“Once you turn eighteen, Tallulah,” he begins, his words tinged with darkness. “I will not show you any fucking mercy. I hope you’re ready for a world of pain. I hope you can take my love. Because I’ll fucking make you.”
I swallow thickly, fighting my urge to grind on his lap and convince him to hurry the process along. But he doesn’t. Xavier refuses to break, even though he expects it of me.
“Why can’t you do it now?” I whisper in his ear, eagerly rubbing against him. “Why can’t you just give me what I want?”
“I’m not answering the same question again.” He holds me by the cheeks, his face inches away from mine. It’s getting hard to hide my desperation, to pretend I’m not eager for his touch. “I told you a thousand times. You’ll just have to wait. Until then, I can enjoy the view.”
I groan, throwing my head back and exposing my bare chest to Xavier’s watchful gaze. He doesn’t look away and doesn’t make a move. He just watches me like I’m his prized possession, a caged butterfly he won’t release for months, and when he does, it’ll only be for long enough to make it taste freedom before he captures it again.
I know my life is operating on a ticking clock. I know once I’m eighteen, there will be no outrunning my actions.
But I’m not afraid.
In fact, I’m eager to keep pushing and pushing Xavier until the big day comes. And when it does, I’ll revel in the knowledge he’ll take out all his anger on me.
I can’t fucking wait to feel his punishing thrusts for the very first time.
As wrong as it is, I’m counting down the seconds.
Chapter 2
XAVIER
1 month before Tallulah’s birthday
Our numbers have strengthened, nearly doubling since the attack at the gallery. I have enough security working to make the surprise party for Tallulah’s birthday viable. I can’t wait to see her reaction once she realizes all I’ve done for her. I’ll even invite her family, if only to torture them further by showing them all how submissive their little girl is to me.
I’ve been forced to stay away from Tallulah. The temptation of her proximity is putting everything in danger. And I’m not the kind of man to break a promise. When I told her I’d only touch her after her birthday, I fucking meant it, and I will not go back on those words.
Still, Tallulah seems intent on changing my mind. And she’s getting better and better at pushing me past my limits. That little mind works in mysterious ways, and she thinks she’s got it all worked out in her pretty little head. But I will not break. My resolve is stronger than ever. But it also means keeping my distance so I can stay true to my word. Tallulah Gunn is a walking fucking temptation, and if I don’t stay away from her, I risk losing my exposure. I’ve already come too close for comfort a few times.
But I have a surprise in store for Tallulah. I’m throwing her a birthday party, and I’ll even allow her parents to join us for their little girl’s big day. It’ll be that much sweeter to watch their crestfallen faces when I lead Tallulah off to fulfill her wifely duties. I just can’t fucking wait to rub it into Heath’s smug face.
Today I’ve been dealing with the extra security I’ll need for my angel’s special event. But my mind has been straying from the task at hand, once again returning to my jail bait ward, who’s practically been begging me to take my dominance out on her. I’ve resisted. I’ve kept my distance. But right now I can’t fathom another second without seeing her.
I walk down the hallway to her bedroom, not bothering to knock as I open the door to her bedroom.
Tallulah is standing in the middle of the space with her back to me. She’s wearing a set of lingerie I picked for her, and there’s a seamstress at her feet, measuring her. My jaw ticks with discontent, and the woman must sense it, blushing and getting the fuck out of Tallulah’s room. My angel looks at me over her shoulder, flushing herself when she catches me watching. I stride closer, for once allowing my hand to cradle the small of her back. My skin is cold, but hers is searing hot, and I feel the sparks flying between us as her eyes meet mine in the full-length ornate mirror she’s standing in front of.
“Have you been a good girl, Tallulah?” I ask in a low growl, allowing my fingers to inch over her barely covered ass. She shivers beneath my touch, and her back involuntarily arches to get closer to my searing fingertips.
“Y-Yes,” she gets out, averting her gaze from mine. But I’m not letting her look away. I tip her chin back, making her look at me in the mirror again.