Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
He touches my lips, and I realize my mouth is hanging open. What he’s saying is too much to imagine.
“Really?”
“Really.”
I can’t believe it. The picture he’s painting is… very attractive. Dinner and then a chase through the house.
It can be like this.
“Would you like that?” He leaves the question hanging while he returns the washcloth to the bathroom.
I’m still braindead, but a yes is on the tip of my tongue.
Then I notice he’s taken all the candelabras out of the room. The air still has a slight skunky flavor, but it’s a lot fresher in here.
“Did you figure out how I was drugging you?” I ask.
He gives me a flat look. “The candles.”
“What about them? I love candles. Lots of people have a candle obsession.”
“Especially when they smell like hashish.”
I knew I went too hard on the opioid compounds in the most recent batch.
“You even decorated the table with poppy flowers,” he says.
I giggle. “You noticed.”
“And you put on the episode of Vampire Varsity where the chess club gets high and gets possessed by the spirit of a succubus.”
“Season five, episode twenty-one. It’s a good one.”
He shakes his head. “You left so many clues.”
“It’s only fair. Supervillain code of honor. Make sure a worthy adversary has a chance to beat you.” I twist one of his curls around my finger.
“You think you’re a supervillain?”
I deepen my voice. “You’re in my clutches now, Mr. Blond,” I say in a fake British accent.
“No. You’re in mine.”
* * *
Kaiser
* * *
I lie back and pull her into my arms. I never thought I’d enjoy cuddling with a woman all night, but I want a lifetime of this. The fire that ignited after I took her virginity still burns under my skin, but I welcome it. Every time I touch her, I feel a little bit more.
She’s still playing with my hair. “You said you figured it out a week ago. Why did you wait so long?”
I cup her cheek. “To lull you into a sense of complacency.”
She grins. She loves that. “To get my guard down.”
“Yes. And study your every move.” I grip a handful of her hair in my fist. “Because I want to know you. I want to know everything about you and what’s going on in that brain of yours. You act like you’ve had the upper hand all this time, and I needed to know why.” I release her hair and put my hand around her neck.
She blinks. Her body softens, but her forehead furrows. She looks like she just realized something, something awful. “You figured it out. It was the candles.”
“I’m sure you have more tricks up your sleeve.” I pull her forward until her forehead presses against mine. “I will learn all your secrets, little bride. I’m going to turn you inside out. I’m not a good person.” I squeeze my fingers until her pulse flutters and her eyes half close. “I would own you if I could, but I don’t think I can.”
Her sigh shakes her small frame. I release her and study her beautiful face. She’s wide-eyed, looking shaken.
She reaches for me, hesitates. I tense, bracing myself. It’s an instinct to stop someone from touching me. But her touch? I long for it.
Her fingers hover over my lips. A threat. Everything I ever wanted.
“Kiss me,” she whispers.
At first, I’m not sure if I heard her right. “Are you sure?” I need to know if she means it. “Aren’t you afraid we’ll fall in love?”
Her gaze falters. “I’m not worried about that anymore.” She looks unhappy. I’m missing something. “I mean it, Kaiser.” I love it when she says my name. “Kiss me. I want—”
I stop her words with my lips. I can’t wait any longer. I want to hear what she wants, but I want to kiss her more.
Her lips are soft and sweet. I can feel them. I can taste her. She’s so sweet. So deadly. The perfect poison. If I die tonight, I’ll die a happy man.
Our breath mingles. Her tongue slips out, touching mine. I groan and fist her hair, forcing her closer. She melts against me. Her weight is delicious, calming the raging fire in my skin.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I say.
“So are you.” But she sounds a bit sad.
“The minute I saw you, I wanted you. It was wrong, but I didn’t care. You were made for me—”
I tug her hair, and her breath catches. I’m rock hard again, even though I just came. I could break Thorbjorn’s record.
“I’m not a good man. I knew if I asked, they would give you to me. And you’re everything I want.” I want to chase away the pout she has on her pretty face.
“I’m a lot to take.” She angles her head so it’s half in shadow. “I’m not a good girl.”
“No, you’re not.” I tug her hair so her face is fully in the light. She still looks troubled. “You’re like me. Do you know how many men I’ve killed?” Her gaze sharpens on me. She was curious about this when we first met.