Chapter 21
E55 vouchers
The car ride was suffocatingly silent. The only sound was the quiet hum of the engine and the occasional hiss of tires against wet asphalt.
Rick sat beside me, one arm draped over the back of the seat, his gaze fixed out the window like he was trying to burn holes through the night.
His jaw was tight, the muscles shifting with every tense breath he took. I didn’t dare say a word. My heart hammered the entire drive.
The car finally turned onto a narrow road flanked by massive trees, their canopies arching overhead like a tunnel.
Lights glowed softly ahead, and then we emerged into a sprawling estate nestled against the edge of a private beach. The main house was modern glass and stone, glowing warm in the darkness.
The ocean crashed in the distance, moonlight glittering over dark waves. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, lush gardens framed a long infinity pool that looked like it spilled directly into the sea.
It was paradise.
Rick stepped out first, his silhouette tall and commanding in the dim lights strung across the courtyard. He glanced back at me with that cool, unreadable expression. “Change into something from the box,” he said, voice low but sharp, “and meet me by the pool.”
My mouth fell open. “What?”
This was insanity. What on earth had I gotten myself into?
He didn’t even look back as he strode off toward the pool, his suit jacket fluttering around his waist.
A staff member appeared beside me, carrying my luggage. I opened it with trembling hands and pulled out the black lace lingerie I’d found earlier. My face flamed hot as I held it up. This was insane.
But his voice echoed in my head, cold and unbothered and just asking me to do it.
I had a lot to protest about, I hated how they were making so many decisions about my life and it felt like I had no saying in it but even though I pretended not to care, I hated even more that those pictures of Andrew and I had leaked, I’d hate to ruin his image when we had only just regained contact with each other after so long.
Rick was crazy but I knew whatever he was doing must have been calculated before now and so I was going to let him be the judge of that.
I changed in the bathroom, the lace fitting snugly over my curves.
The bra lifted my chest, the thin straps framing me scandalously.
The panties sat high on my hips, leaving more bare skin than I’d ever shown anyone. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. My heart pounded so hard it made my ribs ache.
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Chapter 21
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A soft knock made me jump. I cracked open the door and saw a man holding a camera slung over his shoulder. A photographer. My knees nearly gave out. He gave me a polite nod. “Ready, ma’am?”
I didn’t even know what I was supposed to be ready for but I nodded back, “i am.”
I stepped out, hugging my arms around myself as I walked barefoot toward the pool.
The photographer adjusted his camera, but all I could see was Rick standing at the water’s edge, eyes locked on me. His gaze dragged over my body like a slow burn, lingering at my thighs, my chest, my parted lips.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, dark eyes hooded. He looked like he was trapped in a daze and I could swear I saw the shadow of his cock hardening between his thighs.
He snapped out of it fast, face turning cold again, “get in.”
I hesitated, staring at the water lapping gently against the pool’s edge, “rick, I can’t…”
“Get. In.”
My stomach twisted. I stepped into the water, the cold shocking my skin. I gasped as it rose to my waist, my lace–clad body almost entirely exposed. The photographer moved around us, snapping photo after photo.
Rick walked into the pool fully clothed, his pants soaking instantly. He reached me in two strides, his hands wrapping around my waist.
I sucked in a sharp breath as he pulled me flush against him, the heat of his body searing through the icy
water.
His eyes locked on mine, looking dark and hungry.
Then his mouth was on my neck, lips brushing up to my ear. He kissed me slowly, hotly, each touch lingering. His hands roamed over my hips, up my spine, fingertips slipping under the lace. I couldn’t breathe, my heart beat so loud I was sure the photographer could hear it.
The camera clicked relentlessly. Rick turned me around, pressing my back to his chest, one hand gripping my waist while the other slipped up to my ribs. His mouth moved along my shoulder, teeth grazing my skin. I whimpered, my legs trembling as his palm slid lower.
The photographer barked out directions. “Closer…tilt your head…look at him like you need him.” I followed automatically, my body burning with humiliation and a confusing thrill.
Rick bent me slightly forward, his hand firm on my hip, his mouth brushing the shell of my ear. Every pose was more intimate than the last, every shot feeling like it crossed another line.
When the last shutter snapped, Rick pulled away abruptly. He stepped out of the pool like nothing had happened, water streaming down his clothes, his expression cold and distant again. I hugged myself in the pool, shivering from more than just the chill.
“Get dressed,” he ordered without looking back. “The photographer will post the images online tonight.
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Chapter 21
We’re leaving.”
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I climbed out of the water on shaky legs, grabbing a towel to wrap around myself. “Where are we going?” I asked, voice hoarse.
He paused at the far end of the pool, eyes dark and glittering as they met mine. “This is the honeymoon spot my father chose,” he said, voice low and dangerous. “Now we’re going to mine.”
