Page 33 of Coal Hearts

I wanted to eradicate any taste from his kiss and erase that fleeting moment when he made me feel something.

That tightening in my belly.

That ridiculous, foolish flutter in my heart.

Bending over me, he cupped my chin with fingers that had the audacity to shoot fire into my veins even now. Sickening fire. Decimating fire. Fire from the devil himself.

“You’re the sacrifice I needed to make to be free.” His lips twisted with a thousand secrets. “I’m sorry. I truly am. But...it’s done now and there’s no going back. For either of us.”

Ripping my face from his hold, I pressed against the door. “I hate you.”

“I know.” He let me go and squeezed his nape. “And, unfortunately, I’ll give you plenty more reasons to hate me before I’m through.”

The older man chuckled and patted Henri on the shoulder. “I’m beginning to like you, Ward, and that’s not an easy thing to accomplish.” Throwing a glance at the man who’d remained by the bar, he nodded. “Okay, Roland. I accept your suggestion to see if Henri will fit within our circle.”

Henri stiffened. He tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace. “Is that an invitation?”

“Not quite.” The older man frowned. “Call it...a deliberation.” Pointing at me on the floor, he muttered, “You bought her for me. She’s mine to use as I please. Within my Jewelry Box, I encourage my friends to indulge in whichever jewel entices them. Because you’ve impressed me tonight, you can have first taste.”

“First taste?” Henri asked.

“First fuck if you want it plainer. I know how you like to speak in black and white.”

I choked.

No.

He wouldn’t.

Not now.

Not after—

“First fuck?” Henri went fatally still. “Here? Right now?”

“She made you hard at the bar.” The older man smirked. “Might as well do something about it.”

Henri flicked me a glance before a dark cloud settled over his face. “Fine. If that gets me into your club...I’ll fuck her.”

The older man narrowed his eyes into slits. “You don’t sound enthused. I thought this was what you wanted, Ward? Why you sought me out. If it’s not, then we have a serious fucking problem.”

“No.” Balling his hands, Henri forced a grin. “Sorry, yes. I mean. I’ve spent my entire life hiding. I’m, eh, I’m not used to talking so freely about this. Not used to being free to do this.”

“You can be honest with him, Henri,” the large-bellied man said. “Go on, you’ve got this far. Don’t clam up now.”

“Yes, go on.” The older man crossed his arms. “You were honest in the nightclub; I expect you to be honest now. What do you want? What do you want to do to her now you’ve stolen her?”

For a tattered heartbeat, Henri didn’t reply.

Finally, his grey eyes darted to mine and he cleared his throat. “I want to strip her and feast on every inch of her delicious skin. I want to wrap her in ropes and lock her in chains so she can’t run. I want...” Closing his eyes, he growled, “I want her to scream like she did as I dragged her through the dancers, only this time...I want that scream to be because I’m deep, deep inside her, riding her, fucking her, showing her without a shadow of a fucking doubt that she belongs to me and I’ll never let her go.”

My lungs seized.

He opened his eyes.

I tumbled into his torment.

My tears welled with terror as the older man chuckled. “Excellent. It’s settled then. Fuck her like you own her and we’ll see what’s left of you when you’re through.” Clapping his hands, he returned to the bar and picked up his glass. Pressing a button beside the beer taps, the red carpet in the middle of the room rolled back.