Page 43 of Savage Sin

“Give me what I want. I have a map in my bag. Put some points on it and show me where and I’ll do the rest. You’ll be free to go, Persi. Help me punish that man who hurt you.”

“No.”

He simply nods.

Using one hand, he takes both sides of the seat of my shorts and forces the thin material between my cheeks. Fully exposed, he takes his time caressing the globes of my ass as if he’s worshiping me.

“I won’t hesitate this time around, Persi. I’ll put those shackles back on you if that is what it takes to get what I want. I made the mistake of being nice to you once.”

I wiggle on his lap and try to break free, but the arm across my shoulder blades locks firmly into place.

“Try for that door again and I will do whatever it takes to keep you inside my walls. You would do well to remember you don’t truly know me or what I am capable of.” Lethal promises hide between his words.

Smack.

Pain shoots through me.

But so does forbidden pleasure and for one fraction of a second between the sting and burn, my mind is set free.

His hand massages the flesh and my face flames with heat unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. His words are harsh, but his touch is…sensual? My head can’t wrap around all the mixed signals.

“Rage, I can’t. Please, just let me find my way out of here. I won’t tell anyone. I’ll just fade away.”

He plucks me off his knees and places me on the floor between his legs. In all the struggling, my T-shirt has ridden up to reveal the undersides of my breasts. His gaze caresses over the ample swell. Kneeling like this, I have limited options for getting away. He captures my chin, angles my head up, and gently kisses my lips.

“You will never get away from me,hermosa.” Should I take that as a threat? In my heart of hearts, I feel no danger from his words. But a dark promise is present, nonetheless.

He twists my hair to the side before resting his hand on the cushion. I look down and that is when I see it. Blood cakes his knuckles and I don’t know how I missed it on all that pristine white of his shirt. I guess my vision was narrowed down to escaping.

“Sangre? Is that blood on your hands?” My heart thumps faster and faster. Dark crimson splashes over the inked barbed wire across his knuckles and the various other designs spilled over the back of his hands.

I try to move across the living room, but a hand on my upper arm and the glass shards littering the surrounding floor keep me rooted in place. Shadows cut across his face and this time it has nothing to do with the light and everything to do with the man himself and the sins he carries.

Shivers climb the length of my spine and a rush of adrenaline refuels my hammering heart, trying to beat a hole through my chest.

“Did… you kill someone tonight, Rage?” I don’t know what I will do if he says yes.

He pulls on the ends of his shirt and tosses it aside like the blood splatter is an afterthought.

I’m helpless to protect myself against the dark desires coursing through me. Should I fear them, revel in them? In either case, I have to be a head case to follow through with anything that will put me in a horizontal position with this man.

Light gleams off metal. Ink covers everything. I swallow and raise my chin defiantly. Nothing about the thoughts rushing through my head right now makes sense or seems proper.

“Yes, it’s blood. I’ve been out hunting down the people who killed my brother since you refuse to help me.”

“Wait.” I tug on my hand, but he only tightens his fingers more.

Surprise widens my eyes and I momentarily block out how his eyes drop to my bare legs in these shorts and grip onto my anger with all my willpower. “Are you saying whatever you did tonight is on me? Screw you.”

Hard pecs shift with the bark of laughter he releases. It’s dark and curls around my heart.

He moves us to the bottom of the staircase. He turns and the width of his shoulder blocks out everything in front of me. He’s all I see.

“I found a man who played a part in his death, but I did not kill him. I should have. I won’t lie. But I was interrupted.”

“So you would have.” I state flatly, not in the least bit surprised.

“Don’t sound shocked,hermosa. You know I am a killer.”

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