“Excellent.” When he circled behind her, he flipped the little switch to turn on the noise-canceling feature and slid the headphones over her ears, adjusting them to fit her.

  Once he settled them in place, he catalogued her reaction. She’d tensed slightly, apprehension tightening her mouth.

  Matt lifted one padded piece from her ear. “Breathe. As you exhale, drop your shoulders.” He waited as she complied, almost looking as if she didn’t have a single care. “Good. Green, yellow, or red?”

  “Green.”

  She wasn’t afraid to rely on him. Then again, she trusted him with her physical safety. It was other forms of trust they needed to grow.

  “Come with me,” he commanded, then settled the earpiece back in place and took her hand. He led her to the kitchen and eased her into the empty chair before sliding the headphones aside again. “Wait here. Don’t move.”

  Madison obeyed, but cold purpose muted his thrill. Quickly, he whipped together her breakfast. After all, for what he had planned, she would need her strength.

  Soon, he shoveled steaming eggs onto a plate, along with Greek yogurt, a peeled tangerine, and a surprise or two. He lifted her earpiece one more time. “Open your mouth.”

  Madison hesitated, then parted her lips. He settled a forkful of fluffy eggs on her tongue. He followed that with a tangerine wedge.

  “Hmm,” she moaned.

  Matt glowered. He’d warned her not to react… Since Todd was never going to be predictable, he couldn’t afford to be, either.

  He tapped her lip. She opened without pause, and he slid something she wouldn’t expect into her mouth, watching intently as she bit down.

  When he’d first moved to Louisiana, One-Mile had taken him to a gumbo place that had damn near burned off his tongue, so he knew Cajun peppers were sweet…but they also packed heat. Idly, he wondered how long it would take her to balk at the one he’d just fed her.

  Matt saw the exact moment the spice lit Madison up. Her whole body tensed. Something like panic crept across her face.

  When she tried to spit the pepper into her hands, he shoved them to her lap and clamped her wrists together with one big hand. With the other, he lifted the headphones and snapped his next command into her ear. “Swallow.”

  “It’s too spicy!”

  “Your punishment.”

  “For what?” she choked out.

  “I said not a word.”

  She stuck out her tongue. “I just moaned.”

  Adhering to the letter, rather than the spirit, of his command wouldn’t cut it. “You reacted.”

  “Water!”

  “Swallow,” he reiterated implacably.

  Grimacing, Madison forced down the pepper.

  Matt handed her a glass of water and watched her gulp it. “Listen, adapt, and comply the first time I say something. That’s the point of this exercise. Food won’t hurt you. Your husband will. Now, I don’t want any other reactions. Am I clear?”

  She looked almost chastised. “Yes, Matt.”

  “Open.”

  She hesitated, clearly torn between submission and fear.

  “The longer you make me wait, the more I’ll punish you.”

  Tears of frustration leaked from the sides of her blindfold before she finally pursed her lips, then blanked her expression and dutifully opened her mouth. He slid another pepper onto her tongue. She held in a cry, chewing and swallowing in silence, trying not to react. Still, her grimace was unmistakable. Todd would notice it, too.

  “Better.” He refilled her water and handed it to her. “But not good enough. Keep trying.”

  She gulped down half the water as he shifted the headphones back in place, then resumed feeding her.

  They fell into a rhythm. He touched her lip. She parted. He settled food on her tongue. She chewed, her mouth a grim line no matter what he fed her before she swallowed without a word or sound. When the eggs, yogurt, and peppers were gone, he extracted the last bite from its wrapper. After one final tap on her bottom lip, she opened. In reward, he settled a square of chocolate in her mouth.

  Madison’s expression hardly changed. But he knew she had enjoyed his unexpected gesture. He followed up with a soft kiss to her shoulder, then handed her the water glass one last time.

  Once she’d emptied it, he gently wiped her mouth, set the cup in the kitchen sink, then guided her to the living area.

  Time for her next test.

  In advance, he’d laid a bath towel across the oblong coffee table. Now, he urged Madison onto the flat surface, toes pointing toward the front door. She stiffened as he lay her back, lifted her head, and slid a throw pillow beneath.

  Next, he dragged his thumb across her cheek, then sprinted to the other end of the table. The moment he took hold of her ankles and planted her feet on opposite corners, spreading her wide, she tensed even more and tried to press her knees together.

  Jaw clenched, he bent and lifted the ear protection. “Madison, should you react to anything I do?”

  “Permission to speak?”

  “Once. Quickly.”

  “If Jack or Deke comes back, the first thing they’ll see is my naked hoo-ha.”

  “You’re right. The question is, do you trust me?”

  He could almost feel her thinking. She was weighing the horrifying possibilities of people she knew seeing her pussy against whether the possessive beast inside him would let that happen.

  “They could bring Ethan, too,” Madison pointed out.

  He gave her credit. If she wanted to make him rethink his strategy, that was the most effective argument at her disposal, but… “That’s my problem. Your only concern is to trust me and do what I tell you. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, what?” He wasn’t particularly interested in being called Sir or Master, but he loved hearing his name on her lips.

  “Yes, Matt.”

  “Now, open your knees and spread your legs wider. Dangle your toes off the corners.”

  She hesitated.

  “Madison?” He grabbed a fistful of her hair. “You’ve spread your legs for me for nearly two weeks.”

  “In the dungeon when I knew you were going to reward me. But this isn’t for my pleasure. Or even yours.”

  “You either trust me or you don’t. Decide which quickly. If you don’t, get up and get dressed, because we have a shitload to talk about.”

  Madison paused, her entire body taut as if she was poised to flee. Matt practically felt her thoughts racing. Finally, she let out a rough breath and pried her knees apart before sliding her toes over opposite corners, parting her legs wider.

  Relief slid through him. “I know that wasn’t easy. Good girl.”

  She dragged in a calming breath, clearly taking strength from his praise. But her compliance was hardly perfect. Play time was over.

  “Relax into the table. No moving. No making sounds. No reacting. I won’t tell you again.” He let the unspoken promise of more punishment hang between them as he settled the headphones back in place, cutting off her sound.

  “Yes, Matt.”

  Though she’d given him that answer many times, her compliance, now that she knew he was as likely to give her punishment as pleasure, flipped some switch in him.

  Before Jack Cole, bless the guy, had sat him down and explained things, Matt hadn’t understood his sexual appetites and urges. He was still coming to terms with the fact he was kinky, not abnormal. Watching Madison struggle to obey and succeeding—for him—both made him proud and lit him on fire.

  He gathered the supplies he’d collected earlier, filled a bowl with warm water, then took everything to the living area and set them at her side. He pulled up a chair and perched at the foot of the table, staring between her spread legs. Morning sun shined in, illuminating her skin in all its pearly glory and glistening off the wetness seeping from her swollen pussy. Her head might not like obeying commands that filled her with apprehension…but her body clearly did.

  He pushed her knees farther apart, then down, guiding the soles of her feet together until she lay in a butterfly pose, every inch of her exposed. Other than a sharp intake of breath, she didn’t react. Not for one second did he believe she complied simply to avoid another mouthful of Cajun peppers. She was handing over her trust because she wanted to please him, and that made him love her even more.

  He brushed his thumb across her pouting folds, lingering on her clit, before he plucked up a small pair of scissors.

  Madison kept things neat, but he trimmed her pubic hair back as short as he could, gratified that she never moved or flinched. He caressed her thigh in silent praise, winding his fingers up her leg until he encompassed her hip and skimmed the delicate bone there. A hint of a smile played across her face, but she smothered the expression as quickly as it appeared.

  Once Matt set the scissors aside, he reached for the cylindrical can he’d settled near the curve of her waist. He sprayed the foam into his palm, glad for the headphones. If she wasn’t wearing them, the unmistakable sound would have given away his next move.

  He spread the cool, menthol shaving cream over her mound and fingered it down her lips, taking note of her hitching breath before he quickly wiped his hands clean on a nearby towel and reached for the razor.

  Bracing his free hand on her inner thigh, he leaned in, breathing across her sensitive flesh. Her barely audible inhalations became a full-blown gasp. Then, as if realizing she’d disobeyed, she bit her lip, looking apologetic.

  Too late.

  Matt began shaving away every visible strand of her pubic hair. He leaned in, hovering just above her pussy, slowly and methodically dragging the blades over her sensitive flesh and scraping away the white foam to reveal soft, baby-pink skin. When he’d finished, he rinsed her clean, toweled her off, then petted her satiny cunt.

  Madison trembled, seemingly trying not to squirm. He gave her an A for effort, but she couldn’t hide from him. He could tell she both loved and hated the intimacy of him grooming her. When he exhaled on her flesh, caressing her and focusing on her alone, she basked, falling into the submissive place in her head he’d come to know well. But did she understand why he’d chosen to shave her bare and why he hadn’t explained his rationale first?

  If she didn’t, Matt would make sure she grasped the undeniable reality that, when Todd was around, he might not have a chance to explain before he had to act. For now, Matt simply raised his hand, smacking her tender, exposed pussy.

  Between the menthol in the shaving cream and her freshly shorn flesh, she was more sensitive than ever. Madison bit her lip to hold in her cry, otherwise saying or doing nothing. Her silent submission as he meted out punishment pleased him.

  Matt made the fifth spanking really count, then backed away to catalogue her reaction. But she was already smoothing out her expression and her breathing. She wasn’t perfect, but she’d tried.

  In reward, he thumbed her clit, noting with glee that she was wetter than ever. Sadly, he didn’t have time to enjoy her response, much less indulge. Instead, he leaned over her, pressed a soft kiss to her lips, then helped her to her feet.

  He lifted the padding over her ear. “Good, but…”

  “Not good enough, I know. I’m sorry. I’m trying.”

  “You’re reacting without thinking. Nothing I’m doing is life-threatening or even consequential. How will you react if there’s real danger?”

  “You’re right.”

  “I don’t want to discourage you, honey. And I know I’m asking for a lot.” Especially in light of their past and her general distrust of men. Half the time, he suspected she was still braced for him to cut her loose.

  “But we don’t have much time to prepare,” she finished for him, her voice hard with resolve. “We need to keep going.”

  Until the moment Jack radioed that he was coming to retrieve them.

  “We do.” He took her hand, led her to the bathroom, and slathered her cheeks with a delicate facial sunscreen. She didn’t ask questions, but her posture screamed her anxiety. She ached for reassurance…and he couldn’t give it to her. She had to trust him.

  Instead, he grabbed a nearby can of sunblock, stood her in the bathtub, and sprayed her from neck-to-toe to protect her fair skin. Insect repellent followed. Her anxiety showed in the tense lines of her body as he helped her from the clawfoot, walked her down the hall, then opened the front door. As he pulled her into the enclosed porch, anxiety spilled across her face. Her spine stiffened. Matt offered no explanation as he bent to slip her feet into her sandals.

  At the threshold leading outside, she dug in her heels. He grabbed his cowboy hat off the nearby hook, settled it on his head, and shoved her outside, guiding her down the stairs.

  The summer breeze swept across her distended nipples in a hot gust. Despite the day being nearly triple digits with equal humidity, tremors wracked her. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, on hyper alert. Matt applauded her tuning in to danger. In DC, she would need that. But she wasn’t relying on him like she should.

  With one hand, he swatted her ass. The other struck her unprotected pussy again. Madison swallowed down a yelp and blanked her face, but a shiver of pleasure wracked her.

  Better…but not good enough. He didn’t expect miracles, but he had to teach her to stay off Todd’s radar. He’d rather be cruel now than mourn her later. Because Todd was looking for an opportunity to kill her. After all, if she was gone, there were no more witnesses to Brent Westbrook’s murder.

  When he nudged Madison forward, she stumbled onto the walkway before finding her footing. He prodded her to a patch of shade in front of the cabin, then rooted her in place, lifting the headphones from her ear again. “Don’t move.”

  Once he resettled the ear piece, he walked away, stopping a mere ten feet from her, ensuring again that not a single soul was in sight. As he adjusted the Stetson on his crown, he watched her. Madison had a modest streak, and he was testing it hard.

  Her body language told him she checked the urge to cover herself, to fidget, to run. Her breathing ratcheted up. She bit her lip nervously, then stopped herself. Her fingers curled into fists. She flared them again as she cocked her head, seemingly searching for any sign of his presence while silently begging him to return.

  He didn’t. In the distance, water splashed. A bird sang a low, mournful tune. Spanish moss rustled with another gust of wind that swept over her naked skin.

  A minute turned into five, then into ten. He watched her slowly compose herself, though her posture told him she hadn’t quite let go of her fear that anyone with a curious streak and a boat could happen by and see her, bare pussy and all.

  Matt let another five minutes pass in silence—ignoring his painfully hard dick—before he returned to her side. The way she exhaled told him how grateful she was, how apprehensive she’d been, and how ready she was to go back inside.

  Instead, he led her out to the sunlight. She gleamed like alabaster under the beating golden glow, looking lithe and womanly. Scared but brave. Shaking but determined.

  He stopped her, then lifted the earphones again. “Hands at your sides, palms flat on your thighs. Shoulders back, chest up.” When she hesitated, he pressed his mouth to her ear. “Now.”

  Madison complied, one motion at a time, until she stood straight, nipples stabbing the heavy, sweltering air. God, she was stunning.

  He rewarded her by caressing her hip. She lowered her shoulders, relaxed slightly, no longer fighting the urge to twitch.

  Time to turn up the heat.

  After plastering himself against her back, he swept her hair over the opposite shoulder and dropped a kiss to the sensitive curve there before pulling the ear piece away. “Spread your legs. No matter what, don’t react. And don’t speak unless you’re saying your safe word.”

  As he settled the earphones back in place, he watched the tension lift her spine again. Her breathing accelerated. Too slowly, she eased her legs apart a modest few inches. Scowling, he tapped the inside of her ankle with his boot to widen her stance. She struggled to make herself vulnerable. Matt refused to tolerate her reluctance, repeating the process three times until her feet were finally wider than her shoulders and her pussy was completely exposed. She squirmed with an obvious urge to draw her legs back together and shield herself, but she didn’t.

  Matt never wanted to risk another man seeing Madison naked. He didn’t want to embarrass or upset her, either. If someone happened by with a fishing pole and a few hours to spend in the sun, he had an exit strategy, but he probably wouldn’t need it since that hadn’t happened in the past twelve days, and it was unlikely to during the middle of the week.

  Barring an unexpected interruption, nothing and no one would stop him from extracting her submission. He appreciated that she kept trying, kept extending her trust, kept working to obey. It wasn’t simply about pleasing him. She did that anyway, just by breathing. For now, he compartmentalized his guilt at pushing her and got ruthless. After all, Todd would be. So he sank into that subversive head space that loved bending her to his will and gave it free rein.

  The graceful curve of her neck beckoned again. He ran his tongue up her nape, cupped her breast and thumbed her nipple while he settled his fingers against her slippery clit and rubbed in slow, unceasing circles. He didn’t pause, and he didn’t show mercy as he fondled her in exactly the way that would soon have her gasping and begging to come.

  Under his touch, she stiffened, then melted, her head lolling back before she caught herself. Her musky scent blended with the rich soil and Spanish moss, filling his nose. He skated his lips across her skin. Her breaths picked up, turning choppy. She held in her moans, but an involuntary whimper still escaped her.

  In response, he smacked her tender pussy and her exposed clit, then again when she yelped. After that, she jerked and shuddered at his touch but remained silent. Perspiration filmed her temple and sheened her spine.

  He kissed the curve of her neck again and pinched her nipple while rocking his aching erection against her backside. Each thrust pressed her onto his questing fingers, which slid over her swelling clit, touching, teasing, and tormenting the bundle of nerves until she was seconds from climax—and trying desperately to suppress it.