Page 69 of Caging Liberty

“Let me make this up to you,” I say, my voice heady.

She sways, leaning into my touch, yet it still feels as though she’s distancing herself from me at the same time.

“How?”

I flash her a grin and take her hand. “Come with me.”

When I turn and tug her hand, she stays put. “Angel…”

I look behind me, watching Lib’s throat maneuver as she swallows.

“I mean, Mr. A.”

“Yes?”

“What are we doing?”

I squeeze her hand but don’t attempt to pull again. “This is what I mean by wanting you to trust me.”

Her eyes draw together as she stares at me skeptically. I really can’t blame her for this, but I still resent it. Just last night, I told her I killed a woman. My slave, no less.

I should be patient, understanding, kind.

But I’m not. Because to me, this is a woman I’ve been vying for for years. I’ve already spent a huge amount of time invested in her. To her, I’m just a guy she met once years ago and has known for a couple of weeks. I’m someone to use, not someone to trust.

So yeah, it bothers me.

After a minute, her face softens, and I watch the resolve cross her expression. I try to guide her again, and this time she lets me. I lead her upstairs and into my bedroom. We lock eyes, but when I shut the door a moment later, she quickly looks away.

I take her hand again and urge her to the bed, amazed when she doesn’t protest.

“Lay down,” I say, gently prodding her.

“Under the covers?”

“No.”

She bites her lip and stands tall and tense for several seconds, her arms stiff by her sides. After several long beats of silence, she hesitantly climbs on the bed and lays down on her back, her gaze finding me. She studies me, searching for some sinister intention. I’m trying to keep my face impassive, but I don’t know that there’s any hiding the erection I have growing inside my pants. Her eyes find it, and my cock jumps. I ignore it the best I can and sit on the bed.

This isn’t about me. Not this time.

I run my hands from her shins to her knees, and when I try to pry them apart, she doesn’t budge. I lift my eyes to meet hers.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“Trust me.”

She stares at me, clearly unsure. The T-shirt I laid at the end of her bed while she slept stops mid-thigh, and I have to force myself not to pull it up.

With great reluctance, she relaxes her knees. I open her legs and climb on the bed to situate myself between them. A hiss slips past her lips when I lift the T-shirt up and tuck my fingers under the waistband of her panties. She stiffens, and when I drag her panties down over her hips, she inhales sharply.

So do I. But for a very different reason.

I spread her legs wider to get a better look at her pink pussy, and my mouth waters. I stop trying to keep my expression neutral and let the desire taking over me show. It doesn’t matter anyway… Lib’s face is turned so she isn’t looking at me.

“Do you trust me?” I ask.

I think for sure she’ll say no, but she surprises me by nodding. I’m not convinced, but I like the lie.