Read Hope Restrained (Estate Series) for Free Online

pound a little harder and her skin to tingle as if from
a lover’s touch. It numbed her, but also made her feel alive, human — not
the pragmatic machine she’d been trained to be.
    A small click echoed through the room just before the door
opened. Light flooded in from the hallway and Hope clenched her eyes when it
washed across her face.
    “Oh good. You’re awake.”
    She could tell immediately from the voice that it was the
man from the hallway. The door shut and she peeked open her eyes to see his
outline standing near the door. Even in the darkness of the room, he was an
intimidating presence. He was wide in his shoulders, but his waistline was
thin. The material of his shirt bunched around the defined muscle of his arm
and he stood with his hands folded behind his back, his feet parted to shoulder
width. His hair and complexion were dark, but his eyes … those were caught in
the moonlight and they shone out, a brilliant sapphire blue.
    “I’d ask how you’re feeling, however, I’m sure I already
have a good idea.” He slowly walked forward, the sounds of his boots against
the stone ground echoing louder with each approaching step. “You’re lucky you’re
still alive. Under normal circumstances, Aaron would have removed your head for
a stunt like that. The only reason you are still breathing is because I need to
know why you’re here.”
    He stopped when he stood a few feet from her. “Now, are we
going to play nice, or does this have to be painful.”
    She didn’t even flinch at his implied threat. She’d been
raised to endure whatever torture he could inflict. They’d called it a gift
— her penchant for pain, and they’d nurtured it so that it would benefit
Hope when she fought or in case of capture.
    Inching closer, he held her stare. “What is your name and,
more importantly, why did you just attempt to kill Aaron Carmichael?” She could
see his muscles tighten, rage settling across his shoulders when he’d moved
within inches of her. Raising his arms, he placed a hand on the wall by each
side of her face.
    A shiver ran down her spine, but she shook it off and
silently turned her head to break eye contact. She felt his hand wrap itself
within her hair and pull.
    “Answer me!” His nostrils flared, the heat of his enraged
command brushing across her cheek. Her scalp burned where her hair was knotted
in his fist.
    She winced in reaction to the pain, hissing when he pulled
her face to his.
    He stared at her for several minutes, his eyes darting over
her features, memorizing each shadow on her skin. She held still, desperately
attempting to steady the beat of her heart, to deny him any sign of fear.
    Pushing off the wall, he distanced himself. Folding his hands
at his back, he paced the length of the room. When he finally stopped, he
turned to her with a smile adorning his face.
    “You’re well trained. I’ll give you that.” Slowly, he
stepped towards her, his movement graceful as a prowling tiger. “But, I’m sure
there are ways to make you speak.”
    His finger flicked up to run along her jawline, down her
neck and along the center of her chest, stopping just above where the leather intersected
between her breasts.
    She wasn’t surprised by his first implied threat. If nothing
else, she could rely on a man’s loyalty to his cock. However, she was glad for
him to have made it.
    She cleared her throat, preparing to play a role that had
bought her freedom many times before. “Like what you see?” She smiled when his
shocked eyes rose to her face. “Unchain me and we can work something out.” She
hated this game, but it had been useful in escaping other situations. She never
went far with any man, just enough to get him to free her of her binds. All of
the men died within seconds of making that mistake.
    He leaned into her, the stubble of his chin rubbing against
her temple. Whispering, he teased, “You’d like that wouldn’t you?” He pushed
away again, moving to the table in the