Chapter 17

Daniel

Fuck you.

The words were on the tip of her tongue once again. Did she believe her words could hurt me? When I noticed a glimmer of tears in her eyes, the push-pull as she'd called it becoming too much for her innocent psyche to deal with, a small part of me felt a sense of regret for my behavior.

I wasn't a romantic man, couldn't care less for quiet dinners by candlelight or walks in the freaking park. However, I'd hoped to enjoy the softness with her a bit longer. She simply wasn't ready for my sadistic desires. But she continued to be aroused, her skin shimmering from her excitement.

Her lower lip quivered as I gazed up and down her luscious form, her ragged breathing only arousing me even more. When she dared look away, I almost pinned her to the bed, shackling then fucking her, but her curiosity and insistence on learning more about me was intriguing as fuck. "Continue, my sweet pet. What else do you want to know? Now is the time to ask. You have a wide-open canvas."

Maria blinked away her tears, acting as if they weren't real. My fierce lioness had claws, something I would keep in mind.

"You crave violence?"

"Yes."

"Why?" she asked, truly wanting an answer.

"Because it's a finality that is often needed. Do not tell me that there hasn't been a single time you've wanted to end someone's life. There isn't a man or woman who can. If they attempt to do so, they are pious idiots."

The moment she bit her lip, I sensed I was right.

"Who did you want to die?"

"My father."

"And why didn't you?"

"Because I'm not evil like you are."

I threw back another sip of my drink, more than just enjoying this game. "I suggest you ask me something a little less demanding for you."

"Maybe it's you who can't handle demanding. Have it your way, Daniel. Tell me about the ranch. Why not own a glorious estate filled with luxurious décor?"

"That's easy. Because I adore animals and always have." Why lie? What was also fascinating was that I realized it was easy to talk to her. I'd never wanted to allow anyone to get to know me. There'd been no need, plus I'd realized that anything I told someone could be used against me at any time. "I wasn't allowed to have a pet growing up and that was a promise I made to myself that when I lived alone, I'd have as many animals around me as possible."

She bit her lower lip again, absorbing what I'd told her. The way she was struggling to keep hating me tore at what little goodness I might have inside. "So you do the work on the ranch brushing and feeding the horses."

Why was it she could so easily bring a smile? "Not as much as I used to." I hadn't thought about how little I did any longer, my work inside the casinos taking precedence.

"That's a shame you're turning into more of a city slicker."

"You don't like well-coiffed men?" Now I was teasing.

"Not in the least. They bore me tremendously. I'll take a man with dirt under his fingernails over a hunk in a five-thousand-dollar suit any day."

I wasn't going to tell her my suits cost more than twice the amount she mentioned. "Maybe I'll take you riding tomorrow."

"And maybe I'll enjoy that. However, while the horses are beautiful, you need a puppy."

"That means you need a faithful companion." I laughed, the sound more joyous than usual.

She shrugged, dragging the tip of her tongue across her bottom lip and it was just about the sexiest thing I'd seen in a long time. "I've never had a pet either."

"Why is that?"

The question seemed to stymy her, or the harsh reality was something she hated admitting. Men like our fathers had no need for furry creatures. Unless they wanted to torment one to get to an enemy. That would never happen in my world.

Maybe I did have a certain level of scruples after all.

"My father couldn't be trusted around animals. He would have hurt them." The anguish in her voice affected me tremendously. She tried to laugh it off but there was no mistaking the pain she felt. It was at that moment that I wanted to give her the world, to provide her with every joy that would allow her to smile as often as possible. "What else?"

"Green is my favorite color. Pizza my favorite food. And I always wanted to be in a band. My father laughed when I told him that as a boy, tearing into me for being unrealistic."

"The harshness of your father shaped you."

"As did yours."

Her sigh was painful to hear. I reached for her wine, guiding it to her lips. While she rested one hand on the thin crystal, she allowed me to control the moment, tipping back her head so I could pour some of the red wine into her mouth. I couldn't take my eyes off her long throat, the beautiful curves that added to her femininity.

"Are you in pain from the accident?" she asked, the concern in her voice touching.

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Because you've experienced it before."

It was impossible not to think about the times I'd been knifed, shot, punched, and once beaten almost to my death. "It's a requirement in our line of work."

"Not my line of work. That's not who I am."

"Tsk. Tsk. No fibbing."

"I'm not fibbing."

"Now, I'll bite. Then who are you, Maria? Who are you really?" There was no doubt I'd flustered her more than once. I didn't need a stronger light to sense the heat flushing her face.

"Just a girl hoping I can have a family who will love me." Her eyes went wide as if she'd just admitted a horrible sin, an act that would send her to hell to suffer beside me. I found it enthralling she'd admitted something so private to a man she purported to hate.

Love.

"Contrary to what you believe or see in the movies, love isn't always a splendid thing. It can be twisted and disturbing, dark and needy."

"It can also be the light to darkness, the only thing that can tame a beast."

"Not one like me."

"Never say never. Isn't that what you told me?"

"Touché, my wife."

Love wasn't a word in my world or dictionary, and it was almost as painful as accepting I would be a terrible father, just like mine had been. That wasn't what I wanted at all. Soul searching wasn't good for me, not at this point.

I needed the fix of her, to drive my cock as deeply inside as her body would allow. That would cure what ailed me.

After returning the glass to the table, I noticed several beads had slipped past her lips. Without hesitation, I captured her mouth. I wanted nothing more than to control my needs, savoring the moment, but I knew given the intense ache in my loins that it would be impossible.

The kiss was a brutal reminder that I was used to taking what I wanted, my sadistic needs always present. I wasn't planning on being soft with her because she brought out the beast in me, a man with no conscience. I swept my tongue back and forth, the taste of her drawing me into longing to bury my face into her sweet pussy.

And I would.

I would taste every inch of her.

Lick her soft skin.

Feast on her delicious wetness.

Then fuck her like the wild beast I was.

She moaned into my mouth, the soft reverberations adding to the electricity coursing from one to the other. I yanked her closer, rubbing her bruised bottom across my aching cock. She wiggled on purpose, driving me to the point of madness. When I finally broke the moment of intimacy, she pushed her hand hard against my chest, taking several scattered breaths.

I nipped her lower lip, allowing a dark growl to form. She clawed my skin, her manicured nails adding to the heightened level of excitement we both felt.

Without saying a word, she reached for a strawberry, once again licking her lips in a seductive way as she dipped it into chocolate. Every movement she made was fascinating, every action she took keeping me on edge, the need only building with every passing second.

She lifted the luscious piece of fruit into the air, darting out her tongue and slipping it through the thick layer of soft candy. My pulse increased, my heart hammering against my chest. What she did to me was the greatest sin of all.

The beautiful woman made me want to be a better man.

But not tonight.

Tonight I would ravage her like the savage I was.

After she took a single nibble, she purred and eased the fruit to my lips. I wasn't so gentle, biting down to the tips of her fingers. Her delighted and surprised laughter was all I could take. I chewed quickly, swallowing most of it whole. Then I lifted her, resting her bent legs onto my knees, immediately spreading open her robe.

"Oh, my," she whispered, immediately clamping her fingers down on my shoulders. Every sound she made roared with passion. I pressed kisses against her heated stomach before yanking on the sash, rolling my hands up her arms and forcing her robe to fall ever so slowly to the floor.

Her ragged breathing and the way her lovely mouth twisted aroused the kind of hunger I hadn't expected. The taste of her had confirmed my decision. She was perfect. Breaking her would be the most delicious aspect of our continued game of revenge.

I'd adored disciplining her, the color of red staining her bottom after the spanking adding to the excitement of fucking her.

As her hand fluttered across her lips, I drank in her scent for the fifth time. The intoxication I'd already experienced was only expanded. I couldn't wait to thrust my cock deep inside.

"I'm going to fuck you, Maria." My statement didn't surprise her. In fact, her eyes glistened if only for a few seconds. She wanted this as much as I did. Her body refused to be denied.

"Yes. Oh, yes."

The moment I buried my face into her wetness, she threw her head back, her body already shaking involuntarily.

The sweetness of her nectar was more incredible than it had been before, and I couldn't seem to get enough. I dug my fingers into her hips before thrusting my tongue into her wetness.

She was my weakness, but also a woman who could awaken me from the dead, from a darkness I believed was the only possible method of living.

And I would stop at nothing to keep her safe.

However, it was entirely possible the storm brewing between us, the need that refused to be denied would heal me.

"What do you want from me?" she asked.

"Everything. Make no mistake, my beautiful Maria. I am going to violate you in every filthy way imaginable. Then I'll do it all over again."