Page 161 of Ignite

Not hard. Just enough to tease.

One minute in.

She grips the edge of the bench, knuckles white, legs tense. It’s like I can feel the heat and the ache building inside her, a cruel contradiction. Her muscles would have already been strained from the cold. Now they’re melting, giving her no relief. Just the slow burn of heat meeting the simmer of arousal.

The screen shows her trembling. A drop of sweat rolls down the valley of her breasts. Then another down her stomach.

She whimpers. A broken sound, half sob, half plea.

And it shatters me.

Because I know that sound.

I know it too fucking well.

My spine locks. My thumb slips off the remote.

“No…” I whisper.

A raw cry tears from her throat as her body arches.

“Conan.”

It’s not a whimper. It’s a prayer.

And I feel it like a bullet to the chest.

“No. No, no, no, no.”

I scramble for the controls, but it’s too late.

Her body jerks. Writhing in a storm of heat and shame and goddamn survival. But she’s doing everything in her power to stop herself from orgasming.

My name still echoing from her mouth.

Hallie.

My. Fucking. Hallie.

She has to finish. I have to do this to her to get her through to the next phase. Fuck, it makes me feel sick.

I turn the power up on the vibrator, her body now shaking relentlessly. The more she fights, the harder it’s hitting her.

Her fists clench and she lets out a scream. It rips through me and drags my heart out with it.

I hate myself.

I hate this game.

I’m a fucking evil monster. Just like the ones I vowed to protect her against, I’ve become. All I can do is stare at the screen and watch my future crumble in front of my eyes, by my own hand.

This is the end of everything, I know it is. At least if she wins, she can take the money, that’s the least I can do. Because I can’t take back what is done. It’s too late, she’s here and she’s playing the game.

But I can help her win. I can give her something.

A climax shatters her, leaving her breathless and broken. Shutting off the vibrator as soon as she’s done, I toss the remote, full force against the wall.

“Fuck!” I shout.

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