Page 18 of CHASE: Captive to the Dark

A soft whimper escaped, but the response didn’t come.

“I think you want more. I think you like this.” I settled my free palm over the welts covering her ribs and brought my hand up at a leisurely pace. “Is that what it is? You want me to continue? You want me to take what I want? Use you? Because I will. I’ll fuck you right now, Kit, and I promise, it won’t be gentle and full of sweet promises of something more. I can make you my whore.”

“Your whore?” The offense was present as her glare rose to mine. “You’re no priest. You’re the devil.”

“Perhaps,” I said, nodding to the room behind me. “After all, the devil was once an angel. Maybe that’s what happened to me. Maybe at some point I fell. I won’t rest until I learn why or who did this to me. And I think the clues lie within you. Should I start cracking you open to see what falls out? Or are you going to start talking?”

A roll of her eyes had my arm shooting down to lock around her throat. The pressure I added had Kit’s body going wild. She hadn’t thought me capable, and that’s where she fucked up. I was so much more than a man wielding a flogger and I let her see it in my eyes as I held her stare to mine. Words didn’t have to come from either of us. By the way she tried cowering, I knew she felt the evil I held. I’d taken it somewhat easy up until this point, but I couldn’t do this much longer. I wanted her.

“I suggest you start talking. Things will get a lot worse for you if you don’t. You’re smart, you know this.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks and I eased my fingers long enough to allow her a good breath. Immediately, I tightened, only to loosen again. Back and forth, I flexed, zoning in on how her life was mine in our moment. I had her and I could do whatever I wanted. Lust flared and I closed my eyes, moving in until my lips trailed along her cheek.

“You’re trembling, little one. I like that. I like all of this. Does that scare you? Or do you like this, too?”

A small cry mingled with a moan and my tongue licked over the saltiness of her tears, but I didn’t retreat. Instead, I kept my voice low, breathing in her scent as I continued. “You’ll like staying here with me. I’m going to take such good care of you.”

“You need help. You’re not okay.” The words were forced from the pressure of my hand and I pulled back, tugging at her bottom lip with my teeth before I loosened my fingers.

“Only you can help me.”

“How? I don’t understand what you want from me.”

I leaned back, trailing my thumb along the underside of her generous breast. “Let’s start with your real name. We’ll go from there.”

A deep exhale left her chest caving in and more weight settled over my hand from her breast. “Fine. Kathleen Danielle Walker. That’s the truth.”

I took two big steps back, hating the loss of intimacy. Aggravation swirled inside at no emotion being stirred by the name. I hadn’t expected it to. I didn’t think I knew Kit, but I was hoping something would happen at hearing her real identity.

“Why go by McIntyre? What’s your brother hiding?”

Kit’s lips separated and she frowned. “I never said his name was different. It’s stupid, really. Rory and I are stepsiblings. I thought by using his last name I’d spare myself from anyone asking questions.”

“That is stupid…and uncalled for. I don’t believe you.”

“My purse is upstairs. Feel free to look at my driver’s license if you’d like.”

Every expression, down to the tick of her cheek registered. I still didn’t believe her, but I couldn’t deny that she might have been telling the truth.

“Where did you grow up? Florida, too?”

“Sometimes. We moved around a lot.”

“Why?” I reached down, picking up the flogger. Kit tensed for the smallest moment. In jerky movements, she went from me to what I held.

“My stepfather…he…couldn’t keep a job. He…” Tears clouded her eyes and I could tell she didn’t want to talk about this. “He was a fucking asshole. No one wanted him around. I don’t even know why my mother did.”

I slid my palm down the leather strands, tightening my fist and twisting my hand around until black overlapped around my grip. “It doesn’t sound like a very nice childhood for you.”

“It wasn’t, but it’s over with, thank God. Can you let me down now?” Impatience flashed as her arms pulled against the cuffs.

“No…I don’t think so.”

A yell of frustration had her going crazy. “I told you what you wanted to know. Let me down. Get me off of here!”

The more tears that left her, the more fascinated I became. The monster within clawed at my insides, begging me to continue the flogging. To make her cry harder as I teased her into submission. “I do believe you’re throwing a fit. What’s the matter, little girl? What are you so afraid of?”

Sobs died out as her eyes narrowed. “You have to ask? Look at me. Look at you. I have every reason to be scared and upset.”

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