“As I said, the moment I gazed on your lovely face, something clicked inside of me, a small eruption of desire that built to the point I craved learning everything about you. I knew at the moment we would become lovers, bonded together through heartache and pain. Yes, I planned every detail of seducing you, drawing you into a web of passion that you would never be able to ignore.”
He lifted his hand, gently rubbing the tips of his fingers down my cheek, sliding the tip of his index finger across my lips. It was as if he was reenacting the moment he’d gazed on my photograph. “Those men were animals, attacking from behind, driving carefully crafted sharp shanks into my kidneys, slashing my neck and arms. However, the bastards underestimated me. They had no idea what I was capable of.” He cupped the side of my face, his hold possessive, his fingers digging into my skin.
I found myself pressing my face into his hand, nuzzling against the warmth and controlling hold, my nipples fully aroused and my thighs slick with pussy juice. The monstrous man had become a drug I couldn’t walk away from, intoxicating to the point my vision was foggy.
“What about the guards?” I asked, although I had a feeling that I already knew the damning answer. “There had to be decent men or women who tried to stop what was happening.”
His laugh was sultry, sending a trickle of vibrations down my legs. “None of the guards could give a shit. Fights were their form of entertainment. What I learned afterwards was that it was a twenty to one against me. If only I was a gambling man. While I won’t horrify you with the gory details, you should know that when I was finished, I was covered in their blood, their broken bodies pitched into the corridor like ragdolls. And no one gave a shit.”
I realized I was holding my breath, struggling to understand how a system could be so flawed. “That’s terrible.”
“Yes,” he murmured as he lowered his head, brushing his lips across mine only once. “But I would suffer any form of consequences, every ounce of agony inflicted all over again to recapture that single moment where I finally managed to embrace my destiny.”
“Which is?”
“You.”
He captured my mouth, and I was instantly consumed by the taste of him, the rush of electricity soaring through me. How could this dangerous man have such a powerful presence, able to maintain such a strong hold on both my emotions as well as my physical needs? There was no sense to it, no understanding of why I ached to succumb to the strong, filthy desires that left me wet and hot, hungry to the point I couldn’t focus.
As he pulled me into his arms, sliding his hand down my back, I melted into him, no longer struggling with the intense need. I craved the passion, breaking free of the wretched prison I’d been driven into.
And he was the only man who could save me from the depths of the personal hell I’d placed myself in.
He swept his tongue inside, his fingernails creating marks in my buttocks. The connection between us was undeniable, stronger than it had been before, breathtaking in its power. I rolled my arm over his shoulder, tangling my fingers in his thick hair, undulating my hips back and forth as he drank from my mouth.
Every deep guttural sound he made activated another strike of current, igniting the orange-hued embers pooling in my system. There was a tenderness, a closeness to the man I hadn’t expected, the two of sides of him colliding together with increased longing. How could such a violent killer kiss with such intensity?
When he broke the kiss, I almost stumbled forward, the feeling of immediate loss emptying my system. What was he doing to me? More important, why was I allowing it? I turned away, trying to break the spell, pressing my fingers across my lips. I could still taste him, his scent covering every inch of my skin. I suddenly had the urge to wash it off, to cleanse myself of his brutality, as if I could ever break the invisible chains he’d already placed around my neck.
“Can I take a shower?” My question was like a child asking for a glass of milk before bed. It was ridiculous, but necessary. Rules. Even as his wife, I’d be forced to play by his rules. Was I really considering it?
“Yes, my sweet kitten, but first, I need to make myself very clear. There is no choice in the matter. You will become my wife. However, as brutal as you believe me to be, I’m not without some understanding of what you must be going through. You will remain by my side for six months until Tristen had been brought into the open. At that time, I’ll provide you with a million dollars and an annulment so you can enjoy the rest of your life.”
I had to take several deep breaths before forcing myself to look into his eyes once again. “Six months of being controlled by you, told what to do?”
“If you’re asking if our relationship will be… traditional, the answer is yes. You will surrender to my needs at all times, no matter what is required of you. You will also follow my rules, or you will be punished harshly and often, humiliated if necessary.”
The man believed he was a god, a king who could require me to grovel at his feet. “What if I say no?”
He took a deep breath, his eyes twinkling as he crowded my space once again. As he blew a swath of hot hair across my face and neck, the bastard knew how my body would respond. Goosebumps trickled down my arms, my nipples pushing against the thin material of the dress I was forced to wear. “Then, my beautiful little flower, the money will be off the table, and you will remain with me for the rest of your life.”
I had no choice. None. He’d made one for me. I was his prisoner whether I liked it or not. “What if your hunt isn’t successful?”
God, I hated when the man smirked, as if he knew something I didn’t. “Then the rules of our delicious game will change, but the six months will stand.”
If I agreed, I’d be entering into a contract with the devil, a rough, sexy beast.
“I need to think about it,” I told him, refusing to back down from my defiance.
“Very well. You have until morning.”
“Understood.” As I backed away, I couldn’t seem to stop shivering. Was I really considering his demand, a sick offer that could only end badly?
“Use the shower in the main bedroom at the end of the hall. You’ve earned the right to remain out of your cage for tonight. Keep in mind that if you attempt to escape, I’ll be forced to chain you to the bed.”
There it was—a stark reminder that he was nothing but a bastard I should hate with everything I had inside of me. Maybe I’d needed the demanding shove to kick me out of the sweet reverie of our passion. I was nothing but an end to a means for him, a possession to be used.
Tasted.