Raw, A Dark Romance by Tawny Taylor Page A

promises of delicious torment sang in my ears. By the time the vehicle had stopped, my clothes were askew, my blood was hotter than lava, and my head was spinning.
    The driver opened the door for us, and Kace climbed out, offering me a hand as I stumbled after him. No doubt sensing I wasn’t exactly stable on my feet, he scooped me into his arms and carried me through the massive house, past a smiling Adela. She gave me a shy wave and said, “Welcome back, Miss Tremaine,” as Kace turned into his dungeon. “We are glad to have you back.” Adela shut the door, closing Kace and I in the room.
    My heart started galloping like a race horse.
    I was back here again. What would he do this time? Would he add to the marks still burning on my ass? Or would he find some other way to torture me?
    He set me on my feet in the center of the room then crossed his arms over his chest. His sharp gaze traveled the length of my body, down to my toes before slowly winding its way back up to my face again. “Undress. I want to see what I’ve paid such a dear price for. Every inch.”
    Nerves bristled at the reminder that I’d been bought and paid for. And because of that fact I wanted to be defiant, to refuse him. He’d thrown that in my face again. But I couldn’t refuse him. I liked it. I liked the domineering tone of his voice. I liked the dark hunger I saw in his eyes. I liked this wicked game we were playing.
    My fingers felt stiff as I curled them around the bottom of my shirt. I tugged it over my head and let it drop to the floor.
    A flash of desire flared in Kace’s eyes. That spark ignited an inferno in me. Because of that heat, I wanted to face him boldly, to strip away every scrap of fabric and let him see everything. So that was what I did. I unclasped my bra and let it slide off my arms. My nipples pulled into hard little peaks. My stomach muscles clenched as waves of anticipation rushed through my system. But those sensations only made me bolder. And so did the blazing fire I saw in his eyes. I felt so powerful, so alive and sexy. No man had ever made me feel this way.
    With a smile pulling at my lips I unzipped my pants and pushed them down my thighs, taking my panties with them. And then I was standing there completely nude. Just two days ago I would have been ashamed and frightened to stand before this man, or any man, naked. But not now. Hell no.
    “Your body is perfection.” He made a twirling motion with a finger. “Turn.”
    I did a slow three-sixty with my heart thumping against my breastbone and heat pulsing to my core. By the time I was facing him again, my face was on fire…and so were some other parts of my anatomy.
    “ Bello .”
    I could guess what that word meant. My face burned hotter. He thought I was beautiful. Me. I flattened my hands against the outside of my thighs and waited, breathlessly, for his next command.
    What would he do next?
    Those gorgeous, wicked lips of his curled into a semi-smile. “You promised I could punish you any way I wished.”
    I nodded. “Yes.”
    “Then that is what I will do.”
    My heart literally skipped a beat. Anxiety mingled with intense arousal, making me lightheaded.
    “Come. Here.” He motioned to a flat six-sided ottoman-like bench. “On your back.”
    I sat, legs bent, feet on the ground.
    He motioned for me to lie down. “On your back, esclavo.”
    I slowly reclined back. The bench was too small for my legs to rest on it, so they remained where they were, bent at the knees, feet on the floor.
    “There are many ways to punish, puta.” He buckled a shackle around one wrist, pulling it out and slightly up, away from my body. “There is the obvious--pain.” Then he circled around to my other wrist, and I watched him bind it, fear starting to overwhelm arousal. I didn’t like pain. At all. Although I had found peace when he whipped me the first time. “But there is also the less obvious.” He moved to my feet, grabbed an ankle and pulled it away from