Page 32 of Cruel Dominion

I was kissing the man who broke my heart. Who never apologized or explained any of the cruel things he said. I’d seen the pictures, seen him move from woman to woman.

No matter how much I wanted him to be—this wasn’t the same Carter I fell in love with.

Why should I expect him to treat me any differently than he did those pretty models always on his arm?

Our bodies still worked together, but our hearts didn’t. They hadn’t since the night he tore mine from my chest and left it to dry out in the sand.

Fuck, I should have learned by now.

“We’re not doing this,” I forced out, pulling from his grasp to stumble back a step.

His eyes narrowed. “Don’t, Anna. Don’t fucking pull away right when I have you again.”

“You don’t have me.” The words tasted like lies on my tongue. “I don’t belong to you.”

Carter grabbed my face in his hands, pulling me roughly against him. “Yes, you do. You’re fucking mine.”

He forced his lips against mine again, harsh and unforgiving. Like he was marking me. Claiming me.

My fingers clawed at him, digging into his skin, but my lips parted easily for him. I kissed him back even as I fought him off.

I felt something hot on my fingers, and looked down with horror to see bright red on Carter’s neck. Somehow, I’d broken through the skin there.

I’m sorry.

The words were ghosts on my lips. But before I could release them, Carter smiled feral at me. Like he was pleased that I hurt him.

“Go on, my little siren,” he said roughly. “I can take it. And so can you.”

With that, he shoved me to the ground. The sand embraced the weight of our bodies, Carter heavy on top of me. He shoved his thigh between my legs, rubbing the hard muscle against my pussy. The friction was perfect, and I couldn’t hold back my moan.

As he pushed against me, I gasped, feeling the proof of my arousal damp in my panties and knowing any second now he would feel it, too.

I was soaked for him and I hated myself for it.

Hated him.

Wanted him even in my hatred.

I shifted my hips, rubbing myself shamelessly against him.

He used me first, the angry thought pushed through my Carter drugged thoughts.

My turn.

He pulled back, putting his weight on his arms so he could watch me grind against him. It felt so pathetic and childish, chasing my pleasure like this. But Carter’s blue eyes blazed as he watched me, meeting every roll of my hip with the rocking of his thigh against my pussy.

My entire body felt hot and needy, like molten metal was creeping through my veins. This beach had some power over us. It always had. Made us elemental, more animal than human.

Carter grabbed at the fabric covering me.

“I hate this fucking dress,” he growled.

“So do I,” I blurted on a breath before I even made the conscious decision to reply.

With a growl, Carter grabbed the fabric at my neck and ripped it roughly in two. The silk gave way under the force, splitting down the middle, each fine thread snapping against my skin until it fell to either side of me in tatters. My skin pebbled in the cool air, only my ivory lace bra and panties left to cover me from the chill.

Carter licked his lips while he looked down at me. “Fuck. Better than I remembered.”

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