No Turning Back

I stood frozen in Father’s bedroom, my heart hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat. The command hung in the air between us like a live wire. “Strip,” he had said, his voice low and authoritative, leaving no room for argument. His eyes dark, intense, and filled with something I had only glimpsed before were locked on me with a hunger that made my knees weak.

“Father… I…” My voice trembled, barely above a whisper. “Are you sure about this? After what you saw downstairs with James… I do not know if I can”

“Strip, Evelyn,” he repeated, stepping closer. His presence filled the...