night’s events in my head on a loop, filling me with chaotic energy despite the exhaustion seeping through my limbs.

  When I turned the corner, I almost bumped right into my mother. She was wearing a black coat over matching black pants, and a thick red woolen scarf was wrapped around her neck, covering every inch of skin beneath her chin.

  “Oops!” She stepped backward, letting out a nervous laugh. “Nearly had a collision there!”

  “Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”

  Mom waved a hand. “Not your fault, darling. I was looking at my phone.”

  “Right.” I gestured to her neck. “Aren’t you overheating in that thing? It’s huge.”

  She shook her head and lifted her fingers to tighten the scarf around her throat. “No, I’m fine. I just went for a walk, and it’s absolutely freezing outside. I think it might finally start snowing soon.”

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  “What are you doing up so early, anyway?” she asked, tilting her head to one side. “You usually sleep in on Sundays.”

  “Not this time. I couldn’t sleep at all last night,” I replied.

  “Oh, that’s a shame.” She frowned. “Wait, why were you coming from that hall?” she asked, motioning to the right. “Your room is on the other end of the floor.”

  “I stayed somewhere else last night.”

  Her frown deepened. “Why?”

  “Willow and I had a disagreement,” I said with a casual air, not wanting to get into the finer details with her.

  “Oh, no.” She let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. “I really wish you two would figure out your problems. I want you to get along.”

  “I think it’s a bit late for that now,” I muttered, picturing the tears shimmering in Willow’s eyes when I left her last night.