Enid looked at him, wondering if she slapped him so hard that he lost his mind. That the bruise that still hadn’t faded from his face wasn’t the only thing he left on him, and he’d caused something to rattle loose up there. When she didn’t move, he repeated it, not rashly or cruelly, but sternly.

“Undress me. On your knees.”

Enid’s knees hit the rug with a soft thud, her trembling hands bracing her for the cold floor. Her eyes trailed up to the Duke, who loomed above her, his silver eye gleaming in the dim firelight. His hair hung loose, framing his face in her eyes.

Slowly, she leaned forward. With her shaking hands, she reached for the button of his trousers. Her fingers brushed the hard muscle of his abdomen, and she nearly fumbled. He didn’t move, and she struggled to breathe properly. Enid slowly pulled down his pants, allowing them to fall to the floor.

The Grand Duke was in his forties, but his scarred body had been muscular and taut beyond that. And below, it wasn’t any different. Heavy, light brownish-pink, that strained against the fabric of his trousers half-hard.

“Little mouse, open your mouth,” he said, his voice calm but edging on darkness. “And don’t close it until I tell you to.”

Enid swallowed hard, her mouth dry and her nerves numbing her. Her full lips parted, her heart pounding against her chest so hard she was afraid it might burst. She hesitated for a millisecond, but his gaze pinned her in her place. His eyes left no choice but to protest. 

 Her pink tongue kissed the back of her front teeth before wetting her lip. She slowly took the tip of his cock into her mouth, stretching around the thickness of him. Her throat burned as she took him further, her cheeks hollowing out. 

Above her, Helios exhaled a low, satisfied groan. His large hand came to rest on the back of her head, hi fingers tangling within her curls. He didn’t push, no, not yet. Though the weight of his heavy palm was enough.

“Good,” he murmured, his voice rough. “Now…listen while you work.”

Her cheeks burned to a warm umber as she moved, her mouth gliding along the underside of his shaft. She tried to focus, to drown her humiliation by finding the rhythm of it—but his voice pulled her back in.

“When you slapped me,” he began, his tone was conversational, as if he didn’t have his cock shoved in her mouth, “I thought of throwing you in prison underneath the estate. Did you know that?”

Her big, brown eyes flicked up to him, then quickly darted down. She didn’t answer him—well, she couldn’t, not with his filling her mouth. Instead, she made a small, stifled sound around his base.

He chuckled, his grip tightening slightly in her hair. “Oh, yes. I imagined you cold, hungry, crying for mercy. Thought it would be fitting, after your little outburst.”

Her throat tightened at his words; she struggled not to choke as he pushed her head down, just a bit further. His hips rolled slightly, to the point where her nose meets his mons.

“But then,” Helios continued, his voice drawing softer. “I thought about what you said about me, about Nico. “

He paused, his free hand brushing a stray curl from her flustered face.

“Then I thought…how could I neglect a child who sees me as the moon, the stars, and the godsdamned sun?”

Enid’s gaze slowly dances up to his, her thick lashes wet with unshed tears. Her jaw ached, her knees buckled together against the carpeted floor, but she didn’t stop.

“You did that,” he told her, his thumb stroking her cheek as he watched her continue to struggle. “You…little mouse. You reminded me what a failure I’ve been as a father.”

He let her pull slightly, just enough to catch her breath but not enough to stop. His cock glistened, slick with her saliva, the sight of it making her cheeks burn hotter. And below, she can feel something draw up inside, and pool from the outside.

“However,” he said, his tone now colder, sharper, “you couldn’t leave me with that slap. No. That wouldn’t be fair, would it?”

Her pupils danced, her stomach twisted as his hand tightened in her hair again, forcing her to take him deeper. Her throat convulsed, and her tears finally spilled over her cheeks as she gagged—he didn’t relent.

“I wanted to see you cry again,” he admitted, casually, yet cruelly. “Not from anger, not from speaking out of turn. No, because of me. Because of this.”

He pushed further, grunting as her throat tightened around him.

“But this…” he exhaled, his head falling back for a pause before his gaze locked on her again, “this is a good compromise. For now.”

Enid’s tears fell freely now, her body shaking as she fought to keep up with his demands. He guided her movements, slow and deliberate, his hips thrusting in time with her mouth.

“You understand now, don’t you?” Helios murmured, tilting her head slightly to force her to meet his eyes. “Your place. My little mouse. You exist to toy with. To break. To use.”

Her muffled whimper was lost against his, her jaw aching as he thrust deeper. 

“That’s it,” he told her, his voice soft but stern. “Cry for me, little mouse. Show me how well you learn.”