I reach out to cup her face in my gloved hand. I long to run my fingertips over her silken skin, to fill my lungs withthe essence of her until I burst—but I must be patient. “What’s wrong, Grace?”
“You really have to ask?”
I nod, desperate to break past her walls. “I know you’re upset, but I can’t figure out the reason.”
She scoffs, a spark of emotion flaring in her beautiful brown eyes. “Yesterday… Did you really murder all those people?”
Oh. I had forgotten all about that.I rub my thumb over her cheek, gazing tenderly into her eyes. “Yes. I did.”
Her lips part slightly—in shock or awe, I’m not sure. “I—Howcouldyou?”
“You’re… mad at me?” A foreign emotion squeezes my chest as I sit back on my heels, my eyes scouring her expression. Her mouth is downturned, nostrils flared and brows pinched in a deep frown—definitely angry.“Why?”
“Why?” Grace barks a laugh, but it’s an ugly thing devoid of humor and, therefore, the pang of joy that normally accompanies her sounds.
I resist the urge to cup my hand over my heart. “Yes.Whyare you so angry when I did what I did foryou?”
“Me? I never asked you to kill all those people! I wouldneverdo that.”
“You told me his name,” I say, sharply. “You gave me permission.”
“That’s insane! I did no such thing.”
I shake my head, gritting my teeth as a wave of anger replaces the sorrow running through my veins. “Maybe you didn’t ask me to do anything about it, but I killed those men for you.” I’m furious she doesn’t understand. How can she notsee? “I did it because amannamedGregory Wright made youcry. I wasn’t sure which one,so they all had to go.”
“That’s not a good reason to kill random people who didn’t do anything!”
“Yes, it is!” I roar, snapping. “It was worth it because it was foryou,Grace. Since the first moment I saw you in that alley, all my actions have solely been foryou.Because ofyou.I breathe, I ache for you. I obsess overyou.Only ever you, Grace.”
Her lips part in a gasp. “That’s… you’re fucking insane.”
“Yes,” I growl, sliding my hand down to grip her throat. “I am.”
With a choked cry, Grace wrenches free of my grip. She scurries backward on the mattress, her eyes wide and movements sloppy as she desperately tries to get away. A low growl rumbles in my chest as I climb onto the bed, crawling toward her on all fours as she backs up against the headboard.
“Get away from me,” she says, her voice a tortured whisper. “I don’t want to evenlookat you right now.”
“Liar, liar…”
My hand snaps out, gripping her ankle. Her mouth pops in a gasp as I yank her body to me, but no sound comes out. In a sad attempt to stop me, Grace balls her fists in the sheets, kicking out and narrowly missing his jaw with the heel of her foot.
Growling, I grab her other ankle and crawl between her legs, using my weight to immobilize her and hold her to the mattress.
“Get off me!”
“No.” Settling my hips against hers, I try not to groan at the feel of her. There’s only a few layers of clothing separating us, and I can’t help but think how easy it would be to remove them.
“I hate you!” Grace says, breaking me out of my thoughts. “I fucking hate you so much, you monster!”
“Then why are you wet?” My mouth curls into a knowing smirk. “I cansmellyou, Grace. If I reach between those glorious thighs, I know exactly what I’ll find.”
To demonstrate, I slide my hand between our bodies, stopping at the apex of her thighs. She shivers as a wave of heat creeps up her neck, painting her cheeks a beautiful shade ofpink. “Give in to me, Grace,” I say. “Let me make you feel good. Let me worship this pretty pussy.”
She swallows thickly, her eyes glazing with lust. “I… I don’t…”
“Youdo.I’ll prove it.”
I press the button at the side of my mask, and the bottom half slides up, exposing the lower part of my face. Grace gasps, her eyes locked on my mouth, and a hint of recognition swirls in their warm brown depths.
