Total pages in book: 205
Estimated words: 204377 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1022(@200wpm)___ 818(@250wpm)___ 681(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 204377 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1022(@200wpm)___ 818(@250wpm)___ 681(@300wpm)
With herculean effort, I pull her off me, imprison her hands behind her back, and fill my brain with boner-ridding thoughts.
Thoughts about my brothers. Denver. The women who came before. And pregnancy. I absolutely, positively cannot get her pregnant.
I’ll pull out. As much as I loathe the idea, I don’t have a choice.
“Where’s that dominant man you promised me? You want to lead? Then lead. Force me.” She thrashes and bucks, making a show of trying to twist free. “Do it. Make me hate it. Make me hate you.”
The fuck?
I immediately release her, but I don’t give her space to run.
“Can’t do that, baby.” Bracing my arms on either side of her, I bring our foreheads together. “But I will fuck you like I hate you.”
“You do hate me.”
“I wish.” My entire body roars to do every vile thing she says. “God knows I’ve tried.”
A sound of disgust. “Then tell me about the devil’s bargain. Why am I here?” She shoves at my chest. “What role am I expected to play?”
Behind her impatient scowl lurks something softer, something vulnerable and pleading that opens a deep fissure in my chest.
I want to warn her. Dammit, I want to tell her everything. But I can’t. I need her to think the worst of me and find a way out. I can’t lose her to the evil that dwells here.
Evil that makes me look like a saint.
I’m an idiot for bringing her here. What was I thinking? That we would just fuck? Fun-fuck, hate-fuck, revenge-fuck…like we’re enemies with benefits?
Being her enemy is the only way this works. Maybe I should force her, violate her exactly like she expects. That would certainly put this whole situation back on track.
Except I can’t. I won’t. I’d sooner die than hurt her that way.
So I remain quiet, unmoving, gripping her arms between us.
My silence infuriates her, turning her hands into fists and reddening her face. She starts to fight me with earnest, kicking and swinging until I let her go.
She flies off the workbench and lunges for her clothes. Dragging on her underthings, she shoots daggers at me from the safety of the other side of the room.
“You wanted it, Frankie.” Furious, I tuck myself away and straighten my clothes. “You wanted everything we just did. Don’t pretend otherwise.”
“The orgasms? Yes. One-hundred-percent.” She laughs cruelly as she dons her leggings and hoodie. “I wanted that for me and my vengeance against Monty.”
My stomach free-falls as I stare at her.
“What? You knew you were being used.” She shoves on her shoes, crouching to lace them. “You said you were here for it.”
“I still am.” I hold out my arms.
She scoffs. “Do you remember what I said?” Laces tied, she rises and pulls on her coat. “That day in the sauna? Do you remember what I promised?”
One day, you’ll crawl to me on your fucking knees, begging me to forgive you. But it’ll be too late. You will be the one fucking yourself.
“I remember.” Resting my hands on my hips, I sling her a cold look. “And I apologized.”
“No—”
“Apparently, I worked your pussy so hard you lost brain cells. So let me remind you. Right outside…” I thrust a finger at the door. “I apologized four fucking times.”
“Foolish man.” She zips her coat with more force than necessary. “If you ever want to get your dick wet, you better get your knees acquainted with the floor. I expect crawling, Leo. Begging. Groveling like you’ve never groveled before.”
I release a huff. Did she plan this all along? Seducing me with her body? Edging me toward mindless hunger until I’m a pussy-whipped chump?
“Congratulations.” My smile is all teeth and ice. “You beat me at my own game.”
“This isn’t a game. Not for me.” Her eyes shine with unshed tears. “When I lost my baby, you gave me a knife and told me to kill myself. You threatened my life cruelly and needlessly more times than I can count. When I’m at my lowest, you kick me repeatedly. You treat me like shit.”
Guilt stabs behind my breastbone.
“You’re keeping secrets from me.” A muscle feathers across her cheek. “There’s nothing but mystery and pain between us.”
“And chemistry.”
“I’m an outsider, trapped in the dark, screaming for a lifeline. And you refuse to open a door and let me in.”
“Frankie—”
“I don’t trust you.”
“You trust me not to force you.”
She shoves her hands in her coat pockets, her eyes downcast. Disappointed.
Then, with a shrug, she walks toward the door.
“Do you remember what I said?” I launch after her, my long strides quickly gaining. “That night in the cellar? You asked me what I want from you, and what did I say?”
She grabs the doorknob, and I cover her hand with mine, halting her.
With a sigh, she shifts to face me. “You want me to remember that you didn’t rape me against that wall. You said there will come a time when you tell me to do something important, and when that time comes, I should remember your precious restraint.”