“Again, you don’t know what you’re asking for,amore mio.”
Her chin jerks upright. “I’m not scared of you.”
A shadow blossomed in my chest at her words. “You should be.”
The hand around her throat tightened, forcing a gasp from her lips. I captured it, tasting her on my tongue as I kissed her. At first, she fought back out of instinct, self-preservation. And then, she sighed against my mouth, relenting.
But I didn’t want her to relent. I wanted her to fight.
My hands tore at her clothes, shredding the soft fabric of her sweater to pieces. Her body jerked beneath my touch, trembling as the threads frayed loose. Rough fingers slipped between her thighs, feeling a heavy moisture I knew wasn’t from the rain. Her cheeks flamed as she lowered her eyes.
“Look at me,” I demanded, voice rough. Hesitantly, her lashes fluttered before she lifted her eyes to meet mine. “Are you embarrassed?” My finger traced the wet lining of her leggings.
Sienna’s lips parted as if she would say something, but a slow moan slipped past instead. Her nails dug into my shoulders. That act was the tipping point for the beast within.
Spinning her around, I forced her chest over the back of the sofa. Her leggings were yanked down to her ankles before I ripped them off, tossing them to the floor. If my cock wasn’t hard before, it was now. The tightness of the pants made it uncomfortable. I fumbled with my pants, kicking them off as my erection sprung free.
Seeing her like that, ass sticking out as she struggled to rise beneath my hand, it was enough to send me over the edge right then and there. But I wanted so much more from her.
The pain that had been following me around the past few weeks had numbed with each kill. But now, it resurfaced in full force, knocking the breath from my lungs. It hurt. It hurt so fucking much. And I wanted her to feel the same pain I did.
At the sound of my snarl, Sienna froze. Her head turned slightly, eyes watching me from over her shoulder. “Whatever you need, Dante, I’m here.”
I sneered, still trying to hold back, to keep that side of me a secret from her. “You’re trusting me too much right now.”
“I was taught not to run away from monsters,” she said softly. “It only makes them lose control.”
“Is that what you want?” I ask, pushing her lower over the couch back. “Do you want me to lose control?”
“I want you to get it out, Dante.” Her jaw clenched as she spoke through gritted teeth. “I want the old you back.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “Who? Which me, Sienna? The one who smiled and charmed the shit out of everyone he met? The one who wanted to help you track down your father’s killer?” I leaned over her until my lips were beside her ear. “Those people never existed, Sienna,” I hissed. “They were fake. Camouflage. Do you really want to see the true me? You saw what I did tonight. You’ve heard the rumors.”
She was shaking now, but kept her mouth shut. I think she was finally realizing who I’d become in just a few short days. She could feel the power in my hand as it forced her down, the need building within as my hardness pressed against her ass.
“I’m glad you don’t know the real thoughts running through my head. You’re my wife, and I promised to protect you when I took those vows. Even if I have to protect you from myself,” I said bitterly.
“It’s okay to lose control, Dante,” she said quietly.
“No,” I growled. “There’s too much darkness. Too much anger.”
“If you can’t trust yourself, then trust that I can take it,” Sienna said, her chin lifting in a challenge.
“Fine,” I snapped. “You want to see the monster? I’ll show you the monster.”
My fingers tangled in her hair, the loose curls cascading down her back. Sienna cried out as I dragged her around the couch towards the bedroom. Her hands flew to the back of her head, nails scrabbling as she tried to loosen my hold. But I’d already made a promise, and I wasn’t going to back down now.
Besides, it felt good. There was still a part of me that hated this, the part that recoiled from ever touching her like this. But another part relished the power I felt. There had always been this tug-of-war between us before, but now? Now I was finally tipping the balance.
Sienna scrambled to catch herself as I tossed her on the bed, her fingers massaging the hair I’d let go of. I didn’t even wait for her to settle. Gripping her ankles, I yanked her towards me, her legs parting. Sienna gasped as I tore at the panties that were in my way.
“Dante…” Her words caught in her throat, choked from the fear that was finally taking hold. She tried to wiggle away from me, but my grip tightened around her ankles. “Dante, let go.”
“This is what you wanted, wasn’t it?” I asked, head tilting to the side as I studied her. I could see the pulse at her neck fluttering. “You wanted me to get the darkness out. So here it is.”
Slowly, I knelt at the side of the bed, my eyes never leaving hers. She stilled, watching my every movement, waiting for whatever I had planned. I had her legs hooked over my shoulders in seconds, my hands cupping her ass as I pulled her closer.
My tongue found its mark, slipping into her deeply. Closing my mouth over her clit, I felt her hips buck against my mouth. A growl tore from my chest, the vibration sending waves of pleasure through her. Sienna’s gasp was louder than before, and I felt the covers move from her gripping them tightly between pale fingers.