Page 60 of Twisted

His answering smile was gentle, carefully restrained.

“Don’t need to, baby. I’m here with ya till the fuckin’ end.”

Flaring in her anger, her cheeks reddened like a ripe pomegranate.

“Jaeg—”

“You loved your nana with your whole heart. Wear her locket even in your sleep. You wanted to go to Paris in high school. You love babies,” he prattled off, watching as her eyes shimmered and danced and tears spilled over to race down her round cheeks. “Your favorite color is yellow because you love daffodils. You love Tennessee whiskey but only if there’s honey to sweeten it up for ya. And you’ve learned to hide in plain sight, to smile and nod and keep your home meticulously clean, but inside you were screamin’, so fuckin’ loud I could hear it across the world, baby. I know ya. I know the Maisie you wanna be, the little girl you feel like you let down, betrayed.”

Her tears tripled, a choked sob bubbling up as she covered her mouth, but her eyes stayed locked on his the entire time.

“You had my heart the night of that party. Killed for ya then, would kill for ya now. And ya know what? The killer in me fuckin’ loves the killer in you.”

Finally, her eyes dropped, a loud sniffle issuing from her blubbering tears. He stood back to his full height, tapping the wide desk with his belt. Her head snapped up.

“Chest on the desk. Jeans around your ankles.”

“Jaeger!” she gasped. He turned his gaze to steel. He may love her, but she would learn once and for all to whom she was now bound to.

“Not gonna ask twice, baby. You know I ain’t jokin’, either.”

It took her a moment of staring, her brows furrowing then her eyes narrowing before she seemed to realize he truly was serious. Shaky, keeping her eyes averted, she stood, fingers fumbling with the button of her own jeans. As soon as she demurely slipped them over the curve of her ass, his cock throbbed and ached. She kept her eyes from him, leaning over her dead husband’s desk, gripping the edge, her perfect butt on display.

He smirked. She was wearing a yellow thong, the band dotted with honey bees. He felt the tattoo on his chest buzz in response; he’d inked himself with her favorite creature, he’d inked his fingers with the date he’d met his downfall—the date of the party. His whole life had revolved around her since then, or so he’d thought. Looking back, he realized he’d somehow known it would always be her the night he’d fucked up Hunter Jacobson’s face for stalking her.

And with a man like Jaeger, there was no going back once he set his mind to something, especially something this important.

Bringing the belt around, she jumped and whimpered as he stroked her tender, pale flesh. He watched her knuckles blanche as she gripped the edge of the desk. She was afraid, but he would be there to soothe the ache of her disobedience.

“No more runnin’, Mais. You face things head on with me by your side from here on out, right?”

Trembling and sniffling, she nodded, her hair slipping over her shoulder to hide her blushing face.

“Good girl,” he praised, his voice deep and filled with a most potent kind of lust. “When I feel you’ve learned your lesson, we get the hard drive and leave, baby.”

Slow, he raised his belt, his eyes homing in on his target. The swell of her ass sang to him, and he wondered how long he’d be able to last before he simply wrenched her legs apart and fucked her. He hoped she’d be able to stay quiet.

Bringing the belt down in a quick snap, the crack of leather on flesh sang through the wide room, reverberating in his heart. She lurched forward onto her tip-toes with a garbled cry as blood rushed to the surface of her pale flesh in a thick line. He was mesmerized by the sight.

“Room ain’t soundproof babe. But I plan to make ya scream anyways,” he promised in a hiss as she sagged with a light sob.

Another strike across her ass. Her boots scrabbled for purchase on the dense carpet, imprisoned by her jeans. Another strike, another choked cry that ended in a whimper. She was obeying, though, and that was enough for him. His own hormones surged, seeing her splayed before him and so submissive. Another crack, like the lightning a few nights ago so close to his cabin. A high, keening cry left her lips. The door was locked. They probably figured she was mourning her dead husband.

The man she herself murdered.

After two more sharp claps of the belt along her quickly heating flesh, Jaeger dropped his belt and his zipper with it. Smoothing a hand over her flaming skin, she jerked away with a cry, shaking all over. Her face, turned to one side and visible, was blotchy and tear stained, and her eyes never once found his. Leaning across her back, shielding her body with his own, he pulled her hair to the side to gain a better view of his woman—his woman that could now be free with him at her side.

“You good, Mais?” he said gently, palming her ass cheek with a rough hand but gentle grip. Her glacial eyes flitted to his, wide and childlike in their fright and vulnerability. He was again astonished; he’d never thought she would break down her tough exterior and allow him to see the wounded girl within, but there she was. Scared, feeling alone, broken. But in that brokenness, a new trust was forming.

With a whimper and a tremble of her plump lips, she nodded. He bent and pressed his lips to her temple, all while his other hand freed his hardened cock. A smile of bliss graced his lips.

“I love ya, Maisie Jane. I’m by your side, fuckin’ on your side and will be even in death, got it?”

Pinching her eyes closed, she nodded with a little cry of what sounded like utter relief. Pushing aside her thong, he found his target already dripping wet and eager. Teasing her entrance, she gasped and lurched again as he slammed into her full force, giving her no time to adjust as he leaned up and gripped her hips, fucking her relentlessly, scattering the shit on her husband’s desk. It was powerful, primal, a last dig at the fucker who’d ruined her life, who’d thought he’d burned her alive and marred her forever.

But as Maisie sighed and clutched the desk and pushed back against Jaeger, as she begged for more, Jaeger saw her anew. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he was allowing her to be reborn into the woman she’d always dreamed she would be; strong, defiant, and right beside her knight in shining armor.

“God…Jaeg…I’m…”

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