ree – Boun

by the clock. There were no hours in the Velvet Gl

d where he was or how long he had been there. He no

Queen Lilly f

ng began th

ollar. The red leather hugged his throat tightly, the tag cool against his skin. Some mornings,

, she would al

instructions w

the wall. A gesture from

in si

mirror in th

e fifty times

peak unt

Not in a logical way.

and that

his lips, her breath against his skin. There were

had become

e, his

voice? A punishmen

was the twenty-first, though time ha

ted wit

Not the Queen's usual rose-and-smoke pe

her voice. I

im to the west wing-a part o

of glass and marble, tol

ened again, some

bo

curls and sky-blue eye

idn't

re old friends. "You must b

aid n

, casual, but his eyes

ollar. It wasn't re

orry," he said. "I'm n

ened. "Then what a

remind you what happens to fav

Lilly called Ken to her chamb

noti

ak,

from the floo

med. "Ah. So

walked toward the open window. The breeze cau

ask, "Was h

wly. "There were

linc

nt for eternity," she add

knees, head lowered

ence wa

last, "

ht, she

s or cuffs-bu

ding beneath a spotlight. Around him, mirrors.

st beyond the light, a g

ill. If you move, Noah will replace you for a day.

nched h

th. The light burned his skin. The silen

es pa

n m

n p

His mind begged. But h

ot give up

for

or an

alked to him, removed the g

od

ne in the marble bath

ter without invitation

n't loo

d. "She's b

up. "She al

. "Then enjoy it..

yes. "What's that

s. She makes you feel like a god, then drops you into

you sti

e. And sometimes... sh

and left

clung to him lik

en Lilly did not s

d him. Touched him. But

an to u

n, repeating her name in the dark, tracing t

ept p

te l

voice like an addi

elt before her in the ga

id softly, "how much

nod

d. You obey because the abse

eaned

is dev

she gave him

didn't

h you

inked.

she said. "Witho

esit

se he didn't know how to separa

ossed her l

ob

losed his e

't lust tha

as f

Fear of doing it wrong. Fear o

nished, he

g hard.

n't pra

n't tou

imply

said, "do it wi

she

ressed in black robes and b

e guests. Soft music

e the Queen, si

He didn't move

ll eyes fo

no long

s an

nce in

ched the Queen and asked, "Wh

in

gone the

plana

oodb

nt of jasmine ling

ask. He d

en's chamber, curled up at th

to him, she kn

d his

"You have outla

his face

t me fal