Chapter 97

I heard the clink of metal. My breath hitched, but I didn't dare turn. Then I felt the soft leather against my wrist as he fastened the first cuff. He didn't speak, not until both arms were bound behind my back, wrists crossed. Then his fingers slipped under my chin and lifted my head slightly. "You are still trembling." I was. I couldn't help it. "It means you remember who you belong to." I swallowed hard, my throat dry behind the mask. "I didn't forget." He didn't respond. Instead, he stepped around me again. "Stand." I did, awkwardly, restrained. His hand pressed flat between my shoulder blades, guiding me toward the edge of the bed. I obeyed without resistance, my skin burning under his command. When I reached the bed, he pushed me forward until I was bent over it, chest against the mattress, wrists still bound behind me. "My little puppy." I bit down on the inside of my cheek. "You want to prove your loyalty?" he asked. "Yes," I whispered, my breath unsteady. "You'll regret saying