“I’m listening,” Artur said.
The weight of his stare cut through me.
“You see, I was cleaning the bar counters, and this bottle of wine just... tempted me.” I bit my lower lip. “I only took one glass.”
Artur’s eyes narrowed slightly. “One?”
I swallowed. I couldn’t remember. “Two. Only two.”
“Oh.” He rubbed his jaw slowly, never breaking eye contact. “Only two, huh?”
Damn, I didn’t finish the bottle, did I? My mind reeled as my face burned.
“A few sips knocked me out, so I don’t really remember much, but trust me, I was just... tasting it.” The words came out in a rush, like they might somehow save me.
“Stop embarrassing yourself and get dressed.” His voice cut through my rambling.
I froze, my heart in my throat. “You... you’re not mad?”
He sighed as though he was tired of entertaining the idea. With a sudden shift, he stood. I took a step back, trying to put space between us. But he wasn’t having it.
“Are you sure you want to know the answer to that?” he asked.
A nervous laugh escaped me. “No. Not really. I mean... It’s just a bottle of wine, right?” My words sounded hollow, and I forced a giggle to cover the tension in my chest. “I’m crazy to think you would get mad over wine.”
But the humor quickly died when I saw the glare he shot me. I shrugged. “Okay, I’m sorry.”
Artur’s gaze didn’t soften. “Are you done?” he asked, his brow cocking. After a long moment of prolonged silence, he said, “Good. Because we’re late.”
Without further words, he stepped toward me, and even though I backed up, he wrapped his hand around my waist.
Before I could react, he was dragging me toward a full-length mirror. My pulse raced in my veins, panic flooding me. What was he going to do?
We stopped in front of the mirror. Artur stood tall behind me, my back pressed to his chest. I could see us both in the reflection. My appearance was a mess: my shirt was stained, my hair was tangled, and my eyes were red. I looked like someone who had done something they shouldn’t have, and I hated that he could see it and use it against me.
“You’ll do what I say,” Artur’s voice rumbled low in my ear.
I met his gaze in the mirror. His eyes were almost predatory, and something in me trembled. He looked dangerous, and it had nothing to do with his physical presence or how he made me feel. I was like a piece of meat for him to devour.
“Otherwise,” he continued, his free hand sliding up my neck and pushing me backwards until I leaned against his chest. “I won’t listen to any apology you have.”
His face brushed against my cheek, and the warmth of his breath sent a shiver down my spine. I bit the inside of my lip to hold back the tremor in my voice.
“Now...” His hand gripped my chin, turning my face upward so that my eyes met his. “I want you to dress up and look nice for me.” His voice remained low, but the command was there. “And you should behave. The event is very important to me, Little Gem. So behave.”
His other hand slid down my body, his fingers grazing the edge of my thigh, sending a chill through my skin. I tried to wiggle away, but his grip tightened. Before I could protest, he hiked myskirt, inch by inch, until it topped my waist.
My breath caught in my throat.
“Go take a quick shower,” he ordered, his fingers brushing against the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. “You don’t want to smell like a vintner, do you?” I shook my head. “Good. Because I want you to be useful tonight.”
“Okay,” I whispered. Would this guarantee my freedom?
Artur merely smirked, his hand sliding beneath the waistband of my panties. “Smile. I might forgive you for consuming three bottles of wine without permission.”
“Three?” My voice was high with a mix of disbelief
He chuckled, his fingers pulling my panties down. “Three,” he confirmed, his tone almost amused.