“They were all so fucking hard for you, princess. I had to show them that they could never have you again.” Stepping back, he removes the blade from between my legs, and I let out a shaky breath. Bringing it to his lips, he licks the flat edge of the blade that was pressed up against my pussy, and my legs threaten to buckle. “Here.” He holds it out to me. “Make me yours.”
Make him mine? Colton Knox will never be mine. He’ll never belong to anyone. Men like him don’t settle down, especially with a woman like me. I’m a toy. Something fun to play with. And I’ve been fine with that. So why pretend now? Why make me think there’s a possibility of anything more?
I’ve never wanted more. Not with him. I hate him.
But do I really? Can you be physically attracted to someone you hate? Why do I allow him to put me in positions where I know he’ll humiliate me? Why did I willingly move in with him? Why do I let him control my life?
It can’t be love. It has to be convenience. I’ve been using him. Not the other way around. I’ve told myself over and over that a woman can treat a man the same way they treat women. He’s been my toy. And when I’m done with him, I’ll walk away.
“No.” The single word trembles on my lips, exposing my lack of confidence in my answer.
And just when I think I can’t be any more confused. A smile spreads across his face—one of those I fucking hate you smiles. I’ve seen it too often over the past six years. His green eyes light up like a Christmas tree.
My body is shaking, rage coming over me, when he reaches up and pushes some loose hair behind my ear ever so gently. Stepping into me, he tilts his head to the side. “I told you that video was nothing compared to what I’d do to you for setting my car on fire.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
COLTON
I FUCKING LOVE this bitch! I’ve got to be the dumbest man in the world. I thought things would go differently this morning. I wasn’t lying when I told her to carve her name into my chest, but I saw the look on her face. She doesn’t feel the same way about me. She thought I was playing a game.
Fuck, maybe I am. I don’t know what the fuck is going on. Too many lines have been crossed that nothing makes sense anymore.
Like right now, she’s standing in front of me, silently crying, and all I can think about is throwing her to the floor and holding this knife to her throat while I fuck her wet cunt, and she begs for her life. Something to give me control over the situation again because I’ve lost her.
Whatever hold I had on her is gone. I went too far last night. Or maybe she went too far with letting me have my way.
I step back, close the pocketknife, and point at my door. “Get the fuck out of my room.”
She doesn’t need to be told twice. Ripping my door open, she runs out, and I slam it shut behind her.
“Fuck!” I throw the knife across my room. She rejected me. She gave Nate five weeks of her life, but won’t even give me a fucking chance?
I brought her home last night, gave her a bath, and put her in my bed. Granted, she was in and out of consciousness for most of it. But I took care of her. It was the gentlest I’ve ever been with her, and she doesn’t even remember it. She clung to me. Needed me. It made me feel like a man. A protector. I’ve always used her, but this was different. I was finally something she needed other than a fuck. Or so I thought. I was obviously wrong.
My cell ringing on the nightstand gets my attention. I walk over to it and hit answer when I see it’s Mitch. “What?” I bark out.
“Hey, man.” He sighs. “I just wanted to give you a heads-up on Nate.”
“What about him?” I demand, pulling a pair of boxers on.
“I forgot that I told you guys that you could use the in-law suite last night. Anyway, I found him earlier this morning, and he was livid.”
“Good.”
“I just wanted to warn you. He was talking some mad shit. That he was going to fuck you up—”
I snort. “Thanks for the warning.” Nate doesn’t want to even come near me. I’ll break his fucking face next time I see him.
“I’m serious, Colt. After I untied him and removed the duct tape from around his mouth, he was throwing shit around. Running his mouth about begging … I don’t know what he was talking about, and he wouldn’t explain it to me, but he promised I’d understand soon enough.”