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“Wait there.”
As if I’m going anywhere. I am resigned to whatever my fate is tonight and if anything, I hope it’s quick and he lets me go. I’m so tired. Not just physically, but mentally too. I have reached the end of my line and I never want to think of this life, or see people like this ever again after today. I’m heading on a way ticket out of town to the coast, where I’ll grab a job in the local diner and bury myself in the uneventful.
The door opens and his strong hand grips my arm and pulls me out and I yell, “There’s no need for that. I’ll come quietly.”
He says nothing and, if anything, grips my arm a little tighter and his strong fingers pinch the soft flesh on my arm.
He pulls me toward another elevator and manhandles me inside and with one strong hand, holds me flush against the side of it as he presses the doors to close.
As we move, he pushes me hard against the wall and hisses, “Just remember, you did this. I was being respectful until you decided to throw my generosity back at me. This is on you.”
I say nothing at all and glare at him, and his dark turbulent eyes glitter with animosity. To be honest, it excites me. I love pushing him and dragging a reaction out of him and challenging his authority. I hate what he represents. The type of man he is and if he thinks this is going to be easy, he’s got a hard lesson heading his way.
The elevator stops and opens into a room I haven’t seen before. Where the other rooms are all white and filled with light, this room is as dark as Satan’s heart.
I blink as I stare around at a room dripping in darkness. The black marble floor stretches endlessly into obsidian shadows. The lighting is sparse, only illuminating our footsteps. The shapes reveal themselves to be useful pieces of black furniture. A black leather couch is set by a flickering fireplace where a huge oil painting of a black dragon hangs above it. Black candles sit on every surface, flickering their delight in another victim to sacrifice, and the huge bed in the middle of the room is draped in black silk and fur.
This isn’t a bedroom, it’s a seduction scene. There is no mistaking what is happening here tonight and for the first time, my heart almost raises its hands in defeat and gives up on me. This is not looking good, and my mouth dries as I attempt to swallow the dry, acrid taste of bitter defeat.
Mikhail tears off his jacket and his t-shirt, and I stare in awe at a body inked to the extreme. His muscles dance before me like a mating call, and I blink as his mouth twists into an angry snarl.
“I’m going to teach you a lesson, Lilli.”
“I’m good, thanks.” My voice squeaks in protest and he snarls, “It wasn’t a question. You have no options here.”
I glance around me in terror, realizing he’s right. This is my worst nightmare, and I made it happen by ever thinking I could get away.
He pounces before I see him coming and before I know it, I’m lying on his lap on the leather couch and my dress is bunched around my waist.
“What the...” His hand closes around my mouth and I can’t even bite it. I have no room to breathe even, and I’m shocked when he lands a heavy blow on my ass, causing me to scream into his fingers.
He is ruthless in his attack. He slams his palm on my reddening ass until my tears flood through his fingers. It hurts so much and it’s as if it’s never going to end as he reminds me just who I’m dealing with.
This isn’t fun. Not even close and I hate him so much, it’s blinding me to anything else right now.
Then it stops.
His hand relaxes against my mouth, and he pulls my dress softly over my smarting ass. His arms wrap around me, and he pulls me against his chest as if he’s cradling a baby. His head buries in my hair, and he whispers, “Now you will know who owns you.”
I say nothing because what the fuck is going on? Own me. Who says things like that? He stopped me doing a terrible thing, and that is all. I owe him that, I suppose, but a grateful thank you should be enough. Not this violation of my soul. Not this violent punishment and not this weird fucked-up shit I have fallen into.
CHAPTER 13
MIKHAIL
Ilost my temper and I’m not proud of that. I hate her disinterest. I’m not used to it. Women want me, they do everything possible to keep my attention but Lilli wants to get as far away from me as she can.
That was her biggest mistake. If she had followed the usual process, she would be fucked and freed. Now I want to keep her to prove she is just like the rest. I will fuck her and free her, but only when she begs me not to let her go. Then I will send her back to the streets I pulled her from and get on with my life.
She shivers against me, terrified to even speak, and I’m not feeling good about myself right now. It’s as if I’ve beaten a frail animal and I hate cruelty to animals more than I hate anything else in life. I can kill a man with no guilt but show me a suffering animal and I’d move heaven and hell to save them. Lilli is my animal tonight, and I have done the unthinkable. I have broken her spirit.
I stroke her hair and hold her tight. Loving her soft body pressed against my chest. She is light, soft and my ruin because the thought of letting her go isn’t one I’m entertaining.
“Tell me why you want to kill Carter?”
I attempt to change the subject away from what a bastard I am, and she shivers. “No.”
“Why not?”
