There never was a headache. And as to how I’m feeling, I can barely open my eyes.
“I’m exhausted,” I admit, leaning my head back against fingers that are slowly seducing me into sleep.
“You’ll sleep soundly tonight.”
For how weird his voice sounds, I could have been under the water listening to him. My mind’s racing to catch up, to understand.
“And I’ll finally get some sleep as well.”
It clicks then, a vein of anger fissuring through me, of distrust...of understanding.
“You drugged me.”
The bastard.
“I’ve only given you what your doctor recommended is best for you.”
I should have known this level of exhaustion wasn’t normal. Should have suspected it.
Why hadn’t I looked at those pills closer?
His hand dips in the water to slide fingers over the inside of my thigh. One tug and he spreads my legs, his fingers inching higher.
I try to pull away, but he grips down on both my thigh and my hair. Recognizing the threat of violence, I still, my heart hammering in my throat.
“A wife should never deny her husband.”
Grip loosening on my thigh, he slides his fingers higher, a teasing brush between my legs. But his hand in my hair fists, the quiet threat a whisper against my senses.
Leaning down, Grant speaks against my ear.
“I’ll not accept a whore who flirts with another man to come home and deny me the same.”
His hand locks down on my leg and yanks, my head sinking beneath the water, his fist in my hair holding me in place.
Bubbles erupt from my mouth, my arms striking out as I fight to rip my head away and push above the water. But Grant is too strong, his grip too tight, and the drugs have already weakened me to a point where fighting is useless.
I stop struggling despite the panic, despite my lungs beginning to burn from lack of air, despite a heart that beats with heavy, fast thuds as oxygen is deprived from my blood.
It stings to open my eyes under the water, hurts to look up and see Grant’s calm stare locked on my face, the moving water causing the lines of it to ripple.
His hand jerks and I’m ripped up above the surface by my hair, my mouth falling open, lungs gasping for air as his lips press to my ear with every bit of cold rage he can bleed into his low voice.
“Do not play me, Adeline. I don’t react well to it. I’ve been in this business for far too long to be strung along like a dog.”
Coughing and still struggling to breathe, I can’t answer him, can’t ask what he’s talking about. I don’t need to, though. He tells me as he grips his fist tighter, strands of my hair snapping from my scalp.
“I don’t know for sure if you’ve concocted some game with Harrison Nash to get what you want, but I find it convenient he leads me on while, at the same time, manipulating me to give you the things you want. I didn’t see it at first, not until tonight, but now that I’ve given it some thought, I think there’s more going on than meets the eye.”
Attempting to shake my head, I only accomplish making the room spin. The effects of the drugs combined with my adrenaline rushing too fast, too hard through my veins.
“I don’t want to hurt you. I love you. You’re my wife. But if I find out you’ve been doing things behind my back, I will get even. This is just a warning.”
His other hand comes up to palm my breast, finger and thumb squeezing the nipple so hard that I yelp. My head falls back as his wrist tugs at my hair, his hand exploring my body with such a slow calm that tears escape my eyes.
Ari makes me burn.
But Grant...he now has the effect of turning the blood in my veins to ice.
“I haven’t done anything wrong,” I manage to whisper, the lie falling so easily from my lips.
“I certainly hope not. But you will do something right. When I make it clear you’re to spread your legs for me, there’s no denying me that. For everything I do for you, the least you can do is see to it that my needs are met.”
His hand slips between my legs, his fingers pushing inside me.
“Do you understand?”
Lips trembling, I nod my head as best I can.
“Good.”
It’s a purr of sound, no rage, no fire. Just the bone-chilling lack of emotion, a glacial tone that leaves no room