Page 17 of Twisted Embrace

Enzo shook his head as if tossing aside cobwebs. Blood trickled down from a cut near his eye. He didn’t bother to wipe it away as beads slipped dangerously close to his eye. He threw himself on top of me, the full weight of his body pinning me to the comforter.

His scent sizzled my senses, the exotic spices mixed with testosterone and timber intoxicating. I fought, flexing then fisting my hands, undulating under him. His rock-hard cock was pressed between my legs and I was lightheaded, a crazy image of him fucking me entering my mind.

What’s wrong with you? He’s a monster, a killer.

The rush of adrenaline was fading, my strength all but gone.

When I stopped struggling, he seemed appeased, cursing in Italian under his breath.

“You’re a very bad girl, Joy. You also created serious trouble for yourself.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Were my words even audible?

“We are going to talk.”

“Then what?”

“That depends on what you tell me. If your information is valuable, then I may consider being lenient with you.” He buried his face in my hair, taking a deep breath. What in God’s name was he doing? The deep rumble of his single growl permeated my mind, the softness of his lips pressed to my ear unsettling.

“Fuck you.”

The instant the words slipped from my mouth, I knew I’d made the wrong decision. I didn’t realize he’d released his hold until I became cognizant that he’d fisted part of my dress, easily ripping it into two pieces.

I managed to get off a single scream before he pressed my head down, wrapping a single finger around the elastic of my panties and ripping them off. Now my entire backside was exposed to the horrible beast.

“You like it rough, Joy? Is that what it’s going to take to get you to behave?” He pressed his hand on the small of my back and it was as if a boulder had been placed on my body. I couldn’t move. Even though I kicked out, I quickly realized I wasn’t going anywhere.

I managed to push up from the bed, still fighting as I twisted my head around to see what he was doing. The realization that he was unfastening his belt hit me hard. He was going to punish me?

When I screamed again, he shoved my face into the bedding. I was momentarily stunned until he grabbed my arms, yanking them over my head then wrapping my wrists with rope. Where the hell had he gotten it? Did he carry around with him in case he needed to shackle somebody?

Still winded, I craned my neck to see what he was doing.

He crawled onto the bed, hovering over me. A dark, husky laugh erupted from his throat. He fisted my hair, twisting my head until I was forced to look into his eyes. “Let’s do it your way, Joy. I’m going to punish you. Then I’m going to fuck you.”

CHAPTER 6

Joy

“You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going to have sex with you.” The shock of what he’d just stated as if it was simply a matter of business lingered, the butterflies in my stomach turning into a swarm of angry queen bees fighting for their existence.

“Trust me, princess. Taking you into my bed is me playing nice,” Enzo said with the kind of menacing growl meant to terrify me.

It was working, but I refused to allow him to know how petrified I was. “First of all, you Neanderthal, this is my bed. Second, you weren’t invited.”

His laugh sent another wave of mind-blowing desire to both kill and embrace him. “You don’t seem to understand who or what I am.”

“You’re a sanctimonious beast on steroids.”

I expected him to pistol whip me or worse, but when he trailed the tip of his finger all the way down my spine, my body reacted involuntarily, shivering visibly to his heated touch. “That may be so, but you’ll learn soon enough I take what I want.”

How had I suddenly gotten on his radar? Sure, we’d flirted a little at the restaurant, but he acted as if he’d discovered some deep, dark secret. My thoughts drifted to the letter once more. Should I show him it? I doubted that would make things any better.

My fingers wrapped around the bedding as he pulled away, the bastard adjusting my legs so they were inches apart. The moment he cracked the thick leather belt against the floor, I jerked up, trying to scramble to the other side once again. He jerked me back with such force the breath was knocked out of me.

Enzo pressed his hand on the small of my back, rubbing his thumb back and forth. “I suggest you stay still and accept your punishment. If you don’t, I assure you that I can provide something much more painful.”

I closed my eyes, willing my mind to drift somewhere else, but when he brought the belt down across my bottom, I let off a scream so loud, I was certain the neighbors heard the sharp cry. But would they care or simply walk into another room, used to the violent sights and sounds the city offered?

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