“I…” For once I’m speechless. He lowers his mouth and for a second I’m sure he’s going to kiss me. But he halts just short and his breath is hot on my lips.
This is deranged. Mad. A minute ago I was… And now…
“You are so fucking beautiful. I want to take you like this. Tied to my bed. I could have what I’ve wanted. After you tried to kill me, surely that’s only fair? I could sink into you.”
A little whimper escapes me.
I’d like to say it’s anger, fear, or some other sensible emotion. But it’s not.
It’s pure need.
He’s so still for a second I think he’s brittle. That he’ll snap and do exactly what he just said in glorious detail. But he doesn’t. He eases back.
“You want me to release you.”
“Yes,” I lie.
“Beg for my cock.”
2
CLEO
My mouth drops open.
What?
“Beg me to indulge this depraved whim. Your chest is flushed. I wonder…” He touches one fingertip to my thin leggings and smiles. “Soaked through. You’re wet and needy and I can satisfy you if you beg. Afterwards, I’ll let you go.”
I should agree. That would be rational. We both desire what he’s suggesting. It’s a win-win.
But I can’t go home without fulfilling my mission. I’ve seen what happens to my father’s other minions when they fail. If I take his deal, once I leave I’ll be more alone than ever, having once had Ian Abernathy inside me.
I shake my head. “I’ll never beg you.”
The words come out with the perfect blend of pride, brattiness, and resilience. I almost believe that I don’t want to plead with him to fill me, over and over again, thenkeepme. That I wouldn’t be even more turned on if this was our kinky private game, rather than a deadly mission.
He’s silent for a moment. “Tell me then. What should I do with you? You tried to murder me.”
“Assassinate,” I say. “It’s entirely different and not personal. I wasn’t trying to kill you exactly, just get rid of you in a permanent way, because it’s my job. More like being accidentally run over by a car in town. Less like homicide because I found you’d been sleeping around with women other than me.” Where the hell did my brain come up with that comparison?
He tilts his chin. “You talk a lot.”
I flush. Damn. I’m nervous.
“Still deserves punishment,” he adds dryly.
“Failure is its own reward.” I try not to think about what my father will do when he discovers that I blundered this because I couldn’t resistsmellingIan Abernathy.
“Mmm.” Ian kneels between my open thighs and his expression goes speculative. “For now, you’re my prisoner. Whatever the other consequences are, those will be later. I meant, what should be your punishment immediately?”
“You’re not going to kill me? I thought you’d kill me. That’s the usual etiquette, isn’t it?”
“Dull.” He shrugs one shoulder. “I’ve no need to add to that tally.”
“Well, that’s good news. Continuing existence is my preferred option. Out of the two obvious choices. I mean, I don’t want to die tonight.”
The corner of his mouth tugs into a half-smile of amusement.
