Page 4 of Damaged & Deadly

I feel his fingers working to undo the first one, and a moment of sanity breaks through the fog of lust. “Dante,” I gasp into his mouth, pushing on his chest. He crashes his lips to mine in another frantic kiss, either oblivious or unconcerned with my protests.

“Dante, stop.” I push harder against him, breaking through to him as he pulls back. He keeps me pinned to the door with his weight, and his lust-darkened eyes dart down to my lips, wholly intent on picking up where he left off.

“Dante.” His name snaps off my tongue like a whip, finally having the desired effect as he lifts his eyes to meet mine. Between heaving breaths, I get out, “We can’t.” Anger flashes in his eyes, and his features tighten. Before I can comprehend what’s happened, I’m tossed over his shoulder with a yelp and he is striding up the stairs. “Dante! What the hell?!”

In true Dante fashion, he ignores me as he reaches the top of the stairs and continues along the landing until we get to what must be his bedroom. Only when he’s kicked the door shut with his polished, black Oxfords does he set me on my feet. Before I can turn to glower at him, he smushes my breasts as he pushes me against the wall.

I gasp when I hear the sounds of buttons scattering and cool air brushes along the exposed skin of my back as, in one quick move, he rips open the dress. He pushes it down my arms until it’s gathered on the floor at my feet, leaving me standing there in a white, strapless bra and a matching thong. A growl vibrates up the back of his throat when he spots my thigh sheaths before the heat of him at my back disappears. I spin in my heels. “What the—” I’m once again lifted off my feet and tossed into the middle of a large California King bed.

I hit the sheets with a bounce and quickly scramble to my knees, firing a pissed-off glare Dante’s way. Unfazed, he stands fully dressed at the end of the bed, looking down at me. “Don’t you understand the meaning ofno?”

“Mine.”

I have to restrain my eye roll, knowing it won’t help the situation. But come on, he sounds like a fucking caveman with his one-word sentences. “So you’re just going to chain me to your bed and have your way with me?”

The excited flash of something dark and carnal in his eyes should probably terrify me, but instead, it makes my mouth dry and heat unfurl in my lower belly. “If that’s what it takes.” His words are as much of a threat as they are a promise. “There’s no getting out of this,mia vita.You stood up there and promised your life to me. Your soul to me. Your body. There’s no taking that back. When I put that ring on your finger, I claimed ownership. Now you are mine to do with as I please. And right now, Ireallywant you naked.”

I can’t do anything but gape at him. My mind and body are at war with one another—as they so often are around Dante. He takes a step forward, a move that has his knees brushing the end of the bed, and his hand easily wraps around my throat when he reaches out. “So you can fight me on it if you want, but thisishappening. Now.”

His other hand undoes the front clasp of my bra and it falls away as he trails his hand down my abdomen. Wrapping his fingers around the waistband of my thong, he shreds it with one rough tug, leaving me bare before him, wearing nothing but my gun, knife, and blood-red soled heels.

Chapter 2

Mine. Finally, she’s all fucking mine. And holy shit, was she worth the wait. I don’t know where to start as I stare at her bare before me on her knees. The weapons were an unexpected surprise that I’m entirely here for. My gaze catches on the blades in their sheaths and my dick weeps as I picture carving my initials into her ivory skin.

I take my time memorizing every inch of her as I slowly rake my eyes over her toned thighs, flat stomach, and perfect tits. There’s no rush, and I plan on taking my time exploring every curve and valley. Her body trembles under my perusal as her breaths become labored. The way she responds to me, the fact that she’s practically panting and I haven’t even touched her yet, has the zipper digging painfully into my rock-hard erection. It’s only when I reach her face that some of the euphoria pumping through me ebbs. Her body might be on board with what we’re about to do, but her mind isn’t. There’s a hesitancy in her cerulean eyes mixed with an edge of defiance that pisses me off. I don’t know how much fucking clearer I can be. Obviously, words aren’t going to get through to her, so I hold her unsure gaze as I flex my fingers around her neck and my thumb rubs soothingly over her hammering pulse.

Slowly, I slide my hand down over her chest, noting how her breathing hitches and her nipples pebble into sharp points. I continue my descent, deviating to trail the tip of my finger around her areola before tweaking her nipple. Her gasp of surprise goes straight to my dick, and it takes more self-control than I care to admit to not rip my pants open and lay claim to her—plenty of time for that.

I lavish her other breast with the same attention until she’s rubbing her thighs together, desperate for some friction. How can she not see that she’s made for me? Others would run in the opposite direction when they see me, and any woman that gets on her knees does so out of fear, not lust. While there is something intoxicating about inducing such fear into people, it’s also dull. Sawyer and Lor are the only two people who have laid eyes upon my cold exterior and been drawn to it. Lor enjoys fighting back against my anger, pushing me to feel. He stokes the flames every time and reaps the rewards of the consequence.

Sawyer is more cautious yet similar. I often catch her studying me with a furrow to her brows like she can’t figure me out. I’m an enigma to her, and that curiosity lures her in, even when she tries to tell herself she shouldn’t be. She needs to stop fighting with herself. Stop holding herself back.

I want to see all of her.

Own all of her.

Lay witness to every vulnerable part of her.

Her thighs are pressed tightly together as my hand follows the curve of her hip, and I continue to hold her gaze as I force my fingers into the tight gap. Everything in her eyes says she’s turned on but unsure, and everything in mine urges her to give in. To submit.

“Open for me,” I demand in a rough growl. I’m trying to take this slow, to give her time to catch up and get on board, but she’s pushing at the very last of my restraint. I manage to curl my fingers, brushing against her clit, and she jolts. Her lips part on a silent moan, her gorgeous blue eyes rounding as they continue to stare back at me.

I repeat the action, pressing harder against the bundle of nerves. I watch as she swallows roughly, her body trembling in its efforts to resist. “Open.” It’s a ragged command and, this time, I mean more than just her legs.

She must realize how futile it would be to fight me on this as her muscles slowly relax, giving me a bit more room to move my fingers in a circular motion that soon has her trembling for a whole other reason.

Her hands come to rest on my shoulders, her nails pressing into my skin through my shirt. Her breaths come in small, rapid pants, and I drink all of it in as I push her closer to her release.

“Come for me,” I order, moving lower to slip a finger into her wet cunt. Despite how fucking ready she is for me, she continues to fight, doing everything she can to stave off her oncoming orgasm. It’s useless. I can feel it in the fluttering of her pussy around my finger.

I close the last bit of space between us, ensuring her peaked nipples brush against the rough fabric of my shirt as I wrap my free hand around her throat. I slide my hand up until my fingers press into the sides of her jaw, forcing her to maintain eye contact as I tilt her head back. Staring straight into the captivating depths of her lust-darkened, cerulean blue eyes, I repeat, “Come. For. Me.”

There’s a roiling sea of emotions in her gaze as she continues to resist for a brief moment. But the fight is lost as her pussy squeezes my finger and a low groan escapes her lips. And, holy fuck, it is the most stunning defeat I’ve ever laid witness to. She’s still gasping for breath as I slam my mouth down on hers. My control snaps, and I surge forward, dragging her into my arms and sending us both crashing to the bed. She could be fighting me tooth and nail and I wouldn’t realize it as I lose myself in the feel of her soft curves pressed against the hard lines of my body.

I pull back enough to rip my tie over my head and tear my shirt open, sending buttons flying around the room. As I peer down at her, I take in the freshly-fucked flush on her chest and the way her eyes roam over my bare torso. As I move to undo my belt buckle, she follows the movement but doesn’t speak up or try to stop me. I can read it on her face. She’s done fighting—for now. I knowmia vitawell enough to understand that a couple of orgasms won’t be enough to fully convince her that she’s mine, but it’s a start.

Kicking off the rest of my clothes, I hover over her, using my knees to spread her wide as I nestle between her thighs. Not once does she look away from me, and as I hold her gaze I nudge at her entrance and slowly slide home.

---