“I won’t allow that to happen.”
He shrugs and turns back to the elevator. Bold of him to turn his back to me, but I don’t move to take advantage. He presses the call button and the elevator opens instantly.
“Think about it,” he says as he steps inside. “The girl isn’t worth it.”
The doors slide shut and Heiko is gone.
I relax an inch but adrenaline still courses through my veins. That was extremely close and could’ve easily tipped into something dangerous and violent. If Marie hadn’t stayed hidden, or if Heiko was feeling lucky today, I might be in a lot of pain right now.
“I should go down.”
I turn to see her standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She’s trembling and white, so damn pale, all the color drained from her face. Which means she knows Heiko’s reputation and is aware of what’ll happen to her the moment he lays his hands on her.
“You can’t do that.”
“If I don’t, you’re going to be in deep trouble, just like me. Ansell, this isn’t your problem.” She takes a few steps toward the elevator.
“Pearce.” I bark her last name and she freezes. “Did you hear what I said to him?”
She turns to look at me, trembling. “Yes,” she whispers.
“I said you’re mine. I mean it. You’re not going down there, not while he’s lurking around outside.”
“Ansell—”
“Enough,” I say, barely controlling my anger. It’s so rare for me to feel anger, and I think I enjoy it. “You are mine and this is my house. You’re not going anywhere until you’re safe. Do you understand?”
She steps back, afraid. The fear is like a vibrating star in my vision. I want to drink it down and feast on the emotion. I move closer to her, trembling.
“Why?” she asks softly. “I don’t understand why you’d risk so much for me. I’m a stranger. I’m nothing to you.”
How can I explain? How can I tell her that I was left alone in a room for hours on end when I was a child, for years and years when my mother was working and abusing pills, and it broke something inside of me? How I can’t feel a damn thing anymore, except for last night when she was crying, and right now as she’s staring at me with terror in her eyes? I crave that emotion so badly, because I’m cracked and broken.
How can I tell her that I’m not sure I’m human anymore?
“I told you, Pearce, you’re mine, and I won’t let you go anywhere, not until it’s safe.”
She chews her lip and turns from me, hurrying to the elevator. She tries to get past, but I grab her wrist and pull her back. She releases an anguished groan as I shove her against the wall and pin her there, fury rolling down my spine, sweet fury. Rage is better than the nothing I normally feel. My life is a fog and I’m drifting through it, flitting from one moment to the next, and so few things break through the barriers that surround me.
Almost nothing can melt through the ice.
Except for her.
And I don’t know why.
“Let me go,” she says, staring into my eyes. Tears gather in her lids. “You’re hurting me.”
I tighten my grip. “Heiko will do worse.”
“Ansell, please. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to owe you more than I already do. The Crawfords, they’re going to ruin you for this.” The tears roll down her cheeks and I groan with pleasure as I lean forward and lick them from her skin. She sucks in a shocked breath and I let my lips linger near hers, my heart racing.
What am I doing? Why am I going so far? And yet I can’t help myself. She feels so much and she’s willing to sacrifice herself just to make sure I don’t get hurt. She doesn’t know me, and she doesn’t owe me a damn thing, just like I don’t owe her anything, and yet she’s still willing to face hell to make sure I don’t get dragged down by her side.
My right hand snakes into her hair and I pull it. She gasps in alarm as my mouth finds her throat. I kiss and bite softly, making her groan in pain or pleasure, I can’t tell the difference. I’m not sure I care.
“I’ve said it already. You’re mine, Pearce. I’m not letting you go.”
She struggles but I shove her harder against the wall and as she meets my eyes with fear buzzing from her body in waves, I slam my mouth against hers and kiss her hard enough to hurt.
Chapter 7
Marie
I don’t know what to do.
I don’t know what I want.
I need to run away, but I can’t move.
He’s got me.
And he’s not letting go.
I fall into that kiss, that painful and incredible kiss. He tastes like coffee and licorice and mint and I moan as his right hand tightens in my hair and the left roughly yanks down my jeans. I writhe my hips and try to shove him away, simultaneously wanting this and scared of it, but he doesn’t seem to notice or care what I want.