Page 33 of Madness & Mercy
I tilt my head, exposing my throat, just enough to tease. “Go on, then. Show me how dangerous you are.”
That throws him for half a beat. Not long, but enough for me to see it—his pupils blown wide, the pulse ticking at his neck, the silent question in his eyes.
He wants me to give in. Tosubmit.
I don’t.
But I let him think I might.
Julian tightens his grip slightly, and I feel the tremor in his fingers. It’s so faint, most wouldn’t notice.
But I do.
His mouth crashes to mine again, harder this time. Hungrier. He kisses like he fights: sharp, punishing, desperate to take.
I let him take.
Let him taste what he thinks he’s conquered.
But just as his hand starts to trail lower, fingers curling into my belt, I laugh. Low and feral, right against his lips.
“Enjoying yourself,cagniolo?”
He freezes.
Then snarls.
“I’m not your fucking dog,” he bites out.
“Oh?” I murmur, eyes gleaming. “Maybe you’re mypiccolo puttano.”
And just like that, I flip the power back with a twist of my wrist and a shift of my weight, slamming him back against the opposite wall.
His breath leaves him in a grunt. His fists clench, but he doesn’t push me away.
“I told you,” I growl, my palm flat against his chest, pinning him in place. “You don’t get the upper hand,cagniolo.”
Julian’s lips twitch into a smirk, but it falters as my hand slides down.
“You really gonna keep calling me that?” he mutters, his voice tight with anticipation.
I lean in, lips ghosting over his jaw. “I’ll call you whatever I want.”
Before he can spit something back, I drag my hand over his waistband, unfastening his belt with a practiced flick. His breath catches.
His pants and underwear drop.
The smirk is gone.
Now it’s just his eyes—wide, glassy, burning with something between loathing and need.
“Touch me and I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” I interrupt, amused as I pin his wrists above his head with one hand. “Bite me?Beg me?”
He’s hard already. Pathetic.
Beautiful.
