Page 71 of Beautiful Cruelty

I imagine the sharp sting of the needle followed by the weight of diamonds—permanent, irreversible proof of what I'll let him do to me.

Would I scream?

Reality crashes through my lust-filled haze.

What the fuck am I doing? This isn't just some game anymore! These marks would be forever – a permanent reminder of this insane moment.

I agreed to help him rob a church, not for him to do this!

“No!” I gasp, reaching up to grab his wrist. “Stop.”

"Oh?" His eyes meet mine in the mirror, dark with triumph and he lowers the piercing gun.

"I admit it. You win." The words tumble out in a rush. "I was just trying to get under your skin. I didn't think you'd actually..."

My voice trails off as his fingers trace along my collarbone, just beneath the heavy necklace. "Please don't hurt me."

"I told you,zvyozdochka." His thumb and index finger pinch my nipple, sending a burst of pleasure circling out. "I won't hurt you unless you ask me to. And I certainly wasn't about to mutilate your perfect body without your permission."

Relief floods through me as Vadim's words sink in. My legs go weak and I sag back against his solid chest, heart still racing from what almost happened. What I almostlethappen.

I watch in the mirror as he peels off the black latex gloves. The sound of snapping rubber in the air sends another dark shiver down my spine.

“Now…” His lips brush my ear, sending tingles down my spine. “If both of us are done pretending, you need to apologize for making me purchase all this useless jewelry."

"I-I'm sorry," I stammer, very aware of my naked body pressing against him.

His hands drift down my sides, fingers tracing patterns that make my skin erupt in goosebumps.

"Not like that." His hand slides past my stomach. "I want aproperapology from my veryimproperfiancée."

My breath catches in my throat as his fingers dip between my legs, and finds me soaking wet.

I’m so fucked.I keep repeating in my head.

I shouldn’t be this wet. I shouldn’t be so turned on by how easily he takes control of everything.

But at the same time, there’s an undeniable pull at what he’s doing. An inexplicable sense offreedomat how good it feels to surrender to someone like him.

A finger pushes inside of me and I whimper.

“Well?” He asks.

"I'm sorry, darling." I mew softly, embarrassingly aware of how easily his finger is moving inside of me.

Of how badly I want him to do more.

To show me just how much further I can fall.

"No,zvyozdochka, I said a proper apology." his voice hardens into a command. "On your knees."

21

LACEY

My knees buckleunder the weight of his command. A heady mix of fear and desire pulses through me—not fear ofhim, but fear of how much I want this.

How much I wanthim.

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