Bride by Sara Fields

Chapter 5

Iprobably shouldn’t have pushed him, but I couldn’t stop myself. I wouldn’t just bend over and obey him simply because he demanded it.

He rounded his desk, moving toward me casually, but I knew how dangerous he was now. Slowly he shrugged off his suit jacket and I noticed that he was no longer wearing the shirt I’d soaked in wine. He’d changed somewhere in the midst of the choosing of my wedding dress and I hadn’t noticed. I chewed my lip, trying to figure out what his intentions were other than to punish me or remind me of his power over me right now. His face didn’t appear angry, but in control, which was the most terrifying thing of all. He started to walk faster, and I turned to run, but he reached for me and grabbed me by the back of the neck. My retribution was swift as he slid his fingers into the hair at the base of my scalp. He pulled hard, wrenching my head back in the process and forcing me to look at him.

His smile was wicked as he pushed me down, never letting go of my hair as he did so. I cried out, cruel agony blossoming across my scalp with wild abandon. It stung brightly for several seconds before it faded just slightly, radiating down my spine, and settling deep in my persistently throbbing core.

I struggled a bit and went to push his hands off my head, but he very quickly undid his tie and swung me around. He let go of my hair and I was a bit shellshocked as he wound the long piece of cloth around my wrists. He bound my hands behind my back securely and when I finally remembered myself and tried to pull my arms away, it was already far too late.

I made a soft crying sound, unable to stop the way it exposed my fear and rapidly escalating arousal.

He gripped my hair once more and very roughly forced me to my knees. I was grateful for the soft carpet beneath me as I rushed to balance myself. His tie was secure behind me, holding my arms captive and out of the way for however he planned to teach me obedience. I stared up at him and him down at me.

If there was ever a moment when I felt his power, this was it.

“Grayson, please,” I began, and he shook his head.

He reached down and unclasped his belt. I swallowed hard, anticipating another thrashing with the dreaded leather strap, but he didn’t pull it out. He unbuttoned his slacks and slowly lowered the zipper. I kept looking from his face down to his pelvis, very nervously waiting to find out what would come next.

If he wanted me to suck his cock, I had no qualms about biting it off.

“Don’t,” I warned as he pushed down his gray underwear.

“You will keep your eyes on my cock, little girl, or else that bare little pussy is going to get another hard spanking. I was gentle before. I can always spank it hard enough to make you cry,” he warned, and a squeak escaped me.

I dropped my eyes as my pussy clenched down tight and I looked at his cock for the very first time.

Oh. Fuck.

He was the biggest man I’d ever seen. There was no doubt in my mind that sex with him would be painful. I didn’t know if I could take something that size and I clamped my lips shut, knowing that I really couldn’t take all of him in my mouth. I swallowed hard and stared at that hard thing, taking note of the enormous ridge surrounding the head and the thick veins to either side. At the tip, there was a single drop of pre-cum, and he gathered it with his finger before he gripped the thick length. I squirmed nervously.

What was he up to?

He stroked himself, gliding his fingers up and down slowly and I found that I couldn’t tear my eyes away even if I wanted to. With my hands bound, I teetered back and forth and his hand at the back of my head squeezed tighter, pulling my hair a bit harder and I moaned softly as I stared back at him. My pussy was soaking wet and the both of us knew it. I focused on the hard length of his cock, not because he told me to, but because I wanted to.

What would he feel like sliding inside me? Would it hurt as much as I thought it would? Would I like that it did? I didn’t know.

I found myself wondering what he might taste like on my tongue, and I hated myself for even thinking it in the first place. He started moving his fingers faster, up and down, up and down. I never took my gaze away because he just seemed to grow larger and harder before my very eyes.

Grayson Asher had it all. Looks. Money. A huge cock. And now me.

He stroked his cock a bit faster and just when I thought he was close, he paused and edged his hips forward.

“I can still see your wetness drying on your cheek here, my proud girl,” he taunted. Without warning, he moved closer to my face and slapped me with his cock. The weight of it was jarring, the heat of his cock like a branding iron against my flesh. Embarrassed, I tried to pull away but then he did it again on the other side. His hold on the back of my head didn’t allow me to escape him and he gripped it tighter in a show of rough force that left me gasping for air.

His cock only seemed to get harder.

“Do you see how hard you make me, Zoe?” he purred, and I chewed my lip. I didn’t want to answer, but he knew that I knew all the same.

“Yes,” I finally whispered, and he cleared his throat. When I didn’t say what he wanted, he cuffed my cheek with the flat of his palm. It didn’t hurt, but it was more than enough to send a message that made my pussy clench down with need.

“Yes, sir,” I mewled quietly.

“Good girl,” he answered, and a lightning bolt of pleasure raced straight down to my clit. I hadn’t expected that, and I hesitantly glanced up at him just quick enough to see a look of obvious affection pass over his features before I remembered myself and looked back down at his cock.

It was so very hard for me.

He stroked himself more vigorously and I licked my lips. I didn’t have to peer up at him to see if he was watching my reactions. I knew that he was. I could feel his filthy gaze and that made my body heat even further.

I squirmed a little bit on my knees, wondering what he was going to do next. He stroked himself for a time before slapping my face with his cock again. He took his time, probably enjoying the way I was fidgeting. I hoped he didn’t know how wet I was for him, but somewhere deep inside there that a deranged part of me that realized that he probably did.

Eventually though, he started stroking himself with increased vigor, faster and faster until at long last he groaned. I stared at his cock, knowing he was close. I tried to pull back and when he didn’t allow it, it soon became clear what was happening.

He was going to come on my face.

I tried to get up in a panic, but his grip was firm and with my hands bound behind my back, it was far more difficult than I thought it would be. I staggered and he roughly forced me back down as his hand moved up and down his cock, faster and faster until I watched the first spurt of cum propel toward me. At the last second, I closed my eyes, feeling one hot lash of it after the next on my cheek, on my chin and my lips, and on my forehead.

By the time he was finished, his seed coated my face, hot and sticky and wet. I swallowed hard, freezing as it began to dribble down my cheek. A soft, mortified whine surrounded me, and I could do nothing to stop it. My entire focus was narrowed in on his cock and his cum on my face. Nothing else mattered right then. I didn’t know if I should be mortified, if he wanted to debase me, but his smile was warm and indicated that he wasn’t thinking anything like that. Instead, he was staring down at me with open admiration and blatant pride, and I swallowed hard. Did he like this? Did I?

“I’ve imagined this moment for a long time, sweet bride, and it’s even more perfect than I could have ever hoped for,” he said softly, and I pressed my lips together, feeling a heated blush billow over my cheeks. I wavered back and forth on my knees, feeling every drop as it began to cool on my skin. I hummed quietly with shame, kneeling before him with his cum pelted all over my face. I looked up at him again, knowing what I saw the first time and needing to see it again just to believe it.

The look of pride in his eyes nearly did me in.

He released my hair and drew it underneath my chin. He lifted my head a bit higher, admiring me as he did so. I swallowed hard, trying to grapple with the reluctant arousal surging inside me and the feelings of want and need and adoration that seemed to be flowing freely from him to me.

I didn’t understand it, but I’d never felt more beautiful in my life than I did for him just then.

My heartbeat began to slow to a normal pace as he tucked himself back inside his slacks. I was vaguely disappointed to see him put his cock away, but as his thumb stroked up and down my cheek, I found myself enjoying that too. I liked it so much that I leaned into it just to feel it a bit more.

“Are you ready to shower for me now or would you like your bridal pictures taken with my cum all over your face?”

I nearly squeaked in surprise and abject shame.

I swallowed hard and opened my lips, only to have a drop of his seed drip into my mouth. I closed it, too curious not to taste him. It was bitter, but not in a bad way. As his seed spread across my tongue, more flavors followed. There was a salty sweetness that came out in the end, and I haphazardly licked my lips in hopes of tasting more of him. I wasn’t disappointed.

He knelt down in front of me, studying me and I blushed hard knowing he’d seen what I’d just done.

“Make your choice, Zoe. Do you want our pictures taken this way?” he pressed. With his thumb, he smeared a little of it across my cheek. It felt so taboo that I bit the inside of my lip to keep from crying out.

“No, sir,” I said, forcing myself to answer. I was ashamed to be wearing his seed, but that wasn’t all of it. No. I was even more embarrassed because I kind of liked it.

“Will you take a shower now?”

“Yes, sir,” I whispered hotly, feeling my pussy spasm as his hand slinked back into my hair. Roughly, he lifted me up that way and I struggled to stand at first until I used what was left of my strength to propel myself up. I almost lost my balance, but he was there to catch me. Once I was standing, he carefully turned me around and freed my hands.

“There’s my good girl,” he whispered, and I bit my lip hard at his praise. He’d called me his. Why did I like that and why had something so simple cause my clit to throb so hard?” I turned my head and I refused to think about it anymore. I wouldn’t. This wasn’t romance.

This was possession.

His hand settled on my lower back and gently pushed me forward. I took one shaky step followed by another, both hating and liking the way each one jostled the cum spattered across my face. He didn’t say anything more about it, leaving me to struggle with my shame in silence. We walked through his apartment, down the hall, and into the master bedroom together and I tried to figure out some way out of this. There wasn’t anything for me to even grasp at. I was trapped with him up here and there didn’t seem to be any way out.

Once we reached the bathroom, I walked inside only to see Grayson waiting by the door. I looked back at him, hopeful that he might leave and let me shower in peace but that didn’t seem to be the case. He shook his head slowly, as if he could read my mind and I turned away, feeling my face heat with shame.

He was going to stay and watch me.

For a minute, I stood still, unsure of myself. Did I want him to see me naked? Did I even really have a choice? With a sigh, I stared at the marble tile beneath my feet and realized that I really didn’t. There was little doubt in my mind that he would parade me around looking exactly like this if I didn’t obey him and take a shower and he’d probably find some way to make it even more mortifying for me in the end. It would just be easier to strip and shower with him watching. He’d already seen my bare bottom and everything in between my legs. What difference did it make if he saw my breasts too?

I reached for the buttons of my shirt and slowly undid them. His gaze was glued to me as I shrugged it off my shoulders, revealing my lacey pink bra underneath. I blushed deeply as I reached behind my back and unclipped it, stalling for a moment before I slid that off too. It took everything in me not to cover my breasts. They were fuller than I’d like, and I’d been teased for them many times in the past, but when I flicked my gaze toward him for a moment, I saw nothing but raw appreciation.

With a single glance, he made me feel beautiful.

I swallowed hard. I don’t know why I felt that way, and I ignored it as I reached around and unzipped my skirt. Fully naked now, I stood tall, trying to feel proud even with his cum still drying on my face. Unable to bear it any longer, I opened the door and walked inside the massive glassed-in balcony shower. I turned several handles and instantly, a soft warm spray rained down on me. I gasped as the water embraced me, feeling a series of goosebumps rise up and down my flesh.

I looked up into the rain shower and rinsed off my face. I must have stood under that spray for at least five minutes before I even moved a muscle. I lifted my hands to wipe the water out of my eyes, finding that I’d successfully cleaned him off my face. I’m not sure why, but an odd sense of disappointment followed that realization and I sighed, swallowing hard and trying to ignore that unfamiliar part of me. I heard a noise behind me, and I jerked my head back toward him. I had thought he was just going to watch me, but I saw that he was unbuttoning his shirt too. He laid it carefully on the counter and smirked at me devilishly.

His chest looked like it was carved out of rock. There were a few magazines that he’d posed for with his shirt unbuttoned a little bit of the way and I’d looked at those more than once, but seeing his full naked torso was something else entirely. He spent some serious time taking care of his body, both in the gym and in the kitchen and I took a few seconds to really admire the view.

I turned away and reached for a bottle of shampoo, but I couldn’t keep myself from glancing back from time to time to look at the seriously handsome man behind me. He caught me looking on several occasions and I could hardly contain my embarrassment at my wandering eyes. I stiffened when he joined me in the shower, but he moved to one side while I remained on the other. He didn’t reach out to touch me and that made my pussy pulse with want.

I looked out the window off of the balcony, trying to see if anyone was looking in the shower to see me beside the infamous Grayson Asher, but I saw no one. Before too much time passed, the windows started to steam up and I hoped that it would be enough to hide my nakedness if anyone happened to look up here.

I glanced back at him, and he caught me looking again, only this time I happened to glance straight down at his cock. It was hard again, and I gasped softly before tearing my eyes away and focusing back on washing my hair. I roughly massaged the shampoo into my scalp, making sure to clean it very thoroughly before I allowed myself to rinse. He moved by my side, and I glanced back at him, only to see him lazily dragging his fingers up and down the erect length of his cock.

How the hell was he already hard, again?

He squirted a bit of shampoo into his palm and started to wash his hair, but I still couldn’t look away from his thick cock. When I could finally manage, I washed my face with soap this time, making sure that not even a drop of his cum was left on my skin.

Why did I keep looking at him? Why couldn’t I just focus on myself?

My needy little clit pulsed. I did my best to ignore it, but the warm water on my skin was intoxicating and it did little to alleviate the raging desire within me. I needed release in a big way, but I wasn’t sure how I wanted it. I glanced back at his really hard and far too enormous cock, trying not to think about what it would feel like sinking deep into my pussy.

“Do you like what you see, my pretty bride?” he asked, and I whipped my head back into the shower spray, trying to hide the rampant flush that heated my cheeks and knowing that I probably hadn’t.

To be honest, I did like what I saw, but I wasn’t going to tell him. His head was already big enough. I focused on soaping up a loofah as he finished showering beside me, trying to do anything to keep my mind off of the iron spike between his legs that I desperately wanted to make use of. After a few more minutes, I heard him move beside me. His finger brushed against my bottom, and I jumped a little, before biting back a cry at the tenderness of that touch.

“Your bottom is still bright red, little girl,” he murmured, and my pussy clenched down hard. “I can even see the marks from my belt,” he added while his fingers just barely danced across my wet naked skin. I shuddered hard as electricity sizzled through me from his touch.

I shouldn’t like that he spanked me. It shouldn’t be making me this aroused, but even in my denial, my clit throbbed hard almost as if it was calling for him to take me. I didn’t say it, but as he turned away and climbed out of the shower, there was a tiny zing of disappointment that he hadn’t touched me there, that he hadn’t made me orgasm for him.

“Be a good girl for me and enjoy the rest of your shower. You are not allowed to come,” he warned, and I closed my eyes and tilted my head to the heated water pouring over my face. I didn’t want him to know just how much I wanted to reach between my thighs and take care of that pesky desire myself.

The shower door closed behind him, and I managed to gather enough bravery to glance in his direction as he walked away so that I could get my first real look at the flawlessness of his ass.

Good God. It was magnificent.

It was round and so firm that I wanted to grab a handful of it myself. As if he knew what I was up to, he looked back and winked at me rather diabolically and just when I thought I couldn’t, I blushed all the harder.

Asshole. Cocky, arrogant, handsome, gloriously perfect, and far too fucking hot bastard.

He shouldn’t intrigue me. I should hate everything he stood for. I shouldn’t want to fuck him senseless. Something was seriously wrong with me.

Maybe I was broken.

I closed my eyes and ran my head under the warm rain of the shower, washing away the shampoo. I soaped up the loofah again and started scrubbing all over my body, trying to wash away the needy arousal beneath my skin and failing entirely. If anything, it only grew stronger and harder to fight. In an effort to calm myself, I picked up the razor set out for me and very carefully set out shaving my legs, pussy, and underarms. Once I finished, I felt more settled and focused and steady enough to stand on my own two feet.

I moved on and started conditioning my hair one section at a time. When I was through, I picked up a small bottle of coconut oil sugar scrub and smoothed it over my skin. I spent several minutes ensuring that my skin was soft and supple, paying attention to the few places that were prone to dryness.

I was stalling. I knew it. He probably knew it too.

I rinsed off, turning down the heat of the water just enough to make me gasp and shiver. When I was fully clean, I finally turned off the shower and stepped out, reaching for a towel off the nearby rack. It was warm, as if it had just come out of the dryer and I hummed happily as I dried off and wrapped it around my body.

I padded over to the counter, finding a brush and several other toiletries laid out for me. I picked up the heavy wooden hairbrush and slowly worked out all the tangles from the shower. Once I was convinced that I’d gotten every one, I put it back down and sighed.

I was going to have to leave the bathroom at some point.

I lifted my head and stared into the mirror, trying to see what he saw in me. I’d never considered myself traditionally pretty. My eyes were probably my best feature. They were blue, not a lighter blue like the sky, but a darker blue like that of a rich sapphire. My lips were full, and my nose wasn’t too big. There were so many beautiful models that he could have chosen that would be so utterly thankful to preen on his arm, but he’d turned away from them all in his volley to marry me and I couldn’t figure out why.

I brushed my hair a little more, just staring at myself in the mirror as I tried to figure out what he saw in me and finding nothing of merit.

Sure, I was smart, but a man like Grayson Asher didn’t marry a woman for her brain. He married a woman for her looks and that certainly wasn’t me. I forced myself to turn away from the mirror and leave the room.

I walked into the closet, hearing the muted sound of his voice just a little bit further off. I crept forward, seeing him sitting on the bed with his back to me.

He was fully dressed already, but not in a suit like before. He was wearing a tuxedo and a really nice one at that. The material was black, but the light caught it in a way to make it shine as though it was made of silk. I wanted to reach out and touch it, knowing that it would probably feel like velvet against my skin.

He must have heard me because he stood up and turned to face me. His expression was calm and thoughtful, and I took a small step back before I could stop myself.

“Did you enjoy your shower?” he asked. Immediately, I was reminded of a lion about to pounce on his prey, and I stopped myself from fleeing knowing that there wasn’t a way out behind me.

“I did,” I whispered. He prowled toward me, and my unease grew, but then he stopped several feet away from me and lazily drew his gaze up and down my body. I shivered and lifted my chin proudly. “I see you’re already dressed.”

“You took quite a long shower,” he answered, cocking his head to the side as he leaned against the bed.

“I did,” I replied curtly. I stood tall, pressing my legs together and trying to ignore the ever-persistent twinge between my thighs. I just wished it would stop already.

He stared at me for several seconds longer and I fought against the rising tide of self-consciousness that poured over me unbidden.

“Remove the towel,” he commanded and all I wanted to do was refuse him. What other choice did I have though? He’d already shown that he was willing do to whatever it took to force my obedience. I gripped my towel more tightly for a moment before I sighed and released it.

I would obey him. For now. But I didn’t have to like it.

I threw the wet towel right in his face. I was disappointed to see that he didn’t look surprised or shocked in any way. He moved so quickly that he caught it before it smacked him in the face, and I snarled as he coolly appraised me. Slowly, he folded the towel and placed it neatly aside, all while my heart pounded wildly in my chest.

My nerves spiked when he took several steps in my direction and I couldn’t move fast enough to escape his reach. He grabbed me firmly around the back of my neck and pulled me toward him, capturing my lips with his in a kiss so deep that I forgot to breathe.

He possessed my body with that kiss, and I couldn’t help myself as I pressed back against him. His lips were so perfect that I found myself gasping for air and kissing him back just as hard. My heart pounded in my chest and his fingers squeezed the back of my neck a bit tighter, and just when I thought he couldn’t kiss me any more deeply, he did.

I moaned softly and he swallowed my sounds. He tilted me backwards onto the bed and I was too distracted by the feeling of his lips on mine to put up much of a fight. When he finally pulled away, his eyes caught mine and I stared up into them as he released the back of my neck. Gently, he turned my head to the side and kissed my cheek, before he trailed his lips down my throat and along my collarbone to my breasts. I arched into his kisses even though I was reluctant to, but he was being so gentle.

His tongue dragged along the hard peak of my nipple, and I cried out softly with pleasure. He touched me with expert hands and my body responded in kind, first with reluctance and followed by brutal force.

His hand slid between my legs, and I knew what he’d find. I was just as wet as he’d left me before. He captured my clit between two fingers and dragged them back and forth. I mewled softly, unable to stop myself from responding to the sure and steady torture.

The word ‘please’ was on the tip of my tongue, but I bit the inside of my cheek. I didn’t want him to know how much I wanted him.

But. Fuck.

His fingers were so incredibly good. My reluctance all but dissipated as his mouth opened and gently surrounded my nipple, kissing gently at first before he started getting just a little bit rougher. I whimpered, unsure.

He suckled my nipple hard, and I tried to pull away, getting the sudden sense that I’d been a willing participant in my own capture. His body surrounded mine, holding me down on the bed and I peered down in fear as his lips pulled back and his teeth captured my nipple next.

“Wait. Don’t!” I shrieked.

That didn’t stop him. He bit down on my nipple, and I yelped as a fierce stinging pain radiated outward. If I pulled away just the slightest bit, his bite hurt more. My entire breast throbbed hot in his mouth, and I tried to remain still, but it was difficult. When he pulled away, I breathed a sigh of relief only to squeak with fear when his lips approached my other breast.

I struggled beneath him, but that wasn’t going to stop him. If anything, it only fueled him to move faster, to bite harder and by the time he bit down on my left nipple, I was already crying out in anticipation of the burning pain that came with it.

His fingers never stopped dragging back and forth across my clit.

He released me and drew back far enough to stare into my eyes. I trembled as my nipples throbbed, sore and freshly punished by his mouth. He could bring such gentle pleasure with those lips, but there was a roughness there too.

I would never know which one I was going to get and that both terrified and aroused me more than I cared to admit. To myself. To him. To anyone.

“There will be plenty of time for you to learn what happens when you push me, little girl. You needn’t worry about that. For now, however, you have a wedding to dress for, so the lessons are going to have to wait until tonight. Keep that in mind when you’re getting ready for me, my feisty bride,” he murmured, and I shuddered with anxious desire.

He released my clit and I hated that he did because even with all his roughness, I still wanted to come so very badly. My entire body pulsed with arousal in tune with the constant beat of my heart.

“Know that I’m looking forward to fully putting you in your place tonight, my sweet bride. I’m going to make you scream for me. You might even like it,” he whispered, and my pussy clenched down tight. He pushed off the bed, releasing me from the prison of his body and leaving me bereft of his touch. I didn’t know if I was relieved or sad to be free of him and before I could figure it out, he’d left the room.

My heart eventually calmed, and I pushed myself up so that I could sit on the end of the bed. I curled my arms around my chest and hesitantly brushed my fingers against my nipples. They still felt sore, as if his teeth were still biting down on them and my gentle touches did nothing to make the ache fade away.

I looked toward the door, feeling his absence rather keenly. I drew my knees into my chest, hearing something down the hallway. I started when Clara came in through the door pushing a large cart with garment bag slung over her shoulder.

I looked for something to cover up my nakedness. The towel was on the other side of the bed though and if I lunged to grab it, I would only show her more of my body. Instead, I stayed sitting on the end of the bed, trying to pretend like this was the most normal thing in the world when it most definitely wasn’t.

“I have your dress ready as well as your undergarments,” she began. Her smile was soft and warm, and I nodded with understanding. To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what else to do except go along with whatever this was. She offered me a hand and I took it, no longer trying to shield my body from her eyes. She brushed my hair over my shoulder, just looking at me before she hung the garment bag on a hook on the wall.

With a clinical purpose, she unzipped it and revealed the dress I had chosen. There was a white corset bustier to wear beneath it, as well as a lacey pair of matching silk panties on a separate hanger. Thankfully, she passed me the panties first and I was able to cover up my pussy. She had me turn around and slip my arms into the corseted bra top and I waited patiently as she clipped the back closed. It lifted my breasts rather enticingly, but the fabric against my nipples was just enough to remind me what happened in this room a few minutes ago.

I bit my lip nervously. If she noticed, she did not say.

“Come. I’ll do your hair and makeup in the bathroom,” she said. I followed her without complaint. She pulled out a small bench and had me sit in it. She left me there for several minutes while she returned to her cart, bringing a small satchel with her that she slipped open on the counter. It was filled with makeup.

“I’m going to start with your hair first. I thought we could do a partial updo and take advantage of these natural brunette waves you have. What do you think?” she asked. I looked thoughtfully back at her in the mirror.

“I’d like that,” I answered simply, and she started to brush my hair. She fished out a hairdryer from a cabinet beside me and made quick work of the wet mop atop my head. I studied her while she worked, trying to figure out her place in all of this and I finally got the courage to ask her about it.

“Clara?”

“Yes, Zoe?”

“Have you been working for Grayson for a while?”

“I’ve been in his employ for the past ten years,” she answered.

“What kind of things do you do for him?” I pressed.

“Whatever he asks me to do. Most of the time I ensure his suite here is kept clean. Sometimes I run errands or cook him a meal, but today I’m assigned to you to make sure that your wedding day is perfect,” she answered.

“As perfect as a forced marriage could be, I suppose,” I replied. She didn’t answer me and just continued to brush and style my hair. For a while, I was quiet. I’d fought this every step of the way, but it hadn’t seemed to get me anywhere.

“Do you know why he chose me, Clara?” I finally asked softly, and her fingers lightly squeezed my shoulder.

“I don’t know, Zoe, but I do know he’s never done anything like this for any other. In fact, I don’t know of anyone that he’s brought up here into the penthouse either. He doesn’t really do serious,” she ventured, and I pushed harder.

“Serious?”

She gathered the hair at the top of my head, sectioning it off so that she could begin to braid it.

“I never thought I’d see the day Mr. Asher walked down the aisle and made a woman his wife,” she admitted, looking sheepishly at me as she continued to work on making me the image of the perfect bride.

“Is he a cruel man?” I asked.

“No. He is a kind man, a good man. He would not offer his hand in marriage if he did not intend on taking care of you in all ways,” she said gently. There was nothing dishonest in the way she said those words. I didn’t want to believe her, but I knew there was a grain of truth in that because as rough as Grayson had been with me thus far, he hadn’t really hurt me.

Sure, he’d spanked my bare bottom and my pussy hard enough to leave them sore and aching, but he hadn’t forced himself on me. He’d had me bent over his desk, pinned down for the taking, and he hadn’t taken me against my will. If anything, his refusal to fuck me was as mystifying as it was captivating.

There was a knock on the door. A female employee walked inside the room carrying a platter with only one thing on top of it: another glass of wine.

I knew it would be the same as before, my favorite. If I was getting married today, I might as well enjoy another glass on his tab.

She curtsied politely as I took the glass from her. I murmured my thanks and took an appreciative sip before she smiled and left the room. Clara continued to fix my hair, curling and arranging it to perfection. When she was through, she started working on my makeup.

“You don’t need any of this,” she mused. “You’re already so beautiful.”

I blushed hard and looked down, unable to look back at her when she was being so unnecessarily kind.

“If anything, Mr. Asher is lucky to have you,” the older woman added and just when I thought my face couldn’t heat any more, it did.

“Thank you, Clara,” I eventually managed, and she just smiled.

For a while longer, she added small touches to my face. She didn’t do anything particularly drastic, but by the time she was through I felt like a whole new woman. She made my eyes appear bigger and brighter, my lips fuller, my cheeks a bit pinker.

“There now. Let’s get you in your dress,” she urged.

“I feel so pretty,” I began, and she shook her head.

“I had such a beautiful canvas to begin with. I just made your beauty shine that much brighter,” she offered, and I dipped my head bashfully. She took my hand and guided me back into the bedroom, where she took my dress off the hanger. She held it out so that I could step into it. She pulled it up my body and I slipped my arms beneath the straps. There was a plethora of tiny silk-wrapped buttons down the back, and she started from the top. It took her several minutes to work through them, but by the time she was finished the dress hugged my body like a glove.

“There isn’t even anything to adjust,” she said as she fluffed my skirt. “It fits you perfectly.”

She knelt down and slipped my feet into a white pair of silver jeweled kitten heels. I nearly fell when she grabbed my leg and forced a garter into place too.

“Now come. Grayson will be waiting for you in the garden,” she smiled. She turned and walked out of the room, and I knew that the only option was for me to follow. She strode down another hallway that I hadn’t had a chance to explore earlier. There was a glass door at the end and what appeared to be a magnificent garden beyond it. She opened it and led me around the corner to the most beautiful rooftop I’d ever seen.

There were flowers of every color, all in fresh bloom and when the breeze picked up gently, the scent of them took my breath away. The walkway was tiled, and bright red rose petals were scattered all the way to the end where Grayson was waiting for me. I swallowed hard as I looked back at him.

Him the groom.

Me dressed as his bride.

Clara moved out of the way and the only thing left between me and Grayson was distance. I licked my lips nervously. There was another man beside him, a priest by the looks of it with the white cloth at his throat. Grayson held his hand out, indicating that I come to him, and I faltered. Like a cornered animal, I looked around, trying to find any last ways out and finding none. Grayson’s hand beckoned for me, and I finally managed to take that first step. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done.

I walked down the aisle, knowing that the only option I had left was to go through with whatever sham this was supposed to be. When I reached Grayson, I studied his face for some clue as to why he’d picked me to be his bride and found nothing but pure and steadfast adoration.

“You are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” he whispered.

“You can’t make me do this. You can’t make me vow to be your wife,” I said angrily. He reached for me, and I flinched visibly, expecting him to slap me. He didn’t. He gently ran his thumb along my cheek and smiled down at me.

“You can speak your vows like a good girl, Zoe, or I will lift your dress and belt your bare little bottom in front of everyone watching and then you’ll say your vows for me anyway with your ass bright red and on display,” he continued, his voice sure and calm and entirely too steady. My bottom tightened physically, remembering what the painful lash of his belt had felt like across my naked skin. I swallowed hard and nodded once.

I glared back at him.

“You may hold the upper hand right now, but I will fight this with everything I have. A wedding like this would never hold up in court. You know that,” I countered bravely.

“I have very good lawyers. I pay them a lot of money to get things done for me,” he said softly.

“You know I’m right,” I snapped, and he smiled almost with a sense of pride.

“I do know you’re right, my pretty bride,” he said thoughtfully. He pulled me in a bit closer, the touch of his lips just grazing against my earlobe.

“That won’t stop me from putting you flat on your back in my bed and claiming what is mine tonight though, Zoe,” he whispered, and my pussy tightened so hard. My legs jerked closed and I stumbled, but his hand on my upper arm steadied me, not allowing me to fall. I couldn’t deny that his threats of punishment and roughness kept pulling at my core. Even now, I knew that my panties were already soaked through. By the look in his eyes, he knew it too.

“Do I have to take off my belt, or are you going to say your vows like a good girl?” he asked. My gaze flicked back to his and I could see that he wanted me to refuse. He wanted to thrash my bottom with his belt again and when my eyes dipped down, I could see that his cock was hard too.

“I’ll say my vows,” I spat.

“Pity. I was looking forward to teaching you another lesson,” he whispered as he pulled me beside him.

I’d find a way out of this somehow. I just had to wait until the right opportunity surfaced.