[Music: Buffalo 66 By Nessa Barrett]

Zade carried me to the bathroom. An uneasy feeling crept all over me. At the same time, I had the urge to leap off his arms, but I knew I couldn’t manage that right now, so I remained still, too still; it felt as if I didn’t have my body with me anymore.

Zade set me down, my feet finding the cold floor.

"Strip," he said, walking to the bathtub.

I tried my best to ignore how his jeans tightened around his ass when he leaned down to check the water.

He threw a look over his shoulder and met me, still gaping at him. He faced me with a smirk, playing on his lips.

"Do you think being disobedient right now is the right card to play?"

I swallowed a lump in my throat, recalling what happened a few seconds ago.

"Take off your nightdress, Anastasia."

My hands at my sides itched, but I didn’t move them.

Zade closed the distance between us, more amused than ever, and I just held his gaze with a blank expression.

"It’s almost like you’re asking another round, baby."

A shiver shot up my spine when he tucked some strands of my hair behind my ear. He bent down to my level so that he could murmur his next threat.

"But this time, pretty kitten, my fingers won’t stretch that pussy of yours. We’re gonna go for something more functional."

I took a step back, his words succeeding in making me move, but I leveled him with a sharp glare as I took off my nightdress, the soft material pooling at my feet.

Zade’s eyes swept over me instantly... the way he looked at me, nothing about it was innocent.

He wouldn’t have stopped gaping if I hadn’t hugged myself to offer a little coverage, because it was almost as if he was gonna fucking eat my breast with his eyes.

His gaze snapped back to mine, a dangerous glint flickering behind it.

I could tell he wanted to say something, but chose not to. The only response was giving way for me, and I set my attention on the bath waiting for me.

The scent coming from it told me he had taken his time, as if he knew where I kept my bath salts, fragrant oils, and the rest of the other things I loved using.

The problem wasn’t that he knew where to get them, but how specific he was about everything, as if he had watched me draw a bath for myself several times.

The only thing different about this was that he didn’t use the white rose petals but calla lilies.

I chewed the inside of my mouth, walking close to the tub, and dipped my legs in first; the temperature compelled me to submerge the rest of my body.

I relaxed into the water; it stung a bit because of my sore ass and pussy, but the cool temperature helped.

My eyes followed Zade as he moved behind me, and I caught his hands reaching for my hair products.

A deep shiver shot through me.

How does he know which to use?

Questions were swirling as his fingers sank into my hair. He did it gently, exactly how I would.

I yanked myself away and turned my neck. Zade had his arms resting on his knees. He took one of the bottles and tilted his head.

"Am I not doing it right?"

My lips came apart, but I couldn’t speak. Somehow, despite how he knew what to do, it was more frightening to watch a man like him handle my hair so gently.

Those same hands that pulverized a man in a punching bag and wielded guns like toothpicks. The same hands that brought me through a mind-blowing release.

"I-I think I’m done," I stuttered, getting out.

My steps were unstable, and I could’ve fallen if he hadn’t grabbed my arm and pulled me to his body.

"Now, where do you think you’re going?"

"You should leave..." I said sternly, trying to force my arm out of his grip, but to no avail.

"Why do you want me to leave so badly?"

"Because!" I yelled, but I couldn’t finish the words.

This whole thing is scaring me.

"So fucking stubborn." Zade dragged me back to the bathtub despite my tantrums.

He carried me and basically put me in, and the water splashed all over him, but that was the least of his concerns.

"Get out of this tub again, and I’ll find a more memorable way to deal with your stubbornness." His gaze darkened. "Perhaps over that counter, spanking that ass till you scream for me to stop. Understood?"

"You can’t forcefully take care of someone!"

"No. But in this case, I’m willing to use force."

"You—"

He placed a finger to his lips.

My heart raced as he went back to his position to continue treating my hair. I didn’t fight this time because I knew any struggle and he’d surely follow up with his threat. I couldn’t take that risk, for the sake of my ass.

After Zade was satisfied that I’d had enough, he told me to get out, and I did.

"Smile, kitten. That frown of yours can bury me alive."

I glared harder, and Zade simply wrapped the towel around me like I was burrito.

"I’m enjoying this far more than expected," he added. "So stinky cute with that bloodthirsty glare."

"Which part did you enjoy most?" I gritted out. "The part where you took care of me against my will?"

A low laugh left his lips. "That’s because you were being stubborn, little kitten."

I growled, walking away, my wet feet tapping against the marble tiles.

Thankfully, Zade didn’t stop me this time.

I got to the closet and dried myself up, changing into another nightdress. I thought about wearing panties, but my ass was too sore, and I wasn’t sure I was gonna get them through without gnawing my mouth in pain.

Snake!