Page 127 of No One But Me
"There's no way in hell?—"
"Shut up." He cut me off before I could finish the sentence. "You knew you were playing with fire by deliberately disobeying me."
His hand shot out, gripping my chin hard enough to force my eyes to his.
"This is your punishment, and you'll take it." His voice dropped lower. Colder. "Strip now, or it will be worse for you." A muscle ticked in his jaw. "Do not test me."
The air between us crackled with tension—volatile, suffocating, inescapable.
I wanted to scream at him. Tell him to go to hell. Remind him that signing a contract didn't make me his puppet.
But the look in his eyes stopped me cold.
Not cruelty.
Not sadism.
Control hanging by a thread.
And I suddenly wasn't sure what would happen if that thread snapped.
My hands shook as I weighed my options.
Fight and make this worse.
Comply and survive it.
Neither felt like winning.
I swallowed hard, tasting bile and pride in equal measure.
Fine.
If he wanted this over with, so did I.
I grabbed the hem of my shirt with trembling fingers and yanked it over my head. Tossed it aside without looking at where it landed. My bra followed—quick, mechanical, stripped of any grace or seduction.
Just obedience wrapped in fury.
My jeans came next. I stood on shaking legs long enough to shove them down my hips along with my underwear. Kicked them away.
Then I stood there.
Naked.
Exposed.
Hating him.
Hating myself more for giving him this.
"There." My voice came out rough. Defiant despite everything. "Happy now?"
Gideon's eyes raked over me slowly.
Not lustful.
Assessing.
