"You moved me."
"Well, I pushed you and you fell into bed. Potayto Potahto," she says without apology. "How is your neck?"
I reach up and press my hand to her forehead. The fever has broken, her skin is warm but no longer burning, and I exhale something I hadn't quite realized I was holding.
"I ate too much spice," she says. "I'm fine."
I nod and I put my hands on my knees and I am about to stand and I say, "Your father fulfilled his end of the arrangement."
She goes still.
"You can go tomorrow," I tell her. "I'll have Renzo make the arrangements in the morning."
I start to stand but her hand finds my arm.
I stop.
"You're really letting me go?" she says. Her voice is quiet and has none of its usual armor in it.
I turn to look at her. "I have no use for you now, princess."
The words come out clear. "I got what I wanted."
She looks at me.
The room is very quiet and the light is low. Her dark hair is loose around her face and she looks at me with those blue eyes that have never once done what I expected them to do.
"But I haven't gotten what I want," she says softly.
She leans in and she kisses me. She bites my lower lip, sucking it between hers, opening me up with raw hunger. Her tongue slides against mine, tasting like fever-sweat. At first, I let her, allowing her heat to flood my veins before I push her away.
"You don't understand," I say, voice rough. "I have used you. I have no need for you again."
She sits on the edge of the bed, eyes locked on mine. "I understand."
She stands on shaky legs and walks straight to me. Her fingers work my belt open. The leather slides free. She wraps the belt around her hands, tying them together in front of her, and pulling it tight. Then she lifts her bound hands toward me.
"One last time then. Fuck me."
She leans in, breath warm against my jaw. "Can you resist me offering myself? You can do anything to me."
She is impossible to realist but I try one last time.
I stare down at her, jaw clenched. "Miss Keller, you really have no pride?"
She inhales slowly, holding my gaze without flinching.
I reach behind her and undo the belt from her wrists. Before she can speak I yank her against me, then loop the leather around her slender throat. The buckle rests against her collarbone as I grip the loose end like a leash, tightening it just enough for her to feel it.
"Do you want to still be treated like a whore?"
Her pupils go wide as we both breathe heavily. Then without a word she sinks slowly to her knees between my legs, the belt pulling taut as she lowers herself. Her fingers tug my zipper down. She reaches in and frees my cock that was already leaking at the tip from how hard she's made me.
She leans forward and presses a soft kiss right to the underside of my throbbing shaft. I groan knowing that I have lost. She is right, I can't control myself around her.
Her tongue runs slowly down my entire length, tracing every vein. Then she opens her mouth and takes me in, her lips stretching wide around my girth, sinking until the head hits the back of her tight throat.
"Fuck, princess."
