Page 16 of Brutal King

There’s no mistaking what he wants from me, making my offer an easy one. “I’ll give you a kiss.”

One dark brow arches in interest. “Better yet, I’lltakea kiss.”

“It’s the same thing.”

“Is it?” He grins in a way that makes me feel unsure and unsteady, like the floor beneath me can give at any moment and I’ll fall.

“Is this a trick? You’ll really let me go.”

He takes a step back and I nearly fall forward with the relief the small distance provides.

With a gentlemanly bow, he says, “On my honor, I swear it.If” —he adds emphasis on the word— “you reach the door.”

My eyes flick from him and his long legs, to the door and back, my brain calculating the speed at which I need to take off to have any hope of making it. I gnaw on my lip in distress. It’s not impossible, but the chances are slim.

Still, I have to try.

“All right,” I agree.

Gideon takes another step back. He lifts three fingers and begins to count down. “Three. Two…”

Every muscle in my body prepares to sprint. There’s no option between fight or flight. If I don’t fly, I’ll be his prisoner forever.

“One.” His last finger goes down.

Run!

I shove off the wall with all my might, like a swimmer pushing off at the start of a race, so that when my shoes hit the marble floor, I’m already a few feet ahead.

The race to the finish line doesn’t last but a second. Two at most. Then just like that, my hopes are dashed. Not that I ever had any.

I’m an inch away, my fingers so close to the door knob, when his hand wraps around my arm and yanks me to him. Then, I’m slammed against the door, my face and chest pressed to it, Gideon crushing me from behind.

I let out a cry of sheer frustration and rage as I’m cruelly held prisoner. “No!”

“You lost.” His tone is low and gravelly. A barely restrained growl. He grabs my wrists and pulls them above my head as he turns me. “I believe you owe me a kiss.”

“Never,” I hiss.

He leans in, his breath fanning across my lips, his eyes focused on my mouth. “You agreed to let me take it. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

My breathing all but stops as he stretches out the moment, hovering so close. A move meant to torment me just for the fun of it.

“Get it over with!” I demand.

“So eager, sweet bird.” His amused chuckle infuriates me.

“You’re a fucking monst—” The words are not only cutoff, but obliterated from my mind the instant his mouth makes contact with mine.

Heat radiates from his lips, warming my blood like whiskey. No. Not whiskey. Something far more toxic. Some kind of drug or poison. It makes me feel dizzy and inebriated and stupid because it takes me far too long to react.

“No!” I cry into his mouth. Or at least, I try to.

He takes advantage of my parted lips to deepen the kiss, sliding his tongue inside, feeding me more of that toxin that’s muddling my brain. When he tilts his head and breaks the kiss for a millisecond, I suck in a breath. Then, his mouth is against mine once more.

This time, I’m ready for the assault on my senses. I bite down on his full lower lip until I taste blood. When he yelps, I lift my knee in a quick jab and hit him right where it will hurt him the most. He pushes off me as he doubles over.

Though I’d love to gloat, I don’t have time. I don’t even bother looking back as I swing the door open and fly out into the cold.

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