32

Terror explodes in me.

Hyde is in front of me where I crouch in the bathtub, his hand on the shower curtain.

His tall, muscular form towers over me. Cruel power radiates from his body.This isHyde'sgame, andI'mjust the pawnhe'sdecided to play with.

"Put the phone down, little dove,"he orders."Or your beloved therapist dies tonight."

My stomach drops like a dead weight. Once again, Hyde has threatened me into a corner.

"Sorry,"I whisper into the phone."Forget this call,I'msafe. I made a mistake. It wasjustmy husband coming home from work."

I hang up the call and slowly reach over to place the phone on the counter next to the bath.

Hyde places one hand out in front of him. Shakily, I takeit,and step out of the bath. His leather gloves tighten around my fingers, crushing them. He jerks meforwardsoI'mpressed against him. His hand drops from mine and glides up to ball into a fist in my hair.

Fire burns in my stomach. His hold teases my head backward, exposing my throat to him. Blood rushes to my coreandI'mgripped by the insane need to have his lips crush against my skin. I want to feel the hot, wet glide of his tongue against my neck. Feel his teeth nip against me, scrape along my skin untilI'mbearing his mark for the whole damn world to see.

But I've never seen those lips. I've never even seen his face.

All I know of Hyde is this: his murders, his mesmerizing body, and the uncontrollable effect it produces in mine. A moan escapes my lips.

His voice is heavy with lust."Look at that beautiful, delicate skin. You like it whenyou'revulnerable, Ava. I hear it in the way you moan. I could crush your throat so easily under my fist, sweet one, but Iwon'tyet."

I'mbarely breathing as I feel Hyde push me out of the bathroom, his hand still fixed up in my hair. I stumble down the hallway in the darkness. A second later, I feel my back pressed up against the wall.

He leans into me, the black fabric of his mask surprisingly smooth against my face."Youdidn'tanswer my question, sweet little dove. Do you want my cock?"

The words light me on fire.I'mdizzy with need. My core is already pulsing heavily, frantic for friction."Yes."

I can't lie, can't deny it. I'm fixated.

Hyde tugs down my gray jeans. My body convulses as his fingers slide against my clit. I groan in relief thatunlikebefore, heisn'ttaking his time.I'mlost in the storm of desire, all reason and rationality gone. I need everything now.

My eyes flit downwards.Hisknife is hanging sheathed fromhisbelt, but Idon'tdare make a grab for it. Idon'teven want to. I feel likeI'lldie if I lose this feeling for even a second.

He murmurs in pleasure as he begins to fuck his fingers up inside me."Fucking soaked for me, like always. Your body gives in so quickly every time."

His thumb presses blissful circles over my clit, the feeling of ecstasy growing in my core. I breathlessly trace my fingers over his black hoodie, feeling his firm abs as they tense with his motions. His pure strength is like a match being lit, igniting a wildfire of desire in the depths of my core.

"I know this isn't all you want, sweet little dove. You don't just want my fingers."

Everything is a blurry haze of pleasure in the darkness.

"Too desperate for my cock to even realize whereI'mabout to fuck you."

My eyes focus as I process his words.He'sright;I'mnot sure Ieven remember my ownname right now. But I glance down;he'spressingupagainst a door, its handle jutting out by my hips.

Panic jolts through me.

No. No. No.

"Jackson's bedroom." I breathe the words in a whisper, desperately hoping he'll tell me I'm wrong.

But thevenomoussmile I can hear inHyde'swords is all the confirmation I need.

"If you make a sound, Jackson will wake up and come out.He'llsee you being fucked by a man in a mask in his own home and realizeyou'rea filthy, masochistic little slut. Is that what you want?"

Broken.

How could my own sick pleasure have made me momentarily forget thatI'minJackson'shome, and that I inadvertently led this psychopath here?

I should tell him to stop. Beg him to have mercy. But mercyisn'twhat I want right now. All I want is to feel Hyde fucking me again.

He yanks down my jeans further sothey'retwisted around my ankles. His hand gropes at my clit again. He murmurs, and I know even through hisgloveshe can feel how slick my pussy is for him.

He pauses for a moment, and I gasp in protest.

"Don't stop—I need more—"

His voice has a raw edge when he speaks."Tell me you want me more than you want him."

Him?

Understanding hits me. Jackson. Themansleeping on the other side of this door.

"Tell me, Ava," Hyde murmurs. "Tell me I'm the only thing you'll ever desire again."

For once,I can hear real emotion in that strange, distorted voice.The realization breaks over me.He'snot just obsessed with my body.He'sjealous of me turning to Jackson for comfort.

My head and heart are so twisted and tangled. Because the truth is, I want them both.

Hyde is the night, Jacksonis the day. Hyde is the moon, Jackson the sun. Hyde is my dark past, while Jackson is the belief I can one day escape it. Hyde ignites my body, Jackson touches my heart.

Butfor a million reasons,I can never truly have either of them.

But right now, my body is on fire and screaming for one man alone. So much that I feel likeI'min a dream, floating high above reality.

"Iwant you more, Hyde,"I say, my breath ragged."I want you so badly."

Hyde exhales, halfway between a moan and a growl. My core tightens at the animalistic sound.

"Right answer, Detective."

With no warning, he presses his face against mine. The soft fabric of his mask grazes against my skin. I feel the slight edge of his lips push hard against mine and the edge of his firm jaw.

I swear my heart stops for a split second.

It's a kiss.

It'sthe only kiss we can ever share.

This thing between us can only ever happen in the dark.But god, I swear if I could feel this high all daylongI would choose himagain and again and again.

He pulls back and grabs my shoulders, dragging my body around. I gasp as he pushes me down, my body splaying out so that my face is pressed firm againstJackson'sbedroom door. My fingers silently claw at the surface.

His fingers tease at my clit again. Flames engulf my core.I'malready close to losing control.

His huge hands reach under me, ripping my t-shirt as ifit'spaper. I gasp as his hands grab at my breasts, kneading and pulling like an animal. My nipples tighten and pulse as he plays with them, rolling and squeezing them between his fingertips.I'vealways thought my breasts were a little too small to interest guys; the menI'vebeen with usually mostly ignore them. But Hyde is kneading every bit of pleasure out of them as ifhe'staking part in some savage, primal ritual.

And the sensation is sending wave after wave of heat directly into my clit.

"Fuck, Ava,"he murmurs in a cruel whisper."Looking at you showing off your pretty little pussy to me likeit'sall mine. I love seeing a goddess like you broken down as my little slut."

I feel the head of his cock slide against my slit. I clamp my hand over my lips to stop myself from moaning like an animal.There'sno teasing warmup this time; he slams into my pussy hard. I yelp in pleasure,I'malready so soaked that I feel myself taking him in despite the thickness of his length.

"This is the tightest pussyI'veever felt in my life. No one else will ever be able to get me off again, Ava.You'regoing to have to take my cock for the rest of your life, understand?"

Heat aches through me as his hips slap against my ass. The rhythm speeds up. My vision is slack, my eyes losing focus as the orgasm builds close to breaking point.I'mbiting my bottom lip so hard to stop my screams that I can taste blood.

Hyde'svoice is low, but it creeps along my skin as clear as a bell.It'spunctuated by the obscene sound of his hips slapping into my ass.

"You'retrying to be a good girl, but I know the real you. Moan like my whore."

I gasp through his thrusts. My dignity is long gone, but I still try to deny it in a whisper."I'mnot your whore."

He laughs, the dark sound strained with pleasure."You have a kind, caring man just behind this door. He took you in when you needed him. You can see the way he looks at you. But you still choose the fucking killer because you love the way I split you in half with this cock.Doesn'tthat make you a whore?"

His words burn into me. Shame simmers under my skin. But some part of me actually loves it.I'mnot hiding anything when Hyde looks at me with those lifeless eyes. Hedoesn'tcare if I have aman'slife on my conscience.Hedoesn'tcare if I have a sick fascination with death. He sees it all, and it only fuels his obsession further.

His words strip me down even further, down to the core.I'malready naked and exposed in front of him. But he gets even further beneath my skin,and it drivesme wild.

He groans. I can feel his cock tensing inside me."Come onmycock, Ava."

My bodyconvulses,as if controlled by his command. I feel myself tighten around him, the orgasm rolling through me like flames of bliss. My vision blurs; all I can see is black, swirling pleasure.

It'sprobably only seconds before the orgasm slips from my senses, but for all I knowitcould have been hours. I blink my eyes open.I'vepassed my final test, silently choking back the screams that were desperate to free themselves in my throat.

But Hyde isn't done with me yet.

He grabs my hair, slipping out of me. I softly whimper as he turns me and pushes me to my knees.

He stands above me, gripping my hair with one hand and fisting his cock with the other. A fresh wave of heat rolls throughthe depths ofmy stomach at the sight of him. His cock is glistening in the half-darkness with the damning evidence of my own pleasure.

He pulls me closerandI feel his cock touch my face, sliding along my cheeks to rest on my swollen lips.

"I'mgoing to paint your face with my cum.You'regoing tobe a pretty little picture for me, little dove."

I softly moan in assent. The pulse in my clit is beat harder again. In this moment,there'snothing in the world exceptHyde'sgorgeous body over me.

Obediently, I part my lips and stick out my tongue.

Hyde gives a guttural moan. The harsh, masculine sound makes my whole body shiver. I have to fight not to touch myself as he tenses, his own orgasm overtaking him. I moan as I feel the warm touch of his come coating my face.

He grips my jaw. I hope hecan'tsee just how wet I am for himall overagain after that."So fucking pretty. Covered in the cum of the man who owns you."

He admires me for a moment, his thumb smearing along my lip. Thenhe'sslipping off his hoodie. He brings the fabric to my face and wipes me clean.

There"san unexpected tenderness in the way he cleans my face. Those hands have killed menfor reasonsI stillcan'tfigure out. But his touch is gentle, as ifhe'shandling a fragile masterpiece hecan'tbear to break.

Whenhe'sdone, I clumsily pullmy jeans back upand rise to my feet.There'sno saving my shredded t-shirt, but I clasp my hands across my chest.

Dread and guilt creep over me, replacing the post-orgasm glow inside me. I take a step back away from Hyde.

His head twitches to theside,as if confused.

"Please, leave," I whisper. "Don't come back here. Don't come near Jackson Keller ever again."

His hands flex and he exhales.

Is he… disappointed?

"Jacksonisn'twho you think he is."His voice is cold again."You thinkhe'sgoodness incarnate? Bullshit. Youdon'tsurvive on this planet without getting your hands dirty."

What is he implying about Jackson?

"He'strying,"I reply."That'senough for me. This is between you and me, not any civilianwho getscaught in the crossfire."

"I'll give you what you want this time, Ava. I'll leave here. I won't harm Jackson. But you should dig deeper into him if you really think he's so purehearted."

Hyde turns to the stairs. Relief floods me.

"And as for you, Ava…"His final words send a shiver down my spine."Keep denying our souls are cut from the same cloth.I'vegot lots of ways to convince you."

IflinchasI hear the front door slamshut, praying itwon'twake Jackson.Hyde can break into anywhere in pure silence; he just did that to piss me off. I listen out for signs of him returning, butI'msomehowcertainhe'sfinished toying with me for the night.He'salready plotting the next move in his twisted game.

I hurry down the stairs, running out ofJackson'shouse into the night.

Hyde told me I can't hide forever.

But maybe I'll just never stop running instead.