Page 38 of The Hand that Frays

“When we got here, I told you I was in charge of this case, right?” Neo asks, and I hear his blade unsheathe from his leather holster. A sound I’ve heard a hundred times over.

Music to my fucked-up ears.

“Stupid girl, I’m not in the fucking mood for your games.”

“Yes, you did,” I answer, complying with the demand in his tone.

“Well, then, why do you need to question my authority at every turn?” he asks.

The pinch of his blade’s tip causes me to hiss and shift on my hands and knees. When he leans over me to teasingly lick the edges of my ear, he presses the blade in harder. I don’t know if he’s drawn blood or not.

I don’t care.

My body is still sore from how savagely he fucked me in the woods beyond the asylum earlier. Still, a bottomless quiver in my veins causes adrenaline and dopamine to flood my nervous system and liven my core all over again. As his blade threatens to split the flesh open, I grow wetter.

“Tell me, stupid love. Is the reason you push my buttons because you like to be punished? Or is it the need to dominate me?” he whispers, and I bite my bottom lip to fight a whimper.

I can’t help the consuming shiver that races down the highway of my spine, and it drives the tip of his blade to pierce the skin where he has it pressing against my hip.

I moan, and he flicks his eyes down toward the drops of blood that bead as he hisses. “Fuck, Lyla. This is the part of you that has always entranced me. You bleed so fucking pretty for me.”

“Neo,” I breathe, the overwhelming sensation of hormones and delirium making me shaky on my hands and knees.

“Where they scream when I cut them, plead with me for their pitiful lives, you hand yours over to me like you don’t care to live. It’s fucking intoxicating,” he growls, nipping the lobe of my ear.

My eyes close, my mouth dropping open to let an exhale spill out.

“I’ve watched you die for me more than a few times, stupid girl, and killed you myself. Nothing is more mind-blowing, however, than watching you like this and hearing your cries of pleasure. Watching you toe the line of hell, knowing the Devil is salivating to have you down there with him. Because you, my stupid, stupid girl, are awe-inspiring. You’re the stuff of fucking legends.You’re the kind of woman they write books about—ones where men fall on their knees to worship you.”

His words have my breathing ragged, and I know my pupils are blown wide as I try, and fail, at fixing my gaze on something solid near the covered window across from the bed. Anything solid.

A tether.

An anchor.

“But you’re not theirs, are you? You’re the Butcher’s girl.”

“I’m all yours.”

He moans, turning my face with his blade and briefly capturing my lips with his. “If you know who you belong to, why do you misbehave?”

I whimper as he disappears behind me, trying to turn to see what he’s going to do with the weapon in his hand.

“Eyes front. I didn’t permit you to look at me!”

I snap to attention, fear racing my skin like a chilly wind, causing goosebumps to well in its wake.

Something cold drips between my ass cheeks, and my breathing grows erratic.

I want to watch him.

I want to see the madness stretching and growing in his eyes.

“Though I don’t think you’ll ever behave as I wish. I’ll enjoy reprimanding you for your misbehaviors. I find I’m addicted to it, stupid girl.”

“Neo, please,” I beg, not knowing what I’m praying for.

“Lay on your front and spread your ass cheeks.”

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