Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
It gave him even more power.
He can take control when we’re playing. I like it when he’s bossing me around. But I can’t let him push my emotions around, even if that’s not his intention. I need to get control of myself, which means I need to keep him at a safe distance.
This is only a game.
“Next time, don’t keep me waiting.” I turn away and start back toward the door. Every part of me wants to stay, but I need to show him that I won’t just wait around for him whenever he wants me to. If he wants to play, then he’d better start playing my way, too.
“Wait,” he says and follows after me.
I reach the door and pause, looking back. “You’re bad for me. You know that, don’t you?”
Even through the mask, I can tell that makes him uncomfortable. “I know,” he says, his voice strained. “And you’re very bad for me. Do you know how dangerous this is? Me coming here like this? Pulling it off once was hard enough, but your brother’s security team isn’t stupid. They increased all their defense measures and made this fifty times harder. I should never have come.”
“But here you are.” I cock my head. “Is that why you’re hiding up here?”
“It’s too much of a risk inside. I should have told you earlier.”
I relax slightly. My hand falls away from the door as I turn to him. “We should stop this then,” I say.
“You’re right. We should.” He pauses and lets that sink in. “But I don’t want to.”
“I don’t want to, either,” I admit.
“I want to offer you a deal.” He turns away and walks toward the edge of the roof. I hesitate, not wanting to cede power back into his hands, but I’m too tempted. I follow after, leaving space between us.
“It’d better be a good one. I’m ten seconds away from going home.”
“If we’re going to see each other more, we can’t come to Cage again. If you’re willing to agree to that, I promise I’ll find more suitable locations.”
“Locations where we can play?”
He looks back at me and nods. There’s a strange hunger in his eyes, obvious even through the mask. “Yes, little demon, places where we can play.”
I take a deep, shuddering breath and close my eyes. This is a bad idea. But also, it’s just a game. Those two feelings war against each other.
I want Jackal, but I’m afraid of giving too much to him. I need Jackal, but it terrifies me, needing another person. It would be so much easier to turn around, walk away, and go back to the way things were.
Except I’m not sure I can.
“I’ll give you one more chance,” I say, faking some bravado, and I’m pretty sure he can see through it.
“Even though we’re no good for each other?” He turns and faces me. “Close your eyes, Laura. Take off your mask.”
I know that tone. It’s a command, not a request, but it’s also an invitation. Slowly, I pull the chin of my mask up, and tilt it back.
He looks at my face and comes closer.
“I like the colors,” he says, speaking very softly. I strain to hear him, hanging on his words, on his tone. “You did that for me, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.”
“You did it because you’re mine. You marked yourself for me, and you wanted to show the whole room who owns you.”
I shiver and close my eyes. I nod my head slowly. I hear him come closer, the creak of his shoes on the patchy roof.
“You can’t stop our game, even if you want to. That scares you, doesn’t it? But, baby, it scares me too. Only I like being scared, and I think you like it too.”
“I don’t know what I like,” I admit. But also, I know I like being around him. It’s strange, but there’s something about the mask. It makes me feel safe.
“Tonight, I want you to go back to your house, open your laptop, turn it toward you on your bed, and touch yourself while thinking of me.” He’s standing very close now. I’m shaking with anticipation. “I’ll give you something to help, but you have to keep your eyes closed. Can you do that?” He’s inches away now.
“Yes, I can,” I say, and my voice trembles. My eyes stay shut.
“Don’t peek, baby,” he says and his breath is warm against my neck.
I whimper, unable to help myself. God, this man, I don’t even know what his face looks like, and he has me soaking wet and shaking for him, anticipating his every move.
His lips press to my neck. I bite my lip to keep myself from moaning. He kisses up to my jawline, across my cheek, to the corner of my lips. I keep my eyes squeezed shut, but if I opened them right now, I’d see his face and I’d know exactly who my torturer is.