Page 12 of Absentia Mori

I grunt out in frustration. “In what world would I have any power over my cousin? You think they treated me any better?”

He takes off his shirt and throws it at me. “I’m guessing you don’t have scars like these.” He runs his palms across his belly. “Your privilege astounds me.”

I can’t deny I’m disgusted by what Nocturnus has done to him, Fabien, and Raithe. But I’m also not surprised. “The bullshit they pull is no secret. You knew what you signed up for. I was born into this world. At least you had a choice.”

His eyes soften for a split second before turning murderous again. “What do you know about choice, princess? Everything you have has been handed to you on a silver fucking platter. You don’t have to make decisions because you want for nothing.”

I pull on my restraints again, appalled that this man thinks my life is fucking perfect. “Right now, what Iwantis to beuntied. Don’t think because you’ve seen me at a few parties that you know me. You know nothing about what my life is like.”

A deep growl escapes from his throat like he’s a rabid animal about to attack. He stalks over to the bed, glaring down at me as I lay there helpless. “I know your kind. You people always think you have it so hard. With your trust funds and your fancy parties…Hardis when you wake up before the sun every day to go plow fields full of poison for a family that doesn’t care to pay their workers enough money to live.” He slams his hands on the bed, boxing me in. “Hardis when you have to steal and kill for every single thing you have. Don’t for one fucking second compare your struggles to mine.”

I squirm on the bed, my body betraying me with need as his lips inch closer to mine. This man is unhinged, angry, full of hatred, and so fucking beautiful I want to cry. His disdain for me and my family only makes him sexier. The way his nostrils flare, and his lips curl up in disgust as he breathes heavily down my throat… I want him to bite me. To take his rage out on my body. What the fuck is wrong with me?

His haunted gaze flits to my heaving chest. “Your heart is racing.”

“I-I’m scared.” The lies I tell him, I also tell myself.

He positions his body over mine, pressing in closer. “No. That’s not it. Girls like you don’t get scared. You all think you’re fucking invincible… Do you want to fuck me, Libra Thorn? Is that it?”

I tremble as he drags a finger down my cheek. “You wish,” I breathe the words.

He pinches my chin, squeezing it so hard a pain shoots up my jaw. “I wouldn’t fuck you if my actual life depended on it.You repulse me.”

I snicker as his cock twitches against my leg. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. Why else are you hard as fuck right now?”

His sadistic smile sends chills down my spine. “Because the thought of hurting you turns me on.”

I gasp as he slaps my cheek. I can feel the blush sweeping over me. The heat. Fucking hell. “Try doing that again when my hands are free,” I rasp.

He sits up, straddling me, and wraps his hands around my neck. “You people don’t fight fair so neither will we. Maybe I’ll just kill you right fucking now.” He applies enough pressure to my throat to remind me he’s in control.

As I gaze up at his chiseled chest, I glance over his scars and his tattoos, following the line of his muscles all the way up to his lips. The glint of his metal grill flickers under the fluorescent lights of my room. The demons that lurk in his brown eyes draw my gaze higher. Ishouldbe scared of this psycho. But I’m not. Not in the way he wants me to be. All I want is to do bad things with him.

A little pool of moisture leaks out of my pussy. “Kill me then. I’m already in hell; you might as well put me out of my fucking misery.”

He grunts, frustrated that I’m not trembling with fear, and leaps off me. “You’ve been conscious for two days. We’ve been locked in here for months. You don’t know what hell is, princess.”

“Stop calling me that,” I hiss. I fucking hate that word. “Youdon’t get to call me that.”

“I’ll call you whatever the fuck I want.” I think he might slap me again but instead he reaches up and undoes my restraints.

“Thank you,” I murmur.

He glares at my wrists as I rub the welts that are already forming. “Don’t. I’m going to enjoy hurting you, but it will be onmyterms. Not on some vile orderly’s who has nothing to do with this. Youwillknow hell soon enough. It’s the fucking inferno between you and me.”

I crumple up his shirt and shove it at him. “You’re not the only one who knows how to play with fire, Mordecai. I’ve danced with devils far scarier than you.”

“Don’t bet on it,princess.”

Our gazes lock in a staring contest for what seems like forever until he backs away toward the door. “Get some rest. You’re gonna need it.”

I let out a deep breath once he’s gone.What just happened?

He wants to murder me, and I want to fuck him. Maybe I do deserve to be locked up in here.

But regardless of his reasoning, he couldn’t hide the anger in his eyes when he saw Gormon standing over me. He couldn’t pretend that the red welts on my wrists didn’t piss him off. If whatever that emotion is keeps the creepy orderly out of my room, I’ll take it.

I’ll use everything in my power and advantage to gain the upper hand.

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