Hope twisted her hands behind her back, interlacing her fingers just to keep herself from reaching for him. She desperately wanted to run them over the tight, defined plane of his abs, up to his broad chest, and back down to—
"I'm not ready for this," she blurted. She didn't have to explain herself. Maddox knew exactly what she was talking about.
He came a step closer, making a show of taking up all the space in the room, towering over her. A tingle of electric desire ran up Hope's spine as Maddox closed his eyes and took a long, slow breath, savoring her scent.
"Yes, you are," he said, opening his eyes. "Now, take off that shirt."
"But—"
"No more talk," he cut her off with a growl. He didn't ask again. He simply seized the fabric of her collar and ripped the fabric, tearing the shirt in half so that it fell to the floor, exposing her to him.
Hope struggled to breathe as his eyes somehow became even darker, taking in her naked body. She hadn't bothered with the underwear that couldn't even begin to keep up with her slick. Every bit of her was on display, and he took his time looking, making sure that she knew it.
Then he picked her up. His arms—as strong and firm as she'd imagined they'd be—wrapped around her middle. One moment, Hope was standing on shaking legs; the next, she was being tossed into the center of his massive bed.
Maddox stood at the foot of the bed, piercing her with a predatory stare. Like a cat with a mouse, she thought.
And now he's going to swallow me whole.
Still, Hope didn't even try to get away. She bit her lip, pinned by his gaze like a moth to a board. Her body was already under Maddox's control, ready to comply with whatever he wanted.
Hope waited, holding her breath, to learn what Maddox had in store for her, her resistance shattered.
She was ready to submit to him—all of her. Her body and her mind. She had no choice. What was the point of struggling? Where was she could she possibly go?
But that was all bullshit.
The truth was that her lust was burning hotter than ever because of her submission. Hope couldn't explain it. She would never have expected it. But she wanted this. To be told what to do. Ordered, even.
To be used. To be owned.
The proof was pooling on the bare mattress—more slick than her body had ever produced before.
Hope tried not to squirm as he pulled off his pants. His cock was already hard and ready.
"Spread your legs for me," Maddox growled.
This time Hope obeyed immediately, driven by the intensity in his eyes. There was something new between them. The protective walls around here were turning to rubble, as insignificant as dust. Maddox meant to have her, and his control took Hope to a place beyond resistance, beyond intent…beyond thought.
Even so, when Maddox took a rope from his pocket and started winding it around her ankle, she instinctively tried to jerk her leg back.
"What are you doing?" she gasped as the rope pulled tight, holding her in place.
"What does it look like?" Maddox said, not looking up from his task. Before Hope could react, he'd lashed her ankle to one of the posts at the foot of the bed.
She kept her mouth shut as he attended to her other ankle. Didn't say a word as he moved on to her wrists.
But as he started to tie the final knot and Hope realized how helpless she was, spread-eagled in the center of the massive bed, her trance lifted, and she struggled against her bonds.
It was no use. Maddox's grasp was too strong. Too brutal. The ropes held, and the final knot pulled tight.
And when he finally stood back to check his work, nodding slightly in satisfaction, she melted again, the fight leaving her. It was clear this wasn't a game to him. This wasn't play.
He wanted her restrained, helpless not just against him—but helpless against her own fears and discomforts and inhibitions. Helpless against everything she thought she knew, everything her life had taught her until this moment.
He meant to bend her to his will, to force her to comply with his desires, no matter how raw or shocking.
"You promised you wouldn't take revenge," she whispered.
The alpha made a sound that wasn't quite a laugh.
"This isn't revenge," he said. "This is justice. I spent five days tied up for you. Now you're going to be tied up for me."
* * *
The scent of the slick pouring from between Hope's spread legs was driving Maddox mad.
He'd spent five days on edge, desperate for a taste of her. He'd barely noticed that he hadn't eaten, that the ground below him was covered in rocks and brambles. That the nights were cold and the afternoon sun relentless. The only thing that existed for Maddox had been his need to plunge his fingers, tongue, and cock into her sweetness.
And now he was going to have her. Over and over again, until the fire inside him was finally doused. Until he could finally look at the omega without needing to bury himself inside her. Until every maddening thought was fucked out of his head, and he could be free of this madness.
Five days ought to do it. An even exchange for the time he'd spent in agony.
It had to work. Had to deliver him from this need that robbed him of his will. Had to finally drive her out of his system.
Five days, starting now.
Maddox wrapped his hands around Hope's ankles and slowly slid them up her legs until they rested on the smooth skin of her thighs. Then he slowly bent his head between them, flicking his tongue between her wet lips.
Hope hissed in
