Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 186

He released her abruptly, his expression turning terrifyingly dark. His teeth ground together, and his eyes practically glowed with lethal rage. "How dare he touch you?"

With that, he spun around and stormed toward the door.

Panic spiked in Willa's chest. She snatched the dress from the bed, hastily throwing it on as she chased after him.

"Randal!" she yelled. "I was just saying that to make you mad. Don't do anything stupid."

Randal halted, turning slowly to look at her. A bitter, self-deprecating smile twisted his lips, and the emotion in his eyes was unreadable. "Trying to protect him? Hoping I'll let him off the hook?"

Willa froze, unsure for a second whether to say yes or no.

After a moment's hesitation, she finally nodded.

Randal stalked back toward her, stopping just a foot away. His expression remained fierce, his voice ominously low. "Trying to make me mad? You really care about him that much?"

She had no safe answer to these loaded questions, so she chose to stay silent, hoping he would drop the subject.

Randal's gaze darkened, a heavy shadow of obsession falling over his eyes.

He took another step forward, completely erasing the distance between them.

"Not talking? Does that mean yes?"

His cold fingertips traced the line of her cheek. Willa smelled the distinct scent of danger and stumbled backward in panic.

He clamped his hand around her wrist, jerking her forward effortlessly. His voice was eerily calm. "Willa, you've been a bad girl."

He pulled off his necktie, a chilling, humorless smirk forming on his face.

"Since you refuse to behave, you need to be punished."

Before Willa could react, he wrapped the necktie around her wrists, deftly tying a knot.

"Randal! What are you doing?!" she gasped, frantically trying to tear the tie off with her other hand, but he easily subdued her. Both her wrists were forced together and firmly bound in front of her.

The tie wasn't uncomfortably tight, nor did it chafe, but the utter helplessness of being restrained made panic bubble up in her chest.

"Randal, are you a total psycho?"

A sharp sting flared across her skin. She instinctively tried to shove him away, but with her wrists bound, she was powerless to move.

She wanted to scream at him, but her throat felt blocked, allowing only broken, breathy whimpers to escape.

"Randal... don't..." she finally choked out, tears spilling over.

He paused, lifting his head to look at her. His voice was low, carrying a hint of exasperation. "You're the one who started it, stabbing me with the cruelest words imaginable, and now you act like the victim..."

"No one... there was never anyone else..." Willa shook her head frantically, crying as she babbled her explanation. "Randal... only you..."

Hearing those words, Randal's tense features finally softened, a sliver of satisfaction showing on his face.

He gently pushed her back onto the mattress, his hands beginning to roam boldly.

Willa's eyes flew open, anger and embarrassment flushing her cheeks. "Randal! It's the middle of the day! I already told you..."

He pressed an index finger to her lips, a wicked smile lighting up his dark eyes. His tone was teasing yet relentlessly demanding. "I like the daylight."