Chapter 37
Chris ripped through her clothes, and Winter curled her body inward out of pure instinct.
A split second later, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder. The sensation was wet and stinging. Chris’s teeth sank into the pale curve of her shoulder before he pulled back to look at her. Her eyes, already rimmed with red, welled with fresh tears from the pain.
In the heavy shadows, he swept her off the floor and into his arms, carrying her toward the massive bed.
The remnants of her clothes lay scattered across the floor.
Winter sank into the plush mattress and immediately tried to scramble away. But with her wrists bound by the tie, her center of gravity was off. She lost her balance and tumbled heavily back onto the bed.
“If you touch me, Chris, I’ll sue you! I’ll report you for marital rape p>
Chris knelt on the bed, one leg braced against the mattress. He watched her futile resistance with cold indifference, as if her threats were nothing but white noise. He tore off his suit jacket and shirt, flinging them to the floor.
As his massive silhouette loomed over her, Winter screamed, “You think I won’t do it p>
The hair tie that had slipped down her strands finally fell off. Her long hair spilled across the deep blue comforter like silk. As she struggled and twisted, it fanned out and shifted around her like seaweed in moving water.
For a moment, she looked almost like a mesmerizing siren pulled from the sea.
Chris’s gaze darkened.
The last of his patience evaporated. He grabbed her by the ankle, dragging her back under him, and caught her chin in a vice–like grip.
“Go ahead,” he rasped. “Sue me p>
He smothered the rest of her screams with his mouth.
Outside, a blizzard had begun to howl, snowflakes dancing against the glass. Inside the heated room, Winter’s
mind fractured into white light. She screamed until her throat went hoarse.
The of heavy breathing and muffled sobs eventually faded into a heavy silence.
Beads of sweat rolled down Chris’s toned chest, tracing the lines of his obliques. He reached out to touch Winter’s flushed, delicate face, his calloused thumb brushing away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
Winter didn’t even have the strength left to curse at him. She blinked weakly, and more tears slipped down her
cheeks.
One by one, they fell into Chris’s palm.
His eyes darkened. He reached over and loosened the tie that had been twisted tightly around her wrists. Her skin was delicate, and angry red marks had formed where it had rubbed against her.
“If you ever try to move out without my permission again,” he warned, “It won’t be a tie next time p>
Winter closed her eyes tightly. The only thought in her mind was that this place was unbearable. Not even a stray dog would stay here.
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The mattress shifted as he got up and left her side.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Just as she was drifting in and out of sleep, she felt a faint coolness in her outer ear, as if something had been placed there.
The sensation lingered for only a moment before it spread. Someone gently touched her ear, and the cool liquid seeped deeper into her ear canal.
A numb shiver ran through her heart.
It was the eardrum medication her doctor had prescribed for her perforation.
Downstairs, Mrs. Young had been waiting for over two hours. When she finally saw Chris coming down the stairs, she greeted him with a smile.
“Mr. Xander, dinner is ready. Where is ma’am p>
Chris buttoned his suit jacket and strode toward the front door. His voice was indifferent. “She’s asleep p>
He had just gotten into the car when his phone rang.
Caller ID: Dominic Lynch.
Chris leaned back lazily against the seat. With a glance, he signaled Gavin to start driving. His thumb swiped. across the screen.
“You’re back?” Dominic sounded surprised. “Since you’re in town, come out for a drink p>
“I’m heading to the airport p>
“Wait, didn’t you just get back? Why are you leaving on a business trip already p>
Chris looked down at the bite mark on the web of his left hand. It was a small, neat circle, but it was deep. Winter had put every ounce of her strength into that bite.
“I pushed the meeting back to come home and handle some family business p>
Dominic was even more confused. “What kind of family business is so important that you’d fly twelve hours just to turn around and leave again p>
“None of your business,” Chris’s expression darkened as he hung up the call.
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Florence
A passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.