Chapter 3

KAREN'S POV

The rest of the party was a blur. All I was aware of was Devon’s accusation. And then, before I could even stop to breathe, the party was already over, and everyone was leaving. I wanted to call them back, to beg them to stay. Something told me the only reason I had not yet faced the full anger of my powerful fiancé was because his guests were present. What would Devon do when everyone left? 

   My heart was thudding violently against my chest as he ushered the last one of the guests out, and then, he was dragging me - - into a room I had never been before. 

   He turned on the lights, something low and smoky, like the kind of lights one would see in a night club, but it was only when my eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room that real fear entered my eyes. 

    The room was a bedroom - - of some sorts. The bed itself was covered in black sheets, with black pillows. All around the bed, and hanging from the ceiling were various torture equipment - - or bondage toys. Was this Devon’s idea of a punishment? Did my fiancé intend to punish me through the very act of love making. 

   I shivered violently as I stared into Devon’s cold Grey eyes. “Devon please…” I started to say, but then my words faded away at the fresh anger that entered his eyes at the sound of my voice. This was not the man I had fallen in love with, the man who had once held me tenderly in his arms and told me he loved me. This was an entirely different Devon. This Devon frightened me. 

     “Please what?” He taunted. “Go on. I’m prepared to hear you out - - ” 

      “Please it’s my first time.” I completed, even then feeling the embarrassment creep up my cheeks. He must think I am pathetic. He was a billionaire after all, and he must have been with the most exotic of women. He would probably consider me a naïve inexperienced girl. I drew in a breath, and waited for his mockery, but what I got instead was anger. 

    “Can you for once - - for just once drop the pretense? Don’t you get tired of trying to be someone else all the time?” 

    “I - - I don’t understand…” 

     He shook his head in irritation. “At least, we can find out about this - -”

     The hands that dragged me towards him were gentle, yet there was a mercilessness in his actions that made me wish he had been rough with me instead. But his kiss was gentle at first, a lovers touch, stroking my own lips, teasing, reminding me of the flame that had once been between us, the love we shared. And then, his lips got more demanding. I whimpered as he sought and gained access into my mouth. 

   Now he didn’t caress, now he demanded what I was not ready to give, took what he hadn’t even asked for, and I found myself sinking. His arms held me close, and his warmth heated me, so that I was willing to lie to myself, to lie that this man still loved me, to lie that this was the gentle yet fierce passion of love, and to lie to myself that this was how it was supposed to feel at the first time. 

    A sob tore at my throat even as I have my passion to the man who owned my heart. My body surrendered to his expertise and the sob turned into a moan as he bared my shoulder and pressed a kiss on it. 

   “That’s right love - - skip the pretense. Tell me what you truly want. Tell me your deepest desires.”

    His voice was deep, low, addling my brain so that I could not think anymore. All I wanted was him. I wanted his warm powerful body pressed against mine teaching my body new ways to love - - only this was not love. This was something way darker. 

    I pressed myself harder against him, and this time, my lips met his demand with answers of my own. When his fingers unzipped my dress, my fingers were at his buttons, impatiently unbuttoning them. And then, he carried me to the bed. I felt his powerful body press against me as  I sank lower till my back touched the  soft mattress - - the mattress that was covered in all black sheets! 

    My heart beat raced as fear once again twisted in my gut. Why had Devon brought me here? To punish me? I hit out at him then, blindly, pleading with him to stop. My teeth shattered as my eyes sought his. All I wanted was  a little reassurance, that it was going to be okay. I loved Devon enough to choose to trust him, but this was still my first time. 

    He was watching me. His steel Grey eyes unreadable, making me even more afraid, and yet the way he looked at me started a fire deep down in my belly. 

     Confused about what I myself wanted, I bit down at my lower lip till I tasted blood. My body wanted me to surrender to the seduction of Devon’s fingers, his kisses, whatever he planned to do with the bondage toys I saw, but my heart - - my heart broke at the way he treated me like I was some random whore he picked up on the streets. I wanted his love first before I could trust him with my body, and I could not really give myself to him, not tonight of all nights that he had just accused me of betraying him. 

    “I love you Devon.” My eyes met his, bravely, trying to convince him to believe me, but he gave a harsh disbelieving laugh, and his hand pinned me to the bed roughly. 

    Tears flooded my eyes as his free hand ripped off what was left of my dress. His hand moved over my body, stirring a fire, and yet there was no love in his touch. When his hand impatiently tore off the rest of my covering, I closed my eyes and prepared for what was coming next. My first time was going to be by force. 

     Devon’s hand stilled for a second, and then, he swore - - a low growl deep within his throat. The hand that pinned my hands above the bed left them, only to drag me up roughly. His expert hands manipulated my nibble body so that I was sitting astride him, then he cut the back of my head, and dragged my lips to his. 

   His kiss was thorough, leaving me breathless and my lips slightly swollen, then just like that, he was gone, closing the door gently behind him.