Page 27 of Madness

I didn’t like seeing him outside of my normal environment. Not that I was safe in the club. He’d proven I wasn’t. But the illusion had given me strength. There was no illusion of safety now.

Anxiety forced my heart to beat faster as I stared straight ahead. I watched the bodyguard through the windshield as he stood out in the rain. I didn’t want to look at my demon.

Maddox was turned toward me; his gaze tracked every inch of my body. I felt it like a burning touch to my skin. Heating me from the inside out. He wasn’t even touching me, but I still reacted to him. To his nearness. To his imposing presence.

“You’re not going to work tonight.” Maddox said with easy confidence, as if he controlled what I did.

“The hell I’m not.” My head whipped to him in anger.

“You’re having dinner with me.” He kept talking like he hadn’t heard a word I said.

“I am not having dinner with you.” Acid dripped from my words.

“You’re a cheap date. Should I rip that skirt off you and tear into your tight pussy right here, then?”

My lips parted in shock as he smiled at me. My eyes narrowed as I took in his expensive suit. His fancy car. His condescending smile. I hated him. I hated that he thought he owned me. That he could treat me like a toy.

“I willneverhave sex with a smug piece of shit like you.” I turned away from him, anger boiling my blood. My hand closed around the door handle, but his fingers dug into the nape of my neck. He tugged roughly, forcing me to him.

His hard chest was pressed into my back. His warm skin and smoky scent surrounded me, causing a shiver to run down my spine. His lips brushed my ear as he spoke.

“Never say never, little dove.” I heard him inhale a deep breath as if he was drawing my scent into his lungs. “I will make you beg for my cock. You’ll hate yourself for it, but you’ll still do it.”

“I will never do that.” I closed my eyes, trying to hide from the soft whisper of my voice.

“Yes, you will because you’re a greedy little slut who loves how I touch you. Take you. Hurt you.” His fingers flexed on my neck, and for a second, I wanted him to squeeze. Wanted him to give me the pain.

I wanted to beg him to let me go, but I knew it was what he expected me to do. It was what he got off on. He wanted me to break. To bend to him. I wouldn’t do it. Life was already trying to break me. I wouldn’t let him be the last hit. Instead, I tried the truth.

“I can’t afford to miss work.” I whispered into the dark car. I was glad he was holding my neck because I couldn’t look at him. “I need the money.”

Maddox’s hand moved to the front of my body, his fingers gripping my throat. His thumb pushed my jaw until I was forced to look into his dark emotionless eyes. Something soft flicked in them before disappearing quickly.

He was so close our noses brushed. I wondered if he was going to kiss me. He’d finger fucked me twice. Spanked my ass. Covered my skin with his cum. But he’d never kissed me.

I wanted him to. I wanted to know what his lips would feel like against mine. What he would taste like. I hated that I was curious.

“Same deal as last time.” His lips grazed mine as he spoke. “$2,000 for you to have dinner with me.”

His hot breath tingled across my skin as he rubbed our noses together. It was a surprisingly intimate gesture. Almost sweet. Or it would’ve been if his fingers weren’t closing around my throat. It was just enough pressure to make breathing difficult. To make my head feel fuzzy. Or maybe it was him making me feel like that.

“Will we play another game?” The words were out of my mouth before I knew what I was asking.

His expression darkened with lust. His jaw ticked. He licked his lips. His fingers squeezed. He liked the idea. He liked it even more that I had suggested it. Why did I like pleasing him?

I was falling down the rabbit hole.

No.

I was walking towards the door in my mind. My hand was outstretched. I wanted to close my fingers around the handle. Pull it open. Fulfill those depraved desires. Instead, I turned my back to it.

In Maddox’s hold, my chest rose and fell. My breath coming out in short pants as I waited for him.

“Yes.” That one word held so much promise even as it dripped with depravity.

I should run. The door was already trying to force its way open. I was already too deep. But I needed the money. And a twisted part of me wondered what would happen next. How far we could take this? How much could I really handle?

“Okay.”

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