Page 12 of Say It Slowly

“I’m consumed by you,” I whisper honestly. Again, it’s survival. I can deny the words later.

He rewards me by pinching my nipple, causing a strangled cry to escape my lips.Oh, God.The quick pinch of pain spikes through me and goes straight to my throbbing clit.

“I need you,” I confess, encouraged by his reward, and desperate for release. He has me exactly where he wants me, and I know it. I should be ashamed, or demand he stop again, but I can’t. I’m too far in, too close to heavenly oblivion.

“That’s right, baby,” he whispers, touching his tongue to my sensitive nipple. “You need me. Remember that.” Then he uses his teeth to bite down at the same time pushing his fingers back into me, deep andhard.“Only.Me.”

It’s like an out-of-body experience. I’m trapped by Roman; surrounded by him, consumed by him,ownedby him, and it pushes me over the edge, into the void. My climax hits me so hard that my strangled cry echoes off the walls.

With my wrists still bound, I grab him, my hands fisting his dress shirt, pulling him close as wave after wave of heat ripplesthrough me, from the tips of my fingers to the tips of my curled toes.

Roman’s cheek is pressed against mine, his warm breath bathing my neck as he continues applying pressure to my clit, his fingers drawing out every last drop of pleasure from my body.

“That’s it, baby. Give it to me,” he breathes. “Give me yourfucking soul.”

He has it.My God.I’d give him the breath in my lungs if I could. As the final waves of pleasure zip through my veins, I’m panting, and my body slumps, my fists loosening on his shirt.

When he removes his hand from my body and leans back into a crouch, then tugs at the belt around my wrists, releasing me. The second I’m free, I rub my wrists where the leather bit into my skin, and caused red marks.

I swallow, my body still buzzing, and when I look up, there’s a smile stretched across his face that brings me harshly back to reality.

“Now try telling me it’s justfucking,” he says, that cocky smile sending anger rushing through my blood.

I scramble to my feet awkwardly. I’m fully naked with nothing to grab onto, so it’s less than elegant, but, honestly, I’m too pissed to be self-conscious about it.

Every warm and fuzzy feeling I just had for Roman Rush died with my orgasm. “You’re an asshole,” I say as he rises to face me, his large body still blocking my only exit.

That infuriating smile doesn’t waver. “An asshole who commands your body with the flick of his wrist.”

Clenching my jaw, I lift my hand and with everything I have, I slap him hard across the face. His head whips to the side, and a red mark instantly blooms across his left cheek.

He brings his head back around slowly, a hand pressed to the angry red mark. Andstillthat smile hangs on his fucking face. “I’ll take that as confirmation.” He grabs my robe off the floorand hands it to me. I yank it out of his hand, covering my naked body with the jumble of fabric.

He walks toward the door, but right before he reaches it, he half-turns to address me. “You’re giving me a hell of a chase, Lux, but sooner or later, the foxalwayscatches the hare.”

“Okay, enough with your stupid rabbit and hare analogies!” I scream. “Maybe you’re the hare! Maybe you’re the one being hunted! Have you ever thought about that?” But he’s already gone, the hidden door clicking shut behind him.

Ugh.Asshole.

Finding my bra and my torn dress, I rush to put them on—no panties, thanks to Roman—but I’m just going straight back into my room anyway. Once I’m dressed, I find my heels and slip them on, leaving my robe and hood in a heap on the floor.

I brace myself for who or what I’m going to find on the other side of the secret door, but when I step over the threshold, into the study, there’s only one person there.

Jackson is leaning against the sofa, his muscular legs crossed in front of him. He’s looking down at his phone and glances up as soon as I enter the room, straightening. “You ready?”

“Ready for what?” I ask, walking past him.

“I’m walking you to your dorm room.”

I spin on him. “No, thanks, I’m good.”

I’mnotgood, actually. I’m terrified of walking back to my dorm room alone at night, especially after Tyler just threatened me openly. But I figured I could just ask a couple of the other consorts to walk with me. They don’t know me at all, but I’m their stupid campus queen, right? Don’t they owe me some small degree of loyalty?

I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m hoping.

“Yeah, it’s not an option,” Jackson says, his large frame following me out the door and down the hallway. “Roman made himself pretty clear.”

“Whatever.” I’m tired, and I don’t feel like arguing.

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