Page 26 of Depraved
“Careful what you wish for, Billy. You can only tempt me so much before I’ll want it…and trust me, I’ll get my way.”
Shit. What am I doing? I blink a few times and shake my head, the moment between us broken.
“Oh, this is gonna be fun.” He revels in gauging my reaction. “You ready to listen to me now, Billy?”
SARAH STARTS WALKING AGAIN, LETTINGout a frustrated breath. She doesn’t even have a destination, but she’s clearly so pissed that she just needs to move.
I wonder if she’s more pissed that she almost kissed me or that I didn’t let her.
“Sarah,” I call out from where I stand.
“No, I’m not ready,” she says over her shoulder. “Because you’re going to try and decide for me, and I only like that in the bedroom, Dante.”
Fuck, I like that, too.
I take quick steps to where she’s traveled to and grab her by the waist, hauling her backward midstride. She lets out a surprised yelp, and I twist her around, bending as I throw her over my wide shoulder.
“I remember. Quit fucking walking around already,” I growl as I stalk over to the couch.
She smacks at my back yelling, “Put me down.”
I deposit her on the oversized gray sofa, watching as she melts into the down cushions. She’s a wild mess, her hair swinging around her flushed face.
My eyebrows raise as a warning, because I won’t chase her again. “You keep fucking acting up, and I’ll tie you to the goddamn bed. We clear? Now, are you ready to listen?”
“Fine. Speak. It’s not like I have a choice but to listen,” she barks, pushing her hair from her cheeks.
I can see from the look in her eyes that she expects me to be a smartass, to yell or growl at her. But that’s not getting me anywhere with Sarah. The harder I push, the harder she pushes back.
It’s why I can’t stop thinking filthy damn thoughts.
I lower down in front of her, bringing us face-to-face, caging her in with my arms planted on either side of her legs. Her breath catches as I bring my middle finger to her forehead, gently sweeping a strand of her hair out of her eyes.
We’re close, intimately close, and I can see the war in her expression. She hates that it calms her.
My voice is tender as I speak, which takes concerted effort on my part. “Let’s try this another way. Stop fighting me. Let me try and help. Give me a week, maybe two. You don’t even know where they are, Billy. I can get eyes on them, and worst case, I buy you some time so that you can get lost, but with a nice head start.”
She starts chewing on the inside of her cheek, considering what I’m saying. Sarah takes a deep breath and nods.
“You’re right. I don’t know where they are. And they won’t know I’m here. But I need terms of my own for this deal, something that gives me control of this crazy fucking situation.”
“Name them, Billy.”
I can’t help but grin because every tiny step with this girl feels like a goddamn world victory.
Her small hands push against my chest, trying to move me back. She needs the space, but she’s not getting it. She tries again, but my eyes dart to her hands then back to her face with a shake of my head.
Sarah glares at me for a moment then answers.
“First, tell me what you want in return? And don’t bullshit me.”
“Nothing,” I answer honestly, “I’m serious, Billy. Just let me help. Trust me, this is more about me than you.”
The curiosity in her eyes has me pulling back. Now I need the space.
“Why do you keep saying that? Why do you care so much, Dante? We had a fun night, it was great, but this seems like an insane gesture just to secure a second date,” she jokes, but the tension doesn’t ease in my shoulders.
I push up to half stand, angling my body to join her on the couch. Taking a deep breath in, I squint my eyes at her before my face relaxes. The answer she wants to hear isn’t the one I have to give. She wants to hear that I’m a good person, altruistic. But I’m not. I’m just a guy who can’t forget his past and likes to see people get what’s coming to them.
