Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 76309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
“I’m trying to spill my guts here.”
“Good. Keep spilling.”
I grab a magazine and throw it spinning at his neck. He bats that out of the air with a lazy backhand then lunges for me.
I sprint to the side, yelping with fear, laughing now. It’s stupid, but this little chase game has my heart racing, and suddenly all my ugly, black thoughts are gone. I’m focused entirely on him, on this crazy man I’ve somehow started to fall for, even if I’m not quite ready to admit that’s what I’m doing.
His fingers catch my shirt. I scream, yanking it back, howling as I do it. He’s laughing too, grinning wildly, slowly dragging me toward him—until I writhe my back and torso, throw my arms in the air, and drop down until my shirt comes off.
His eyes go wide. I scramble away, breathing hard, in only my bra now.
“Quit staring at my tits, perv,” I say, flushed and happy. My nipples must be hard as hell based on his expression. “I get what you’re doing.”
“Is it working?” He starts advancing again.
“I’m not throwing myself a pity party anymore, so I guess it is.”
“You’re a good person, Renata. You sacrifice a lot for your grandfather. You treat your friends well. If the world ended right now, you could go on to the other side knowing you were a net positive.”
“What’s the point of being a net positive if I don’t get to enjoy it?” I screech as he nearly grabs my arms, barely jumping to avoid him, putting the couch between us. I grab a remote and brandish it at him.
“I understand why you might feel that way, but pleasure isn’t everything.”
“Maybe you’re wrong about that.” I fling the remote at his head. He ducks, barely missing. It clatters against the wall. “Maybe pleasure’s everything.”
“Then let me bite you, little Ren.”
“You think that’s the kind of pleasure I want? Get real, maniac.” I make a break for the back hall. I’m laughing as I go, hair streaming behind me, racing hard. But Lanzo’s fast, and before I can make it to the safety of my door, he catches my hips and yanks me back into him.
I fall off balance, hit his chest, and we topple down together on the hall floor. He turns, letting me land on top of him, and he lets out a sharp grunt as he hits. I try to struggle, but he wraps his strong arms around me, pinning me to his chest.
“Looks like I won,” he says, grinning into my struggling face.
“Let. Me. Go!”
“No thanks.” He reaches down and kisses my neck. “Gentle at first.”
My eyes go wide. “Lanzo. Don’t you dare!”
“A little rougher.” He sucks, like he wants to give me a hickey. I let out an involuntary moan that means absolutely nothing because I am still very mad at this man.
“Lanzo!”
“And now the main course.” He bites my neck, not hard enough to break skin, but it does hurt. I grimace, flinching back, but he immediately kisses the spot, licking and sucking my neck until I’m whimpering with delight.
“Delicious,” he whispers.
“You’d really tear me apart for fun, wouldn’t you?”
He laughs, letting me go. I push back, but I don’t get up. I straddle him instead, hands on his chest.
His fingers dig into my hips. “Devour you, rebuild you, and do it all over again.”
“Maniac. You’re an absolute madman.”
“But you like it, don’t you?”
“I live in constant fear.”
“Please. Your nipples are hard. Your pussy is warm and wet. You’re sucking down air because you can’t catch your breath. You love this, little Ren. Admit it.” His hands move to my ass.
I slap his chest. “Easy.”
He slaps my ass. “Harder.”
“Prick.” I push off and stand. Before he can get up, I put a shoe on his chest, pushing him back down. “You should stay there, you weirdo. I don’t trust myself around you.”
“Good.” He knocks my foot away. I stumble backwards, bracing myself on the wall, as he slowly stands. “Come here.”
“Hell, no. You’re going to gnaw on my freaking knee or something deranged.”
“I’m going to gnaw on your swollen clit if you don’t get yourself together and come here right now.”
“Bossy,” I say, flushing with more than adrenaline. Desire fills my core, hot and exciting. “But no thanks.”
“Renata.” Fuck, I like when he says my name. “I’m not going to bite you again. I won’t even kiss you.”
“Then why are you telling me to get closer? I can’t trust a thing you say.”
That seems to hurt him. He glances away. “I think you need some time, but I don’t want you to be alone tonight.”
That melts some of my defenses. “Lanzo. I do trust you. I only said that as part of the game.”
“Yeah, well—”
“It wasn’t your fault.” I walk to him, put my hands on his chest. “Even though I’m still annoyed with you, it wasn’t your fault.”