Aching and alone, she lie on her mat next to his bed, listening to his steady breathing. Mia shivered uncovered. Rafael had even taken her blanket away. Tears rolled from the corners of her eyes as she berated herself. Finally vowing to do better, Mia fell into an uneasy sleep.
Sometime during the enveloping darkness of the night, the prick of a thin needle roused her slightly before she succumbed to the chemicals.
22
A nightmare of loss and unhappiness woke Mia with a jerk. She catapulted up to seated as she looked wildly around her incomprehensively. “What?” she whispered into the dawning light that filled her apartment’s bedroom.
She was at home. Mia’s mind rejected that thought automatically. This wasn’t her home. Her place was with Rafael. “Why did he bring me back here?” she whispered as confusion filled her brain. Did he not want her anymore?
The thought of her computer burst into her mind. Tossing back the covers, she ran on feet aching from the high heels she had worn just a few hours ago, to her laptop and impatiently waited for it to power on. As soon as it connected to the internet, she sent Rafael a message.
“Please, Rafael. Come get me or tell me where you are! I want to be with you. I’m sorry I didn’t follow your directions. Please! Don’t leave me here.”
She stared at the bright screen in front of her, mentally urging him to respond. Twenty minutes later, no response had appeared on her computer. As she checked the time once again in the corner of her laptop, Mia groaned as she noted the date. Her vacation was over. Her boss expected her back at work today.
Mia needed to get ready to go. During the time with Rafael, she’d only thought of her job and friends at the beginning. The last several days, she realized with a jolt, she hadn’t thought of her old lonely life at all. Rafael had ruled her thoughts and attention.
As the minutes passed and she risked being late, Mia dragged herself to her closet to choose clothes to throw on. A sparkle of blue and silver caught her eye. With a cry of despair, Mia pushed aside the hangars to reveal her beautiful dress. Pinned to the shiny garment was a thick piece of drawing paper. Her heart sank at the sight of the handsome face she has grown to love. Tears poured from her eyes. Rafael had kept nothing to remember her by.
She forced herself to dress in a businesslike pantsuit and pulled on flats. Grabbing her dead phone and a charger, Mia ran from her apartment to drive like a crazy woman to the office. Between speeding and wiping tears from her face, she barely avoided two accidents.
As she raced by, the young woman missed the concerned looks of the other workers in the cube farm that made up her division in the company. Swiping the note from the back of her chair, Mia sat down to power on her computer. She sighed in relief as she logged in one minute ahead of her scheduled time. A familiar face peered over the partition beside her.
“Hey, a tough vacation was it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without makeup. Not that you need it, of course.”
The male voice of the man she’d flirted with for several months sounded whiny and young. She looked at him with red, tear-filled eyes, uncomprehending his friendly banter.
“Wow! That was a tough vacation. Something’s wrong with your eyes. You must have an infection or something.” There was a short break before her colleague continued, “Did you even brush your hair? I’ve got a comb if you want to borrow it.”
Mia’s hand smoothed automatically over her hair. She reached for her purse and discovered that she had left her apartment with only her keys, phone, and charger. Suddenly worried, she wondered if she had even locked her door. Mia dropped her head into her hands and wished with everything inside her to be back with Rafael.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a small crowd of other employees standing around her cube looking concerned. Mia tried to pull it together. “Hi, everyone. The electricity was out in my building. I woke up so late. In my rush, I forgot all those things you have to do to come to work. Sorry, you’ll have to put up with me in my natural state,” she said, trying to joke.
“Come on, Mia. I’ve got some emergency supplies in my purse. Let’s go to the bathroom and get you put together a bit better,” a friendly voice offered as she wrapped an arm around Mia’s slender waist and urged her into the restroom.
Mia survived the longest day of her life. Finally, back at home, she rushed to check for a message from Rafael. As she sat down at her computer, a blinking line appeared on the screen.
Soon, it will be time to decide. Will you choose Dark or Light?
Frantically, she raced to email back. “I choose you. Please, Rafael. Come get me.”
Soon appeared on her screen.
A light flashed on in the hallway, catching her attention. She ignored it, willing Rafael to answer her. Nothing. No message popped onto her screen. The bulb extinguished and then lit again.
Mia stood slowly from her chair and walked into the short hallway. From there she could see all her small apartment. One by one, she watched the light fixtures illuminate and darken. Mia smiled. He was here.
Rafael hadn’t forgotten her. She wrapped her arms around her slender body and hugged herself. Mia rushed to find the portrait she had drawn and carefully detached it from the dress.
23
One month later, Mia pushed back her chair from her home computer. Her eyes studied the framed portrait next to the laptop. She hadn’t heard from Rafael Montalvo since that last word, soon. Mia’s life had slowly returned to her old normal. Boring and routine, she longed for the discipline of the fascinating man who had brought life to her secret fantasies.
The young woman had exhausted every means of searching for the man she craved so badly. The only bit of interesting information that she had discovered was that he owned the building where she lived. She wondered if he lived or worked there during the week. Maybe up on the Penthouse level? She began to search everyone’s face each time she entered the elevator.
Mia knew somehow that living here explained how she’d come to his attention and how he now monitored her activities. She began talking to him as if he were in her apartment with her. It might be crazy, she’d thought, but it made her feel close to him once again.
“Rafael, could today be the day that you come get me?” she asked just as she did every day. Mia held her breath, waiting for some response. Rafael had always signaled her in the darkness by adding light to show her he was there. Her eyes darted all over the apartment, willing something to tell her he heard her. The one-sided conversations that she had initiated in the past had not resulted in any response.
Click! Click! Click! Tonight, one by one, every light source began to glow.
Bursting from her chair, Mia jumped up and down in excitement. Quickly, she moved to the center hallway so she could see throughout the apartment and celebrated each new spotlight that made her space blaze with light.
Rafael! she shouted in excitement.
Racing to her computer, Mia threw herself into the chair and watched the screen. She never turned off the laptop these days in fear of missing his message. Seconds passed, turning into minutes.
“Please, Rafael. I need you. I belong to you. Won’t you come care for me?” she asked the blank message screen.
Inhaling in disbelief, she smelled sandalwood. Her hands pressed against her heart as she slowly turned around to face the man who stood behind her. When he held out his arms to her, Mia lunged from her chair to wrap her arms around his neck. Unintelligible happy noises echoed in her throat as she clung to his body. Her lips pressed urgent kisses against his chest.
“My sweet. I want you to be sure. If I take you away this time, you will be with me forever,” he warned, easing her away from his body to meet her tear-filled blue eyes.
Her head nodded slowly without a second’s hesitation. “I want to be with you. I want to belong to you, Rafael. Please.”
“As you wish, my sweet. I will be glad to have you with me for I have missed you as well,” he answered, sending shivers of happi
ness through her mind and body. “Last chance, my sweet,” he offered as one hand reached into his tailored jacket pocket unbeknownst to her.
“I wish to be with you,” Mia answered, stepping closer to him. At the prick in her neck, her fingers tightened on his shoulders. Almost immediately, she began to crumple to the ground. Once again, he did not allow her to touch the floor as he caught her with one arm.
Mia missed seeing the large arched mirror in her living room swing open as he triggered the hidden lever. The young woman whom he had chosen on sight when she appeared to tour the small apartment, had always been within his reach. Despite what the manager had said, this apartment had stood empty for years as Rafael waited for just the right resident to apply.
She would need nothing from her previous life. Rafael paused only to pick up a gilded picture frame from her desk. He left everything else.
24
Her fingers traced the patterned weave on the mattress beneath her. Mia lifted her head from the padding to sniff fabric covering her shoulder. Sandalwood. She smiled into the absolute darkness. He had brought her back with him.
Fighting off the wooziness from the drug that had knocked her out once again, Mia forced herself up to sit against the wall. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on her blouse as she began to take off her clothes and fold them neatly on the concrete at the foot of her mattress. Soon, she sat naked on the mat as he preferred.
Mia didn’t try to track the time. She dozed in her position, allowing the drug to work its way through her system. When she finally roused clear-headed, she inhaled the smell of him. “Rafael,” she whispered softly.
White light cascaded from the fixture above her padded sanctuary, piercing the blackness. Mia pushed herself to stand by the edge of the mat as she peered into the darkness that surrounded her. “Rafael, thank you,” she whispered as the shape of broad shoulders solidified before her eyes as he approached.
“You belong to me,” he sternly reminded her, walking steadily forward.
“Yes!” she agreed, holding her breath as she hoped for her dreams over the last month to come true.
“Yes,” he confirmed before gathering her into his arms. His lips captured hers. His dominant kisses made her cling to him. They revealed the depth of his emotion and ignited the passion that flared between them. Only now would he share his kisses with her.
His hands roamed over her body. Cupping her buttocks, he lifted her from the cold floor and lowered her to lie on the mattress below them. Slowly, he removed the tailored jacket. After pausing for a few seconds to stare down at her nude body lying at his feet, Rafael soon stripped off his clothing before her adoring blue eyes.
As he lowered himself gracefully to kneel on the padding next to her, Rafael clasped her reaching hands and held them securely over her head to scan the slight body before him once again. “I will take much better care of you than you chose to in the last month,” he declared as his dark eyes noted the hollows in her body that had not been there before.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, afraid that he was not pleased with her body.
“There will be a punishment for not caring for what is mine. First, however, I need to feel you against my skin.”
Dropping to one elbow, he pressed her hands to the padding as a warning to keep them there before running a caressing hand down her body. His fingers discovered just how delighted she was to be with him. Rafael’s lips captured hers as the spotlight snapped off to leave them wrapped in darkness.
Mia smiled against his lips as the words etched into the wooden door above them flashed into her mind:
May you escape to the freedom that darkness offers.
About Pepper North
Pepper North is an indie author whose erotic romances have won the hearts of many loyal readers. After publishing her first book, Zoey: Dr. Richards' Littles 1 on Amazon in July 2017, she now has over forty books and collections available on Amazon in four series.
She is one of Amazon's Most Popular Erotic Authors, rising to number one in the top 100 and is a PAN (Professional Authors Network) member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America). She credits her success to her amazing fans, the support of the writing community, and her dedication to writing.
MASTER OF CONTROL
A Novel by Sienna Snow
MASTER OF CONTROL
by Sienna Snow
I'm a prize, a treasure, something to cherish. Or so I've been told.
But I know the truth. I'm a commodity recently sold to the highest bidder.
Sebastian Weber is ruthless, heartless, calculating, and my new husband. Power is the weapon he wields and control is his game.
I should fear him, resent him, but instead I'm drawn to him, craving his slightest touch, wanting every part of him.
Leaving him isn't an option, and staying means shattering his world.
1
Present Day
Sebastian
I was a bastard. I knew it. And within the next few minutes, so would she.
I’d spent the last months seducing and fucking the woman I was about to marry.
Most people wouldn’t see this as a problem, but then again, they hadn’t spent the past five months pretending to be someone else. Someone who wasn’t the devil she believed her fiancé to be.
I stared at my reflection in the holding room of Berlin Cathedral, knowing the minute her beautiful cobalt gaze landed on me, there would be only two possible outcomes. One, she would refuse to go through with the wedding, which would start a war neither of our families could afford. Or two, she’d marry me and hate me for the rest of my life.
Either way, I was fucked. And not the kind that left me coming deep in her cunt.
I wasn’t the type of man to show weakness or to care what happened to others. The ends always justified the means. Now I was going to lose the only thing that mattered to me outside of taking down the empire my father had inherited on the ashes of my dead mother.
“Sebastian, you ready, son?” a voice said in polished German from behind me.
I shifted my focus to the tall, dark-haired man who looked more like me than my own father.
“I’m ready.” I took a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”
My uncle Fredrik studied me and shook his head. “You made your bed, boy. Now it’s time to face the consequences. If you even want to think about taking the reins from your father, you’d better marry the Benz girl. Whether she hates you or not is insignificant. You hear me?”
Fredrik was the only one in my immediate family who knew what I’d done. I’d confessed the mess I was in after the last time I’d seen my bride. Guilt made a man do some crazy things. Among them was telling my uncle, who was a stickler for behavior, how I’d spent the last few months lying to the woman who owned my soul.
Now here I was, a man who hadn’t believed in love, who hadn’t believed in anything but the end goal, ready to face the fact he was about to lose the woman who made him want more than vengeance.
“I hear you. One way or another, there will be a wedding today.” I just hoped it wouldn’t be a forced one.
“Let’s go. Your Vater is waiting.”
Yes, it was always good not to keep the egotistical bastard waiting.
I followed my uncle through the ornately decorated halls of the cathedral and up the aisle to the front altar. Pater Joseph waited in his robes for me to approach.
I’d confessed all manner of sins to him since childhood. He understood the world my family encompassed and never batted an eye. He also gave me his unique style of pressure to get me to pursue things outside of the family businesses.
Near him stood my second-in-command and best man, Lucas Flynn. He shook his head as I approached, knowing the shitstorm about to take hold. I ignored everyone else in the packed church, accepting my fate.
Pater Joseph gestured to his left, which was the right of the church, and said, in his singsongy German voice, “The Lord is with you. It’s a good day to marry.”
I took my position and waited. The music from the organs started and the doors opened.
The second my bride came into view, her eyes landed on mine. Knowledge and pain filled her dark-blue gaze.
I was well and truly fucked.
2
Eight Months Until the Wedding
Sebastian
“You’ll marry her if it’s the last thing you do.”
I stared blankly at my father as he sat behind his giant desk with his hands propped on his bulging belly.
He glared at me as if he were the master of all he surveyed and I’d better fall in line.
The last thing I would do was agree to marry some prim, proper, over-pampered princess who would be more of a liability than an asset. For the past however-many generations, every marriage in the Weber family had been arranged by the patriarch. I’d believed I was home free, since Jonas Weber could give two shits about me or my future.
Besides, I wasn’t in the market for marriage, and I definitely wasn’t in the mood to indulge one of Jonas’s delusions of grandeur by resurrecting some archaic family tradition.
Yes, he was the head of Weber International, the construction conglomerate that could make or break any development project in Germany, but he hadn’t gotten there without my help.
Until I’d taken over the day-to-day operations using my connections and ties, Jonas Weber had been nothing more than a Berlin mob boss with limited reach outside his territory.
Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection Page 87
