Adam’s gaze filled with speculation, even as he played hard to get. “You think your noble sacrifice will move me? If I felt so inclined, I could play with you to my heart’s content and there wouldn’t be anything you could do to stop me.”

Despite the dread that suffused me, I forced myself to meet his eyes. “But that wouldn’t be the same, would it?”

His eyes darkened noticeably, and my instincts insisted I should run for my life. Maybe I would have if he hadn’t still been holding my arm. A fine sheen of sweat glowed on his upper lip, and I knew I had him. He wanted what I was offering. And I think he would have wanted it even if he didn’t have so much anger to work off. How often had he and Dominic indulged in their sick “games” when Dominic’s demon could heal him? And how badly did Adam miss what they used to have? I was betting it was pretty damn bad, judging by the expression on his face.

“You’re right,” he finally said. “It wouldn’t be the same.”

His gaze shifted to the black room, then back to me. He smiled, but it was a predatory expression. “Lady, you’ve got yourself a deal.”

Oh dear God, help me! I prayed as, heart thundering, breath coming in gasps, I let him lead me into his chamber of horrors.

CHAPTER 20

Adam pulled me into the black room, then left me there with a terse “wait here.”

He closed the door behind him, leaving me surrounded by the blackness. I shivered and crossed my arms over my chest, wondering how on earth I’d come to this. My mouth was parchment-dry, my heart thundered in my ears. I felt small, and weak, and terribly, terribly alone.

I’d never been so afraid in all my life.

After what felt like an eternity, Adam returned, carrying a large box. I didn’t want to know what was inside. There was a flush to his cheeks. Anticipation radiated from him. I wracked my brain for any other way I could gain his cooperation. None leapt to mind.

Adam set the box, unopened, on the floor, then turned to me. I must have looked really pathetic. He blinked a couple of times, visibly trying to control his excitement.

“You’re not in danger here, Morgan,” he reminded me. “This is going to suck, but there’s nothing I can do that Lugh can’t heal.”

I guess he meant that to be reassuring, but I don’t think anything short of an unequivocal reprieve would have reassured me at that moment.

“You’ll need to take off your shirt and bra,” he continued as he approached me.

I crossed my arms over my chest and swallowed hard, stepping back from him.

He stopped and raised his eyebrows. “Come now, love. You know I need bare skin for this.”

But I just hugged myself more tightly, unable to bear the idea of being even partially nude in front of him. He cocked his head and regarded me curiously.

“I told you before I’m not into rape,” he said. “If that’s what you’re worrying about. I’m sure your breasts are stunning, but I assure you I can resist the temptation.”

Honestly, I didn’t think my virtue was in danger. It was certainly possible that Adam liked women as much as men, but I strongly suspected he was faithful to Dominic. Don’t ask me why I was so sure, but I was.

No, my reluctance was based on a core of prudishness and a terror of vulnerability. I didn’t think he’d understand, even if my brain were working well enough to communicate the point to him. I figured I was doing damn well to stay upright and conscious.

He looked at me for another long moment, then started to unbutton his shirt.

That roused me from my shocky numbness. “What are you doing?” I gasped.

“I’m giving you my shirt. You can put it on backward and protect your modesty.”

If I hadn’t been so scared I had to fight not to wet my pants, I might have enjoyed the view when he slipped the shirt off his shoulders. He had a really nice chest. There was a part of me just woman enough to notice in the most offhand manner.

He dangled his shirt from his index finger and held it out to me. I took it.

“I’ll give you one minute,” he said, stepping toward the door. He raked me with a head-to-toe look. “If your modesty can handle it, you might want to take off your pants so you don’t get blood on them.”

The bastard winked before he slipped out the door.

Still shaking, wondering if I would ever stop, I took off my blouse and bra, then slipped my arms into Adam’s shirt. It was still warm from his body. The warmth spread goose bumps over my skin. I hadn’t realized I was cold until that moment.

There was no way in hell I was taking my pants off, so I just stood there and waited, trying to keep myself from thinking, from anticipating, from dreading. My eyes locked on the box Adam had set on the floor, but I wasn’t remotely interested in taking a peek inside.

He came back in, glanced at my pants, and smiled, but he made no comment. I had to force myself not to back away from him as he came close, towering over me. He licked his lips, and I swallowed hard.

“Remember, love, Lugh can make it all go away. You’re not in danger.”

I so didn’t get this guy. Why was he trying to reassure me? You’d think scaring the shit out of me would be part of the appeal of this little scenario he had going on here. He wasn’t following the psychotic sadist script I’d mentally composed for him. Of course, he wasn’t human. I remembered Lugh telling me Adam wasn’t a “typical human sadist,” and I didn’t know if that made me feel better or worse.

“Having second thoughts?” he asked, the sharp edge back in his voice.

I shook my head. “I just don’t understand you.”

He made a sound between a snort and a laugh. “You’re just figuring this out?”

He took me by the arm-a much more gentle grip this time than the last-and guided me toward the far wall. I’d assumed he’d take me to the bed, handcuff me like he had Val. I didn’t like the association, seeing as Val had been dead when he was done.

But no. Either he’d made a new addition to the room since I was last in here, or I hadn’t been very observant. A pair of black leather restraints hung from the wall, almost invisible against the matte black paint.

Adam hooked a low black footstool with his foot and moved it under the restraints. I must have looked puzzled, because, of course, he had to stop to explain.

“Dominic’s taller than me,” he said. “I need the extra height to secure him comfortably.”

“TMI,” I said, proud of myself for that small hint of bravado.

He laughed briefly. “Step up, please.”

I was shaking so hard I might have fallen in a heap if Adam’s hands hadn’t steadied me. He stood on the footstool with me and stretched my arm up toward the restraint. The pull forced me almost to tiptoe, but he managed to get the cuff secured around my wrist. I closed my eyes while he secured my other wrist. The leather cuffs were soft and supple, closing with Velcro.

When he’d finished, Adam closed his hands over mine, wrapping my fingers around the chains that attached the cuffs to the wall. I could feel his quickened breaths against my hair.

“Hold on tight,” he whispered in my ear.

There wasn’t much room on the footstool. To reach both my hands, he had to press his chest to my back. His skin felt scorching hot against mine. With him pressed so tight against me, I couldn’t help noticing the telltale bulge in his pants. I tried to jerk away from him, but there was nowhere to go.

The asshole laughed at me. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I have no desire to fuck you.” For reasons I didn’t want to examine, that statement stung. “I suppose I’ve become conditioned by playing with Dom. Ordinarily, this would just be a rush, not a turn-on.” He sighed, and his…enthusiasm waned. “When Dom could heal, it was both, but now I have to be gentle with him. With you, however, I can indulge myself.”