CHAPTER 16 The Manipulator M illions of thoughts run through my head on what I could possibly say to get out of this. /’m sorry clearly wasn’t good enough. “You’re going to shoot me?” My bladder is threatening to explode, and the knowledge that I might die in a puddle of pee brings tears to my eyes. “T’ve already said I’m not going to kill you,” he responds, his tone dripping with impatience. He punctuates his response by dragging the tip of the gun down through the valley of my breasts. The gun continues its path down my stomach, stopping at the edge of my leggings. “Take these off.” My lip trembles and a single tear slides down my temple. “Please, don’t do this.” He cocks a brow, and the act is damning. He looks so damn unimpressed with my pleas, causing another tear to trace the path of the first. “Now, Adeline.” Sniffing, I finally listen. Hooking my thumbs in the band of my leggings, I pull them down. I’m only able to reach mid-thigh before his body gets in the way. He takes the hint, lifting up and ripping the leggings down the rest of the way. More tears follow suit. “T-shirt next,” he orders, jerking his gun to signal his order. I lift up and slide the shirt over my head, laying back down with a huff. “Fucking beautiful,” he murmurs, his eyes tracing over the curves of my body. Fucker is lucky I’m wearing my black lace set tonight. He doesn’t fucking deserve it, either. He leans over me again, his mouth kissing the last bruise he left on my shoulder. “Do you know what these mean?” he whispers, kissing another spot. I shudder beneath his touch, electricity sprouting from the point of contact and dancing across my skin. I don’t answer, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “They mean that I own you. Marked you as mine.”