Page 45 of The Beautiful Dead

His thumb traced lazy circles over my cheek, a touch so deceptively gentle it made my breath hitch. Without warning, his lips crashed into mine—hot, demanding, with a devastating hunger. The moment he teased the seam of my mouth, I surrendered, parting for him without hesitation, desperate to drown in the intoxicating taste of him.

He took everything. My mind, my sanity. His tongue licked into my mouth, duelling with mine, claiming, consuming. A punishing rhythm that left no room for doubt—I was caught in his wicked web, and he was trapped in mine. Each stroke sent shivers racing through my body, electric sparks igniting along my skin until I was burning from the inside out. Lust flowedthrough my veins like quicksilver, my cock filled with every stroke of his tongue against mine.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, his slick skin silky soft, and dragged him closer. I needed more, more of him, of his talented tongue—of everything. A deep growl rumbled from his chest and into mine as his hands tangled in my hair, angling my head and devouring me deeper. His teeth caught my bottom lip, tugging, teasing, before soothing the sting with another dizzying kiss. He tasted of sin, of obsession, of something I would never get enough of.

My lungs screamed for air, but I couldn’t pull away—not yet, not when he felt like the only thing keeping me tethered to this world. He kissed me harder, deeper, until my body threatened to give out and my head spun in a euphoric haze.

When he finally tore his lips from mine, we were both panting, foreheads pressed together, our breaths mingling in the charged space between us. My lips tingled, swollen and bruised from his relentless attack. All I could think about was how soon I could taste him again.

“There’s somewhere I want to take you, Remi.”

His voice was a low, velvety murmur, wrapping around me. I blinked up at him through my lashes, my mind hazy, the world beyond his presence reduced to a blur. The meaning of his words hovered just out of reach, teasing at the edges of my understanding.

“I want to show you.” His fingertips brushed over my jaw, the contact light but possessive, grounding me even as it sent a shiver racing down my spine.

I tilted my head, confused. “Show me what?”

“That I see you.” His lips ghosted over my forehead before he pulled back, just enough for me to see the way his emerald eyes darkened—deep, endless pools that threatened to pull me under. “The real you. The one buried beneath the surface.”

A slow, shuddering breath left my lips. Something in his voice, in the gravity of his words, sent my pulse skittering wildly.

He saw me. Not the carefully constructed version of myself I showed the world. Not the Remi who had spent years suffocating beneath expectations and self-imposed restraint. He saw the one lurking in the shadows, the one even I had been afraid to acknowledge.

“I want your demons to dance with mine.”

My lips parted, but no words came. I tasted the remnants of him on my tongue, it sent a pulse of heat curling low in my stomach.

“I-I don’t understand.” My voice was barely a whisper, uncertain and breathless all at once.

His mouth curved—not into a smirk, not quite a smile. Something more dangerous. More knowing.

“You will.” His fingers traced a slow path down my arm before retreating, leaving behind the phantom burn of his touch.

“Soon.”

His gaze locked onto mine, unyielding. “I will show you every terrible thing you’ve ever dreamed of—” He leaned in, his breath mingling with mine, his words a dark promise sealed between us. “—and make it real.”

CHAPTER 10

REMI

By late afternoon, after hours of being locked away in his office, Domino emerged without a word, grabbed two helmets from the closet, and dragged me toward the elevator. The doors closed with a quiet hiss, and as we descended rapidly, my ears popped from the sudden shift in pressure.

The underground parking garage was brightly illuminated and cavernous, the concrete walls swallowed every sound. Rows of exotic, high-performance cars gleamed beneath the fluorescent glow—machines engineered for power, speed, and control. My gaze darted between them, taking in every sharp angle and polished surface, overwhelmed by the sheer display of wealth and dominance.

A sharp whistle cut through my thoughts. I turned on my heel and found him standing next to his sleek, black motorcycle. She was a beast, all angles and aggression, exuding danger even at a standstill.

“I meant to ask you when you brought me here,” I murmured, stepping closer. “What is she?”

Domino’s grin flashed—quick, predatory, gone almost as soon as it appeared. “She’s a beauty, isn’t she? Ninja H2R.”

“They’re not road legal...” My words trailed off as he quirked a brow, the silent challenge hanging between us.

“And that’s why she’s so much fun.” He tossed me a helmet, his amusement palpable. “Let me get on first, then I’ll help you with your helmet.”

“Why?” I frowned. Putting on a helmet wasn’t difficult.

“Because your visor is blacked out. You won’t see where I’m taking you. No one goes there unless I take them.”

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