Page 9 of King of Malice

“Greek.”

I didn’t belong to anyone. Both disdain and a rush of excitement exploded deep within, enflaming my core even more. Another moment of intense heat swept across my jaw, and I chewed on my cheek, refusing to allow him to see he’d slipped ever so slowly under my armor. “That’s very sweet.”

“And very true. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in a very long time, perhaps ever.” He was obviously comfortable in his skin, far too much so, confirming my thought that he was a man used to taking what he wanted.

I glanced out the window, retreating from the banter. Words of rebuttal felt like sand in my mouth, scratching my throat as I attempted to swallow. I’d never been befuddled around any man, let alone one who appeared as a predator lurking around his prey.

“That was unfair of me to make you uncomfortable. My name is Phoenix.”

Offering his name so readily surprised me more than it should. I turned my head slowly and sensed truthfulness in his eyes. “Yes, you meant to make me very uncomfortable.”

I was rewarded with another smile, but he had no plans of giving up without getting my name. “I’ve given you a truth. It’s only fair to do the same.”

“Fair? Who said I played fair?”

He took a deep breath, holding it in his lungs while I was captivated by his raw scent of power and testosterone, already lightheaded from the fragrance. “Playing by the rules is fair.”

“Who said I played by anyone’s rules?”

“Then there are consequences for bad behavior.”

“Consequences. Is that how you acquire women, goading them into playing your games?”

“Acquire is such a nasty word.”

“But true. Yes?”

When he laughed, the deep rumble of his voice sent another shockwave of longing into my pussy. My clit pulsed with an intense thrum, leaving my panties damp. Suddenly I felt weak, as if I couldn’t ignore the electricity soaring between us.

His eyes remained piercing, the deep emerald color reminding me of a perfect uncut gem. “I am a man who has no qualms about taking what I desire.”

The statement was factual, said without reservation. There was no reason I should be so aroused by the powerful words, but my nipples were swollen and aching, the scent of my desire easily floating across the table. The primal look in his eyes was a powerful draw, but not enough so to force me to acquiesce to his obvious attempt at seduction. But I was curious just how far he would go with his expertly crafted game. “You have me curious, Phoenix. What is it that you want? If you’re a gentleman, then you’ll tell me.”

He was a man who liked to play in the darkness of sin and filth, someone who was so used to being in control that he had no understanding of how to handle a strong woman. But I sensed the predator in him wouldn’t handle a loss with grace.

There was no hiding his carnal need or the lurid thoughts laying claim to the conversation. For all his sinful glory, the prowess he possessed, it was his aura of danger that excited me the most. The way he looked at me seared my skin, the thoughts racing through my mind dangerously close to letting go, allowing this mysterious stranger to ruin me.

“I’m no gentleman,omorfiá. I am a brutal man. Some would call me a savage. However, I am truthful, often to a fault. Make no mistake, my beautiful creature. Before the end of the evening, Iamgoing to fuck you.”

CHAPTER4

Whitney

The words lingered in the back of my mind as he pulled me from one train car to another. He’d acted like it was his God-given right, as if he already owned me.

My heart raced the moment he stopped in front of a cabin door, wasting no time unlocking it. As soon as his shoulder hit the hard piece of steel, he issued a husky growl that sent a wave of shivers down my legs. Then without hesitation, he tossed me against the wall. I reached for his shirt, fighting to yank it from the tight confines of his trousers.

Phoenix cupped my face, the force of his fingers threatening to bruise my skin. The desperate need we both felt was electric and alive, the man crushing his mouth over mine. I was taken aback by his roughness, but the woman inside wanted to experience everything he offered.

No matter the consequences.

As he swept his tongue inside, I was pulled into a dark abyss, allowing him to take control. I struggled to slide my hand between us, finally able to stroke the thick bulge between his legs. He was rock hard, throbbing against my palm. The kiss was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, just as powerful, filled with the kind of lust that could easily consume every cell in my body.

Delirium tore through me, the warmth as unexpected as the man. There was no backing out, no way of stopping what could be considered madness. I’d never done anything this impulsive or irrational, but I couldn’t resist his animal magnetism. It became hard to think as he dominated my tongue, the taste of him rich with hints of his after-dinner scotch and the peppermint he’d consumed.

I realized my small hand had difficulty wrapping around his huge girth and my mouth watered from the thought. He growled into the kiss, dragging first one arm then the other over my head. When he wrapped one massive hand around my wrists, I struggled in his hold once again. He was having none of it, slamming my hands against the wall. As he continued to drink from me, fighting to quench his thirst, I refused to stop wiggling.

He finally pulled away seconds later, wrapping his hand around my throat. My pussy burned in anticipation of what he had planned. The pressure he used should terrify me. Instead, it enflamed the raging fire more than before. I took gasping breaths, darting my eyes back and forth across his. There was no doubt he would ravage me, owning every inch if only for a night.

---