“I moved.”

Matty takes a single finger and brushes a few stray dark hairs out of my eyes. I smell his shampoo on his hands still, or lotion. Whatever it is, it is manly, musky and earthy. It smells good. My eyes lock on his; he’s trying to seduce me? If I scream and push him away, will he force me? Or will that only make him get off more? I turn my face away, refusing to look him in the eye as his finger trails down the side of my face to my neck. He draws a line over my collar bone to my chest and down between my tits, then pushes my shirt to the side.

“Your tits are gorgeous.”

He’s turning me on, but how? I’m his prisoner, not his partner. “What are you doing?” I keep my face turned away as his finger brushes over the inside curve of my left breast. It sends shivers across my skin.

“I’m only giving you what you want.”

“Is this what I want?” I have to force my voice not to crack. I’ve never had a man come onto me so strongly, with such an assertion that I want him. My pulse gets thready, and I feel lightheaded.

“Yes, Natalie. I see it in your eyes, the way your body responds. You think I’m attractive, don’t you?” He pushes a finger into my waistband and pulls me out of the bathroom. “You want me to do bad things to you.”

“I want to go home.” I grab his wrist to extract it from my clothing but inside I am feeling worked up. Instead of freeing myself from his grasp, I fail. He pulls downward in one hard yank and my skirt tears at the waist. I gasp and try to pull away. “Stop…” But he pulls again, splitting the skirt so far down one seam it begins to slide over my hips.

“Stop? Or more?”

Matty pushes the skirt down until it’s puddled around my bare feet. I stand there in shock, hands trembling at my sides. He’s hunting me now, stalking me backward toward the bed. His eyes devour my gaze and I bite my lip. If he fucked me, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but I shouldn’t. I can’t. He’s a murderer and a thief, someone who can’t be trusted.

“Stay away from me…” I say the words, but my body is responding to the way he moves stealthily toward me.

Matty uses one hand to reach over his back and pull his shirt off in a swift movement that has me feeling aroused. His chest is covered with tattoos, upper arms too. It’s damn sexy, and I can’t keep my eyes off of him. I’m supposed to hate him, to be afraid of him and run away, so why am I so turned on by this?

“There it is… The way you look at me like I’m about to fulfill your deepest fantasy… Do you have a fantasy, Natalie? One you want to tell me?”

“Fuck you,” I mumble, feeling my stomach swirl. I do, but I’ll never tell him. It’d be like giving him the keys to the kingdom and his kingdom needs to fall. I back up until my calves press against the bed and I’m stuck. I glance at the door—shut and probably locked. The food he left on the dresser smells heavenly, but there is no opting for dinner now, not with my skirt on the floor and my panties about as wet as can be.

“See, I think you’re holding out on me. I think you want to beg me to fuck you. Or maybe you want me to just take it.”

My body tingles at the thought of him taking what he wants. What would he make me feel? I’ve lost all desire to run away now—or most of it. I still want to escape and get back to my work, expose these bastards and take them down, get justice for my uncle. But why can’t I enjoy it a little first?

“Ah, that’s it… Right there—” he points at my face “—I see it.”

He sees nothing. I try to keep my face steady. Fuck yes, I want him, but I won’t let him see what he’s doing to me. He takes another step closer, and I spit on his chest. “Stay back.” He looks down at his chest, wipes up the spit and smirks at me.

“Feisty… I like it.” With the same hand he wiped away my assault, he reaches out and grabs my pussy, hooking his fingers into me and pulling me. I’m forced to take a step closer to him as his hand investigates my moisture. “Yes… and the puddle too. You want me to fuck you, Natalie?”

I whimper as he pushes my panties aside and slides a finger into me. “Stop,” I protest weakly. My hands, splayed on his chest, try to hold him at bay but I’m helpless. He rubs my clit through my panties then grasps the waistband and jerks them downward, tearing them too. What the fuck will I wear now?

“Please…” I whimper, both a request to continue and to not hurt me.

“Oh, you’re going to enjoy this…” Matty shoves me hard onto the bed and a split second of some beast of an expression graces his face. His eyes practically glow with lust. I feel fear flush through me, and I turn to my stomach, attempting to crawl across the bed to get away, but he grabs my hair and pulls my head back. “Not so fast.”

“Please… I….” My words come out half-choked.

“You what? Want me to go easy? Want me to take my time and romance you? Your eyes are begging for me, Natalie. A woman who doesn’t do what she’s told needs to be taught a lesson. You will eat your dinner as soon as I’m done teaching you that lesson.”

“No,” I gurgle, my neck craned so far backward I can’t breathe. I protest again. If he’s teaching me a lesson, it’s that I am so easily dominated by someone so sexually attractive that I'd give up my virginity to him without truly fighting. Why? Because I like being dominated. And I like it because the powerlessness of it gives me a rush, like I walked to the edge and looked over and thought about jumping. “NO…”

I hear his belt buckle jingle, then the woosh of the leather as it slides out of the belt loops. It jingles more before I feel a hot smack across my ass and the crack of the leather on my skin.

“Ah!” I wince, clawing at the crumpled comforter. It hurts and stings. I try to tuck my chin down, but he holds my head back. “Stop…” I protest, unsure if I like this. I want him to fuck me, not beat me.

“Oh, but how would I teach you a lesson then?” The leather cracks on my skin again, this time the other side. I yelp and whimper and clench my pussy. It’s more arousing than I thought. I hiss and gasp as he smacks me again, this time with his hand.

“Fuck…” I grunt, unconsciously rocking my hips. My pussy aches to be filled up.

“That’s a good girl….” His compliment irritates me. I want him to fuck me and get it over with so I can die. The shame of this moment threatens to destroy my arousal. I try to crawl away again, but he pulls my hair hard and forces me back. This time, his hard cock is there pressing against my entrance.