Chapter 13

ADONIS’S POV

My eyes remained trained on the other side of the dining table, as I waited to hear Estelle’s light footsteps as she came down for breakfast.

Thirty minutes passed. She never came.

I sent Marie to get Estelle down, but when she came down with a concerned look on her face, I knew she hadn’t succeeded.

“She refused to listen to me, or even open her door, sir.”

She was still mad at me, that I could tell. Last night was something beyond my control. Whenever I was bent on punishing, it took a lot to get myself to stop, and the way she had looked at me with those alluring eyes wasn’t helping. Inflicting pain and dominating power was my way of getting pleasure.

Seeing her on her knees in front of me had raked something in my mind, and stirred something so deep and dark within me. I couldn’t stop, I was so enchanted by her in that state, and now I hurt her.

She hated me for that now.

But deep down, she had loved it; I could see it in her eyes. There was a way to make her punishment pleasurable for both of us.

“Keep this,” I told Marie, as I gestured to my plate, “I’ll come down to eat when she’s ready.”

She nodded her head and took the dishes into the kitchen. I walked up the stairs and when I stood in front of her door, I knocked.

No answer.

I knocked again, then glanced at my watch which read the time 9 am. There was no way she was still asleep.

“Open the door, Estelle,” I paused, trying to hear any signs of movement from her room. There was nothing.

My face scrunched up into a scowl as my patience wore very thin, “Or I’ll come in myself.”

Still no response.

I turned the door knob but it didn’t open, then reached for a spare key in my pocket and unlocked the door. When I walked in, there was no sign of her, but my gaze immediately settled on her wide-open windows.

Fuck!

I stormed towards the windows and looked outside, but there was no sign of her outside or in her room. My heart raced as thoughts filled my mind.

She couldn’t have run away. She wouldn't dare

“Estelle! Where the hell are you?” My tone was loud and had an edge to it that surprised me. I rummaged through the room, checked the shelves, under the bed; every damn corner.

Just when I was about to check the bathroom, she stepped out. She hummed a tune as she dried her hair with her towel, not noticing me as she closed her eyes.

My eyes widened and my breath hitched.

She stood in front of me, entirely naked. I wanted to tear my gaze away from her but I couldn't fight it. She was glorious and beautiful, every fucking inch of her.

She had ample firm breasts that sat so nicely with hard rosy nipples. Her waist was narrow, with long sexy legs that I would let wrap around my neck. The slit between her legs had not a speck of hair.

A scar in her chest area caught my attention. How had she gotten that?

At that moment, her eyes opened. She gasped and then dashed back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

“What are you doing in my room? What the hell is your problem?” she yelled at me from the bathroom.

“You didn't come down for breakfast. I didn’t think you’d be naked,” my voice came out strained.

I couldn’t get the image of her naked out of my mind. It was those kinds of images that stuck in your memory for eternity.

“I’ll be down soon, now get out.”

“Wrap a towel and come talk to me,” or better yet, come out naked.

There was a long pause before she spoke up, “Why would I want to talk to you, after what you did to me last night?”

“You can't ignore me forever. Let's talk it out.”

There was a brief moment of silence until she came out, with a towel wrapped around her body, unfortunately.

She looked beautiful with her flushed cheeks, and her green eyes shooting daggers at me.

“Get dressed, I want to take you somewhere,” I said, watching her intently, “I’ll be downstairs waiting.”

After leaving, she came downstairs a few minutes later, wearing a pair of jeans and a vest that accentuated her breasts. As we had breakfast in silence, I couldn't stop staring at her.

When we were out, I led her down to the stables where I keep my herd. When she saw the horses, her eyes lit up.

She took the lead, petting each of all seven of my horses.

“They’re all so beautiful,” she smiled genuinely as if forgetting she was mad at me in the first place. Her gaze shifted and I saw what had caught her attention; the eighth horse.

The eighth horse was a mare, with a coat as dark as the night, and a white long mane that complimented her dark coat.

I moved closer, speaking beside her, “Her name is Xena. She’s the oldest and strongest horse here.”

“Xena. The name suits her perfectly,,” I watched as she stretched out her hand, and caressed Xena’s face who warmed up to her touch, neighing approvingly.

Xena was the hardest horse in my stable to get under control. She was wild, powerful, and intimidated the others but somehow, she took a liking to Estelle.

They were both similar; Powerful but underneath that whole duress, they craved an emotional connection.

“She’s yours,” I didn’t need to ask if she rode horses, I already knew she did. I knew a lot about Estelle, that she didn’t even know herself.

Her head whipped back to look at me, her eyes widened and her eyebrows furrowed in surprise, “What?”

“Whatever is mine is yours.”

Her mouth opened, like she wanted to say something, but then kept quiet, and muttered a silent, ‘thank you’ as she turned back to Xena.

“Follow me,” I ordered and she obeyed, following behind me as I led her to the garden. When we got there, the gardener was busy tending to the field.

“Morning, Mr and Mrs Sandoval,” Jean greeted, and when his eyes scanned Estelle for too long, I sent him a glaring warning.

“Excuse us,” I instructed and he left.

The only flower I grew in my garden was the Black Dahlia flower. I started growing them five years ago when I first met Estelle because I needed a physical essence of her. The flower symbolizes beauty, betrayal, mystery, and power; everything that defines her.

She lowered to the ground, and touched one flower, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“It’s a Black Dahlia.”

“It’s breathtaking.”

Just like you, I wanted to say.

She got up and crossed her arms across her chest, “Don’t think giving me a horse and showing me your garden is going to make me forget.”

“I didn't bring you here to make you forget, Estelle.”

“Then what?”

“So we can have a common ground. I'm not going to take down my rules because I hurt you.”

Her brows furrowed, “So if I break them, you'll punish me again.”

“Yes,” I didn't hesitate.

Her mouth opened and then shook her head as she turned around to walk away. I stopped her by grabbing her arm and pulling her back to me.

“Let go of me,” she snapped, “You’re sick.”

“Don’t pretend you didn't enjoy it as much as I did.”

“Yeah, until you almost literally killed me.” she struggled to release my grasp on her.

“That can't kill you.”

“Not unless I'm asthmatic.”

I doubled back. Asthmatic? How had I not known that?

I gathered myself and stopped her before she walked away, “I didn't know. I wouldn't want to hurt you, it was beyond my control,” she listened attentively, “Whenever I punish you and I’m starting to hurt you, I just need you to say a word, and I’ll stop everything.”

She paused, appearing lost in her thoughts, then mumbled to herself, as if surprised she was agreeing to this twisted fantasy of mine, “What word?”

“Mercy.”

Because she’s at my mercy and I'm at hers.

“And if I say that word and you don’t stop, I won’t take back my word on biting you.”

“Understood.”

She smiled softly as we held each other’s gazes, causing heat to settle in my groin.

I liked seeing her smile, and I needed to see it often.

“Adonis! There you are!” a feminine voice yelled, startling us. When I looked away to see who it was, I audibly groaned.

I had no idea she was coming today, but that was what she was fond of; taking me by surprise.

When she got closer, she ran into me, wrapping her arms around my neck as she hugged me tightly. When she pulled back, her gaze shifted to Estelle, whose expression was that of utter confusion.

Genna blurted out rashly, “And who might you be?”