I force my lips tightly shut to keep myself from saying anything I’ll regret as I listen to more of Xavier’s casual insults about gay men.

  Xavier’s fingers find their way deeper inside me. “You feel so good just like this,” he comments before curling his fingers just enough to find my G-spot. “Tell me it feels good to have my fingers feeling around inside you.”

  My lips part automatically when he touches my G-spot again and probes it more this time. I wish I could will my body not to react the way it does when it’s touched like this, but it’s impossible to fully control. It takes only seconds for Xavier’s quickened thrusts into my G-spot to have me on the verge of orgasm again.

  I can’t fight this battle the way I want to; I have to approach it differently.

  I have to give Xavier what he wants.

  I look to him for direction, properly trained to know that I shouldn’t orgasm unless he wants me to. When he nods, I clench my muscles around his fingers as they continue to touch me, and I let the pleasure consume me from within.

  The water doesn’t feel as cold anymore with all of the heat rushing through me as a result of what has just happened. As I come down from the high, I feel disturbed by my level of acceptance of what I’ve just decided to do.

  I will let myself be Xavier’s whore. I will embrace it—perhaps even enjoy it—and when the time is right, I will find a way to kill Xavier when he least expects it.

  “Stand up and take off your shirt,” I instruct him, causing a flash of curiosity to cross his face.

  He removes his hand from me beneath the water and stands up, showing me his hard-on clearly visible beneath the fabric of his jeans when he lifts his shirt over his head.

  Sitting up to my knees in the tub, I immediately reach for the button and zipper of his jeans and undo them before pulling his jeans and boxers down to his ankles.

  Without hesitation, I take his cock into my mouth and grab his balls with my hand, massaging him in each place with my tongue and fingers. When my other hand finds the base of his shaft and squeezes, he releases a breath of surprise and then moans deeply.

  His legs shake with pleasure as I take him in and out of my mouth repeatedly and continue massaging him with my hands. When he pulses in my grasp and releases into my mouth, I only strengthen my efforts and take him in farther and with more force. His disgusting, bitter seed fills my mouth while I continue giving him exactly what he needs. When it’s all done and he begins to shrivel inside me, I swallow and only then release his cock from my lips.

  “You will leave my family alone,” I demand while Xavier tries to catch his breath. “Do this for me—keep that promise—and I will devote myself to being your exclusive plaything. Anything you want, whenever you want; it’s all yours as long as you stop tormenting and berating my family.”

  Xavier thinks about my offer for a moment as he glances down at my wet, naked body. “I’ll stop torturing them for sport,” he finally concludes. “If they disobey me or my men in any way, our deal is off, and anything goes. They all stay exactly where they are, doing exactly what they’ve been doing. Nothing changes except that you’ll stay in this bed with me at night going forward. I want you close to take care of any sudden urges that need attention.”

  When I nod in acceptance of his terms, he grins widely at me, almost victoriously. I share a similar grin on my own face, practicing it for the day that I get to watch the life drain from his eyes.

  There is a lot I have yet to endure at Xavier’s hands, but it will all be worth it on that day.

  18

  My position within the house feels different now than it did when I woke up this morning. I might still be Xavier’s sex slave, but I feel some amount of power over him. He looks at me as more of an equal now as we sit together in the dining room waiting for breakfast.

  Jake has glanced at me from the kitchen a few times, his expression laden with guilt and concern. I have tried to give him some reassurance with my return glance in his direction each time, but my message hasn’t seemed to get through to him.

  It’s either that or Jake simply can’t look at me right now. He might still be too overwhelmed by what happened last night.

  “Ash,” Xavier calls to me, and I turn my head away from the kitchen to look at him. “You have to tell your brother about our new arrangement.”

  I haven’t thought much yet about how I would explain to Jake what I’ve agreed to do to ensure his safety. He would never have allowed me to make such a deal, and he might even hate me for agreeing to it, but it doesn’t matter. We have no other viable options on the table for resistance or escape that would allow all four members of our family to get out of this unscathed.

  Xavier clears his throat, pulling me out of my stupor. “I think you need to show your brother exactly what has changed.” He scoots his chair back from the table some and pats his legs in front of him, encouraging me to sit on his lap.

  Knowing that I have no choice in the matter given what I agreed to be for Xavier, I stand up and walk over to sit down on Xavier’s legs as requested. He conveniently lifts the back of my short sundress as I sit down so that my bare pussy is pressing down on his jeans.

  Jake walks into the room with some plates and silverware in hand, but does a double-take when he sees my position on top of Xavier. I can tell he’s fuming beneath the indifferent exterior he’s adopting, trying desperately to hold back the anger undoubtedly raging inside him.

  I feel Xavier nudge me from behind, indicating that I need to start showing Jake what has changed since this morning. From my current position, my options for doing this are somewhat limited. I take what seems like the easiest and most innocent path by grabbing Xavier’s hand and placing it down beneath the low-cut front of the dress to cup my breast.

  He kneads me there slowly as Jake watches while he sets the plates and silverware on the table. When Xavier pulls my breast out from beneath the fabric of the dress, Jake abruptly turns and walks away.

  To my surprise, Xavier keeps up his end of the bargain and doesn’t call out after Jake or force him to sit and watch me being groped. He only continues to massage my breast instead.

  “Spread your legs,” he instructs next, and the moment I open them enough, his other hand reaches down between the lips of my pussy to rub my clit.

  A soft moan escapes me, fueled both by legitimate desire and the need to put on this show for Xavier.

  “Again,” he says eagerly behind me. “Louder this time.”

  It’s not hard to oblige when he doubles his efforts to feel and excite me. I moan louder just as he asked, embracing the feeling of the fingers pressing into my opening and spreading the wetness up to my clit.

  Embracing this as a job I’ve tasked myself to do instead of the violation of my body that it really is makes it that much easier to play along. I increase my pleasured sounds and move my body in perfect response to Xavier’s touch.

  He continues pleasuring me and making me even wilder until I can’t take it anymore. I scream out with the rush of fulfilled desire when the orgasm overcomes me and continue to moan through the residual waves of ecstasy that follow.

  Jake doesn’t dare look into the room until well after my sounds have ceased. When he finally glances toward me, I give him the slightest nod to let him know there’s purpose behind what I’m doing and that I’m still on his side. His expression doesn’t change when he turns away, so it’s hard to tell if he has received my silent message.

  Breakfast is quiet and uneventful after that. Jake spends most of the time trading scowls with Xavier, who returns his efforts with triumphant grins.

  By the time we’re done eating and the table is clear, it feels as though the silent tension building between them might suddenly go nuclear. Luckily, Xavier decides to step outside, leaving me and Jake alone with a guard before a verbal or physical brawl breaks out between them.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Jake admonishes me in a whisper the moment we hear the back door close when Xavier leaves.

  I’m a little put off by the attitude he’s giving me, considering what I’ve agreed to do to help protect him, Silas, and Joseph. “I made a deal with Xavier: I play along and do whatever he wants, and he leaves the people I love alone.”

  “You’ve agreed to be his whore,” Jake states bluntly. “How can you—”

  “I’ve been just that,” I interject coldly. “I’m his whore either way. It’s only a matter of whether he blackmails me into doing what he wants or if I do it willingly, and in the latter case, he won’t hurt you or insult you or make you do horrible things.”

  Jake sighs heavily and runs a hand over his face in exasperation. “He’s going to take full advantage of this. He’ll use you for everything you’ve got.” He pauses and swallows hard, then continues, “I’m afraid he’s going to destroy you.”

  I turn away and think back to my early weeks under Silas’ control in this house, back when Silas kept taking from me all the time, even though I had nothing left. I thought he would break me—he almost did more than once—but I survived and persevered. Everything he did only made me stronger, unintentionally preparing me for this day when I would face an even more dangerous beast.

  “I can do this,” I reply with conviction. “Just keep your head down and your mouth shut.” I reach over and wrap my arms around Jake, giving him the comfort he needs right now as I whisper, “I’m going to end him. When I get the right opportunity, I’m going to kill him.”

  The sound of the back door opening ends our conversation abruptly. Jake and I separate from each other just in time for Xavier to show up in the kitchen doorway.

  “It’s glorious outside,” he beams as his eyes lock on to mine. “We should go enjoy it.”

  He extends a hand, indicating for me to come to him. I smile and nod before standing up and walking across the dining room to take his offered hand to lead me outside.

  We exit through the back door and are instantly bathed in warm sunshine. It feels wonderful against my skin as we walk hand-in-hand through the backyard to the hidden gate in the tall back fence.

  Even in the shade from the trees surrounding the property, the warmth of this summer day is still evident. It makes me sad, because I’d love nothing more than to be spending this day outside with Silas. Instead, the perfect scene around us will serve as the stunning backdrop to my latest nightmare with Xavier.

  The moment we step onto the worn path into the woods, I know exactly where we’re going. It doesn’t take long for us to arrive at the large pond that is the water source for the house.

  Xavier pulls me by the hand until we come to a stop at the clearing within feet of the shoreline. He turns me so that we’re facing each other, then he looks over my body from my face all the way down to my bare feet.

  “You’re too pale,” he comments with disgust. “I think you need some sun.”

  Using a single finger, he pushes at the strap of my sundress until it falls off of my shoulder. He follows the same careful procedure with the other strap, and the moment it slips down my arm, the entire sundress falls to the ground.

  He takes a moment to appreciate my naked form before finding my eyes again. He holds my gaze the entire time that he’s undressing himself, breaking it only for a brief moment to pull his shirt over his head. His light-brown hair, which was mostly slicked back before, becomes tousled as a result, inadvertently making him look more like Silas.

  I try to remain calm as he helps me down to the grass of the clearing and sits next to me. He carefully sprawls me out on my stomach across the grass so that my bare back and ass are bathed in full sunshine. He lies down next to me in the same position on his stomach so that our heads are turned toward each other.

  “I want you to relax,” he says calmly at the same time that his hand reaches up for my face, brushing a few loose strands of my dark hair away so that his palm can cup my cheek. “You deserve a break.”

  The moment his thumb brushes across my cheekbone, I involuntarily close my eyes, imagining that he is Silas giving me this sensual touch, one that is my favorite. I find that it’s better to remain in this state of denial in the darkness behind my eyelids while Xavier continues to appreciate my face and skin with his hands, gently soothing me with his touch.

  I do what I can to take advantage of this rare moment of tranquility and relax as Xavier has suggested, releasing all of the tension in my muscles at once. With each deep breath I take, I unwind even more, but I don’t allow myself to fall asleep.

  When enough time has passed that I feel the sun starting to bake my skin, Xavier’s soft touch leaves me to grip my hips instead. I open my eyes just as he turns my body over so that I’m lying on my back now.

  Taking advantage of his position above me, Xavier slowly leans down and places his lips on mine. Before, I would have closed my eyes, remained completely still, and not reciprocated anything that he was doing to me. But given the deal that I’ve made with him, I know that I have a part to play right now.

  I close my eyes and press back against Xavier’s lips, indicating my willingness to continue while I imagine that Silas is the one kissing me. Our lips easily find rhythm together after that, and what started as a simple gesture quickly progresses into a passionate exchange, our tongues and lips colliding as we devour each other in what feels like a never-ending kiss.

  By the time Xavier pulls away, we’re both gasping desperately for breath. I reluctantly open my eyes to face the reality of the person whom I was just kissing passionately, only to find that he’s ready to move on from kissing. He already has a condom in hand and is working it down his hardened shaft.

  I draw in a deep breath to prepare myself for what’s about to happen. This is the first time we’ll have sex since I agreed to be Xavier’s whore, so I know his expectations will be high and that I’ll have to deliver.

  He feels between my legs, rubbing my wetness around as he comments, “You’re dripping wet and ready for me.”

  My hands find the sides of his hips as I smile and nod. “I want you to fuck me.”

  Xavier doesn’t respond with words; he shoves his cock into me instead. “Like this?”

  “Yes,” I breathe out as I close my eyes and bend my knees to give him better access.

  He slowly pulls out some and pauses. “I want you to watch me fuck you,” he demands.

  When he plunges even deeper and harder into me this time, my eyes burst open from the surprise of it. I glance up to Xavier’s hungry expression only briefly before turning my attention down to where his cock is held firmly inside me.

  When he’s satisfied that I’m watching his movements closely enough, he works his cock in and out of me, deliberately allowing enough space between our bodies so that I can get the full view of it entering and exiting me. It’s impossible to resist the flash of heat and desire within me at watching this primal connection take place.

  I grasp on to that feeling and let it control me and consume me. My body responds with subtle gasps for breath amidst deep moans from within my chest.

  When Xavier’s thrusts become so forceful and fast that I can’t grip his hips any longer, I put my hands on my breasts instead and squeeze them repeatedly. Touching myself only makes Xavier groan louder and move faster within me.

  “Yes,” I moan when I know my orgasm is imminent. “Yes!”

  An abrupt yelp of pleasure escapes my lips at the moment that I’m consumed with the force of my orgasm. Seconds later, Xavier is similarly overwhelmed with pleasure as he groans above me and pounds himself against me until his release is complete.

  When he’s done and pulls out of me, he sits up on his knees between my legs, towering over me with his bare chest while he removes and discards the condom.

  “I love fucking you,” he comments with a devious gleam in his eyes. “Tell me how much you enjoy it.”

  Knowing that this is all part of his game, I grin up at him and give him the answer he’s looking for, which also happens to be the truth. “That felt amazing. I feel spoiled getting so many orgasms in one day.”

  He presses my knees to each side to spread my legs open and dips his face downward, close enough to my pussy that I can feel his breath sweep across it when he says, “The day has only just begun.”

  His hands spread me open completely, allowing his tongue to find my clit. He doesn’t kiss it or lick it up and down with force, though. He only flicks it slightly with the tip of his tongue, causing my entire body to jump with how much it tickles.

  “Stop,” I tease through my laughter while he continues the torture of occasionally touching my clit with his tongue.

  “Never,” he whispers, his hot breath across my skin causing shivers to run through me.

  He continues to tease me like this until I can’t handle it anymore. I’m in full-on belly laughs as I try to shift my lower body to scramble away from him, but he manages to hold me in place.

  The subtle touch he was using before with his tongue is gone now as he licks my clit with the full force of his tongue. At the same time, he inserts two fingers inside me and penetrates me just enough to find my G-spot again.

  I feel the rush of crazed pleasure building within me once more, and I don’t think about anything else this time. I’m so consumed by the heat and hormones taking over my body that I don’t even have to think of Silas to be brought to orgasm. I scream out even louder than before, riding out every last wave of pleasure I can while Xavier continues to lick me and penetrate me.

  When Xavier’s touch leaves me and I’ve regained enough control to see and think clearly again, I push up to my elbows and meet Xavier’s gaze. He looks thrilled with my performance. He looks absolutely triumphant.

  Without a word, he reaches a hand out toward me. When I take it in mine, he helps me up to my feet and pulls me toward the shoreline, his growing erection dangling in front of him as we walk.

  The water is cold when we step into it but feels good against my skin that is still pulsing with heat from being fucked in the sunshine. When we’re out in the water up to our knees, I suddenly go flying to the side, my body becoming completely submerged beneath the surface in my struggle to regain my footing.