In his cage dark abducti.., p.33
In His Cage: dark abduction romance, page 33
“Look at me,” Aleksandr demands as he clasps my shoulders.
Pressing my lips together, I open my eyes and stare up into the willful depth of Aleksandr’s gaze.
“You belong to me, and I like the scars. That’s all that matters.”
I give him a small nod, and Aleksandr pulls me into him, wrapping an arm around my waist and curling a hand around my neck—protective and possessive. I press myself into him as Vasily’s fingers come up to touch the scars. He starts exploring the marks, tracing and pressing lightly. At first, I feel the strain in his touch, the horror rolling off him, but slowly, it turns into something else. Curiosity? Maybe even fascination?
“How do you do this?” Vasily asks with a strange kind of wonderment. “Keeping her locked up and whipping her without... breaking her.”
“I’m just giving her what she needs.”
Vasily’s breathing deepens as he keeps stroking up and down like he’s in awe. With a sigh, he finally removes his hand and touches it to my shoulder instead. “Astrid, will you turn and face me?”
Aleksandr loosens his arms around me to let me turn.
I’m shocked to find Vasily’s face tight with something that looks like regret. His eyes soften with sincerity as he brushes my hair aside and curves his hand around my cheek. The intimacy is startling, and I can’t help but lean into it as he speaks.
“I owe you an apology, Astrid.” His mouth flattens in a wry expression before he continues. “When I saw the tattoo behind your ear, I was blinded by something else I’ve seen. Women who weren’t happy. Women who were misused and mistreated.” Lifting his gaze, he addresses Aleksandr. “Have you told her how I found Ivan?”
I feel Aleksandr nod behind me as he presses me into him and gently caresses my stomach.
Vasily turns his attention back to me. “The women Ivan—a thirteen-year-old boy—was supposed to train had ear tattoos. So when I saw yours, it hit a little too close to home, and I forgot all the other things.” He swipes his hand along my skin and tilts his head a bit as if to deepen the connection between us. “How you kept leaning into Aleksandr unconsciously. How this peaceful look would settle over your face when he took you in his arms.” Vasily gives a slight shake of his head. “I’m sorry Astrid. I shouldn’t have taken you away from that.”
I’m speechless. Astounded. Unable to find the words.
Before I get the chance to gather my thoughts, Aleksandr speaks. “Let’s finish what you came here for.” He leans down to pick up my robe and holds it up for me to push my arms through the silk. Then he ties it at the front, and I’m more than a little relieved. I thought he was going to offer me up to Vasily, and even though I am attracted to him, I don’t think I could handle the vulnerability of submitting to him like that after the strange, intimate moment we just shared.
“Come.” Aleksandr clasps his warm hand around mine and leads me to the desk, where he pulls out the swivel chair for me. I sink onto it and lift my legs up to hug them in front of me as Aleksandr goes to open the door and let his lawyer in.
Now there are three men, all clad in suits and exuding power, and tiny me dressed in nothing but a robe, exposed and vulnerable.
My finger goes up to rub the mark behind my ear. That day was a traumatic experience for me, yet somehow, the memory has shifted. I no longer shudder at the thought or feel broken. Rather, it brings me a strange kind of peace knowing how far Aleksandr will go to cement his ownership over me.
Rather, it levels my breathing, knowing Aleksandr holds that kind of power over me. And when he comes to stand at my side with a warm hand on my back, I close my eyes and sink into the steady current of his control. I have no idea what’s coming, but I know that as long as Aleksandr is in charge, I’ll welcome whatever it is.
The men exchange a few words in Russian, and there’s the sound of paper and the scratch of pens.
I keep my eyes closed until Aleksandr leans down and slides something in front of me on the desk. “I’ve had one drawn up for you in English.”
My heart thrums in my chest as I grab onto Aleksandr’s arm and peel my eyes open to find a document in front of me. With a hand going in circular motions on my back, Aleksandr offers me his steadying support as I read the header.
Last Will and Testament - Pet Clause.
I swallow and glance up at Aleksandr as my throat tightens with emotions. Is this him doing what he promised? Making sure I’m safe if something were to befall him?
His warm eyes confirm the notion. This is not to humiliate or put me in my place. This is to protect.
I return my focus to the document and read the same information about the pet as the last time. My name, gender, origin, etc.
Then I get to the part that says Appointment of Caretaker, and gratitude swells inside me at the sight of Vasily’s name. This time, I look up at the commanding man towering before me. He’s intimidating as ever with his tall, proud posture, eerie calmness, and observant eyes. But I’ve learned that dangerous men aren’t necessarily the ones who pose a threat to me. I know their keen air of control can also mean safety and protection. And the idea of going into the care of this man if my world were to crumble is a huge weight off my chest. I won’t have to return to a world I’ll never find my footing in. I’ll be under the command of another powerful man.
“Thank you,” I say with all the gratitude of my beating heart.
“I’d be a proud man to have you.” The hard lines of Vasily’s features soften somewhat as he gives a small nod.
Biting my finger, I lower my eyes to scan the rest of the document. When I reach the end with the scrawled signatures, another thought has my eyes darting back up to Vasily.
“What if something happens to you?”
“The same as all my other belongings.” He makes a slight twitch of his lips, and I think it’s because he’s not used to categorizing a person as property. “You go to Ivan.”
Ivan. The beautiful, gentle giant with a dark side. That definitely wouldn’t be a terrible place to end up. I push out a shuddery breath and nod.
Aleksandr presses a long kiss to my head. “No matter what happens, you’ll be safe.”
I start shaking. At first, it’s a small quivering in my hands, then it moves up through my arms and torso until my whole body trembles.
Aleksandr picks me up and sits with me in his arms, pressing me close to him.
“Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” Vasily says, the doubt back in his voice.
“I’m sure,” Aleksandr replies with all the certainty of his powerful, intelligent being. “This is not fear. It’s relief.”
Aleksandr is right. The relief is so strong I can’t stop shaking.
Right from the start, when he watched me on that stage, he saw straight through me—into the hidden parts of my soul that I could never access myself. He saw the restless yearning for what it was. A need to belong.
Now I’m his with all it entails. Devastating brutality, violence, and humiliation. But also care and safety. It’s freeing in a way nothing ever was. No matter what happens, Aleksandr always catches me. And this is the ultimate way to make sure I’ll always land safely.
“I’m yours, Master,” I whisper, burrowing my head into his neck.
He tightens his grip fiercely. “Always.”
GLOSSARY
Ladno, prosto povtarayem i ty sdashsya: It’s okay. We’ll just go again until you give in.
Prishol: He’s here
Spokoyno: Slow down
Dershu tebya: I’ve got you
Yasno?: Are we clear?
Takaya horoshaya devushka: Such a good girl
Ty russki znayesh?: Do you speak Russian?
Spasibo: Thank you
Krasivaya devushka: Beautiful girl
Kakaya khoroshaya sabatjka: Such a good dog
Sidet: Sit
Slyuka: Whore
Nakonets-to, vot plennaya slyuka Aleksandra: Finally, here we have Aleksandr’s captive slut.
Prosti menya: I’m sorry
Ty imeish moyo slovo: You have my word
Vso horosho s nei: Is she okay
Poshol: Leave
Derzhi za nog: Hold her legs
Smatri na menya: Look at me
Dershi golovu: Hold her head
Horoshaya devushka: Good girl
Tebe ladna?: Are you okay?
U tebya krovotechenie: You’re bleeding
My gatovy k nei: We’re ready for her
Ochen: Very
Nachinay: Begin
Yebannaya slyukha, pashla von: You fucking whore, get out of here
Blyad: Fuck
Ana so menoi spit: She sleeps with me
Ty uveren chto eta khoroshaya ideja: Are you sure this is a good idea?
Bolshe ne budet: It won’t happen again
Podazhdi: Wait
Malenkaya shlyushka: Little whore
Dezhi yeyo: Hold her
Tolko ya: Only me
Ne zeichas: Not yet
Ya znayu: I know
Dear reader
First of all, thank you so much for reading! If you’d be so kind as to leave a review (one or two lines is all it takes), it would make me very happy!
You’re probably wondering about Anna. Is there more to her story?
Yes, there is.
I have a book planned for her, but I have no idea when I’ll finish it. I’m working on so many books and have others I want to release before I dive into her story. I debated with myself about whether to hold back the last four chapters (after Aleksandr takes Astrid back) and wait to announce that Anna will get her own book, but Aleksandr and Astrid’s story wouldn’t be complete without those last chapters. I also considered leaving out the part where Astrid asks about Anna, but that also seemed wrong. So I decided to keep it. After all, I don’t think the suspense is too great. I hope you won’t get too anxious waiting for her story. <3
Sign up for my newsletter and be the first to get updates on my books and exclusive excerpts:
www.ellajacobs.com/newsletter
Ella
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To my Dom, there are no words to express my gratitude for you. But I will try anyway. Thank you for constantly reading and rereading and helping me shape me into the author I’ve become. Thank you for fulfilling all my kinky fantasies and providing the best of inspiration. Thank you for putting up with me when I get lost in my stories and refuse to go to bed. Thank you for simply smiling and telling me how much you adore me when I’m stressed and cranky. And thank you for putting up with my endless infatuation with my fictional men. But you know they all hold a part of you.
You’re my rock, my inspiration, my greatest supporter, and the man who stabilizes the chaos within me and fulfills my deepest, most depraved desires. None of my books could have been without you.
Thank you to Jakob for enriching my story with Russian phrases. This might be the only mark you’ve set on this book, but you’ve already set a deep mark on my mind, and this will undoubtedly come to show in my future writings.
I can’t wait to see what other kinky games you have in store for me.
A huge thanks goes out to my amazing beta readers. Lauren, Rachel, Klara, and Willow. Your feedback and support is always invaluable, and I’m so grateful for all the time you spend reading and providing honest and thorough feedback. You guys are the best!
To all the people in the BDSM community, who have supported me on my author journey. Writing what I write, I can’t talk about my passion with most people, so thank you for providing me with a space where I can truly be myself.
Last but not least, I want to thank all my readers who support me in one way or another. For all your amazing reviews, for posting about my books and helping spread the word, or just reading and loving my work. You mean the world to me! I hope to bring you many more books that will have you crying, swooning, and rushing off to the bedroom for much-needed breaks ;)
ALSO BY ELLA JACOBS
Not Yours Trilogy
Raw & emotional BDSM romance
Not Yours to Keep
If I Were Yours
Ella Jacobs, In His Cage: dark abduction romance
