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Ava blinks at my order. She only hesitates for a second before slowly sinking down, her knees hitting the dirt of thegraveyard'smossy ground.

I slip off my gloves and drop them to the floor. No need to hide any longer.

This time, I'm giving Ava everything.

The hunger in her eyes is unmistakable. Gray and glittering as she stares up at me, pupils wide and black.

Detective Cain still wants me.

The confirmation is an explosion of satisfaction, even beforeI'vetouched her. Sheisn'thorrified by my crimes, by the blood spilled in the name of vengeance.

Or maybe she is. But part of her loves the horror.

I wrap my fingers around her throat, pushing her chin upward. Her full lips part. All her walls are torn down, and nowshe'sso breakable in my grip. ButI'llnever let her shatter.

I smirk."Do you like that, Ava? My hand squeezing you tight?"

She whimpers. My fingers move down to unzip her tight black pantsandI hear her breath catch in anticipation.

I tear down her jeans and knead her perfect ass with one hand. Dropping my head against her smooth stomach, I breathe in her sweet lavender scent as ifI'ma dying man andit'sthe cure.

Fuck. Ican'thold back any longer. I was already hard, but this is driving me wild. I slipherpanties down.

"You'rea monster,"she breathes. Despite her words, her voice is ragged with hunger.

I laugh against her skin. "I'm the monster who's going to fuck you until you're seeing stars."

My fingers slip down, teasing a trail over her shivering skin until my fingers reach her pussy. Her slit is already soaked. It feels raw and tender to the touch.

"You'rewet for this monster, Detective."

I knead at her clit, and she twitches, biting her lip to stifle a moan.

"No need to be quiet anymore, little dove. In fact,I'mgoing to make you scream till your throat is raw."

Dark, black satisfaction rolls through me.I'vedreamed of this. The skin of my fingers feeling the wetness ofhergorgeous pussy. No gloves to hide my scarred hands now. Every time I touched her, I longed for it. NowI'llnever go without it. If I have my way, therewon'tbe a single day that Idon'tworship at thiswoman'saltar.

I sink my fingers past her entrance;she'salready soaked enough to easily take two, but I can feel how tightly her tight pussy is clenching around them.

She wriggles against the dirt, her hips bucking up to meet my fingers as I draw the pleasure from her core.

I lean forward, my mouth hitting her skin. Her taste fills my senses as I lick every inch of her cunt, and I immediately know this is going to be a lifelong addiction. My tongue circles her clit, and she whimpers.I'mlicking, sucking, and worshipping it as I grip her thighs tight in place around me.

I murmur against her skin."I'vewanted to do this sincethe secondI first saw you. You taste even better than I imagined. And trust me,I'vefucking imagined it."

She"smoaning, her nails digging into my shoulders as ifshe'storn between wanting to hurt me and needing me closer.

I push my fingers back into her, plunging deep.She'stight around me, strangling my fingers as I thrust them in and out, my tongue still teasing and torturing her clit. I groan against her as I feel her tighten, her breathing reaching a wild pace."That'sright, little dove. Come for me. Then maybeI'lllet you take my cock."

Her guttural moan cuts through the silence of thegraveyard'sair as her body convulses. She tries to turn her face away, but I grab her jaw and hold her in place as the orgasm rolls through her.

"Don'thide, baby. You look so pretty when you come."

Her scream dies down to a whimper. She blinks hard, coming back to her senses. Is she trying to reason with herself?There'sno reason here. Only primal fucking desire.

"Jackson, this is wrong—"

I grab her hips, dragging her toward me."This pretty little cuntdoesn'tcare about your morals, Ava.It'sbegging for me to fuck it."

I free my cock from my pants, teasing at her clit with the tip.

"Do you want this?"

"Yes," she whimpers.

I grin, sinking inside her. She whines in pleasure. Fuck, I nearly lose it at the feeling of her so tight around me.

"You take it so fucking well. Like the filthy little slut you are. Butyou'reonly a slut for me."

Fucking her from behind like an animal drives me crazy. But this is the first timeI'vefucked her without my mask on, and I need us to be face-to-face.

I drag her onto my lap.I'mcradling her, thrusting into her at a punishing pace. Her back is arched, her head lolling backward too. Her silky, black hair bounces around her face. I grab a fistful of it, pulling back her head so her pretty throat is exposed.

I'mtrying to hold back, but when I feel her clench around me in another orgasm, I lose control.

My eyesdon'tleave hers as she comes. Her stare is desperate, wild, pleasure-drunk.

I hold her in place, firm against my hips, as I come deep inside her. Making sure she takes every little drop of it.

She collapses against me, breathing heavily. Eventually, she pushes upward, trying to ease off my length.

I growl, smacking her assandshe yelps."Not until I say you can go."

I run my hands along her body: her full, pouty lips, her smooth neck, her perfect nipples. I want to feel every inch of her. I need to commit every bit of her to memory.

Finally, I ease my gripandshe slips off me.

"You'remine now,"I say."Come with me. Leave the cops and make the world a better place by my side."

When she meets my gaze, there are tears in her eyes.

"I'm not yours, Jackson," she whispers. "This can't happen again. This is the last time."

"There will never be a last time,"I snarl."I'llfollow you to the next fucking life to make sure of that."

Butshe'spulling her clothes back on, scrambling to stand up."I'mgoing to stop you. I know enough now to bring you down."

Fuck. This wasn't the plan. I've tried to show her she's not meant for the life of a cop. She's meant to be with me in the shadows.

I slowly rise to my feet as well."Is that what you really want?"

Her voice catches."I—Idon'tknow anymore. Butit'snot about what I want. I made an oath to the law."

"You can try to stop me. But I promise you, itwon'twork out."

Fear flashes in her eyes."Are you threatening me?"

I would never hurt you, little dove.I'dslice the throat of every man on the planetjustto keep you safe. The only timeI'llmake it hurt is just the way you like it, the way that makes you feel so fucking good. But youneed torealizeyou'remeant for more than a life as a cop."

"Ipromised it to myself,"she whispers."Ican'ttake back what I did, but I need to make up for it somehow."

"Make up for what?"

She'shalf sobbing as she speaks."You'renot the only one who ended a life, Jackson. When I was fifteen, my abusive foster father tried to assault me, and…"

Shedoesn'tneed to finish her sentence. My heart feels likeit'scracking in two.

"You were right about me," she whispers. "I'm broken."

I pull her close again."If youhadn'tended thatman'slife, he would have ended yours. Or he would have broken you until you were as good as dead. But look at you now…"

I brush the silky strands of hair from her face.

"You are a miracle, little dove. His blood was spilled so it could give you life. It was the water that fed your roses."

Tears glimmer in her eyes."It feels like it stained me."

"Would you call a great work of art just stain on a canvas?You'renot stainedeither.You'rea masterpiece, Ava."

She shakes her head."How can you believe that?"

"Not all masterpieces are painted in primary colors.Someof themare as dark as midnight andasred as blood."

She sobs. I don't know if it's in pain or relief at my words.

Break down, pretty little detective. Let the defenses tumble. Let yourself give in to me.

But an instant later, she steels herself.It'slike a switch flips.

Her eyes dart toward her gun on the ground. She dives for it, butI'mfaster. With a swift kick, I send it flying, then press my boot down, pinning her wrist to the ground.

"Trying to shoot the man who just made you come twice. You should work on your pillow talk, Ava."

Her cheeks flush red all over again. I smirk.

"Run, Detective. Tell anyone about thisandyour boss will be the next man I kill."

After only a split-second pause, she flees into the darkness.

Ava needs a little more convincing, and that's exactly what I'll give her.