Page 27 of Unhinged

I move my hands lower to her hips, and she shudders, making me smirk. “My little bird, how you flutter under my touch,” I muse. “Does it terrify you, the darkness within me? Or does it call to you?”

She swallows, and her slender throat bobs, drawing all my attention to it. I want to wrap my hands around her neck and choke her while she comes on my cock. The dirty thoughts I have about my little Alice are uncharacteristic.

“Answer me,” I command.

She shrugs. “Both,” she barely whispers.

Her answer pleases me. I want her fear and her intrigue. I want every fucking emotion she can feel. And I want her to experience them with me. To learn what it is to truly open your soul to another. “Will you break for me, little bird?”

Her brow furrows. “What do you mean?”

I lean toward her ear. “I want you broken and mine. I want to fit all your broken pieces against mine until we make one whole piece.”

She shudders. “I was broken before we met.”

My jaw clenches. “By Michael?” I confirm the dark tone of my voice audible.

“Perhaps, but I think I was broken before,” She breathes.

“We’re all broken from the start. Like jagged puzzle pieces searching for the missing pieces,” I whisper.

She looks at me, those enchanting sky-blue eyes wide with something akin to apprehension, fascination, and something else I can’t quite place. “What if we’re beyond repair?” She questions, her voice barely audible over the music.

“I don’t want to repair you, little bird. I want to reshape you,” I reply.

She looks confused. “I don’t understand.”

The music dies down as we sway to the last few notes. “What is more beautiful for having been broken?”

She bites her lip. “I’m not very good at these.”

I chuckle. “You’ll get better. It’s a mosaic.” I pull her off the dance floor. “Broken pieces put together to create a masterpiece. There’s beauty in the broken.” I pull her toward the exit of the ballroom. “Now, we’ve got what we came for. Let’s leave.”

I’ve got no intention of remaining in such a dangerous place for longer than necessary, especially with my treasure by my side. We’ve made an appearance and got what we came here for. The information. The question is whether I give it to Ileana or not.

Alex, the man she sent with us, hasn’t even bothered to make an appearance. No doubt too drunk in strip clubs already. It suits me though. Because it means the information learned tonight is mine to do with as I please.

Taking Ileana down is my main objective. And this useful information could be one of the puzzle pieces in orchestrating her downfall.

11

ALICE

There’s a tension in the air as we enter the hotel room. Another man came with us and is supposed to be staying in the bedroom opposite, but there’s no one in the suite. I wonder if Taren will touch me tonight. The huge penthouse suite has two bedrooms and a pullout bed in the living area too, so we don’t have to share.

Is it fucked up that I want to share with him?

Probably.

“Bedroom,” Taren orders.

I clear my throat, looking into those dark, allusive eyes. They’re unreadable, as always. “Okay.” I walk toward the bedroom and hear his brogues squeaking on the oak floor as he follows me. Goosebumps rise over every inch of my body. My nipples tighten, and I’m wet from the anticipation.

“Strip, little bird.”

I turn to face him, my lips pursing. “Why?”

“You can’t sleep in that dress. It’s worth ten thousand dollars.”

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