Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“They what? Why didn’t you come to me before this?”
“Don’t pretend you care,” she scoffs. “Stop insulting me. At least now I know why you got tired of me. Because you had somebody else.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? Get out of here, now. Or do you want a bigger X on your back than you already have?”
“I thought it would be easier for you if you could get me out of the way. Now that you have somebody else to fuck, why would you care if I live or die?”
“You’re not making any sense.” I look up and down the length of the hall, which is thankfully empty at the moment. “I don’t know what point you’re trying to prove here, but this is neither the time nor the place. I’m going to tell you once more. Get out of here, now.”
“Not until I say one more thing.” She tosses her head back, eyes narrowing. “It’s over. For real. I’m sick of you using me. I’m sick of the lies. I’m sick of being hurt. You’re going to let me die anyway, so at least I’ll take back my dignity. And I’m going to tell you I’m sick of you. I hate you. And when I’m gone, and you did nothing to stop it, I hope it’s on your conscience until the day you die.”
And then she backs away.
Which is her mistake. Thinking she’ll have the last word. Thinking I would let her get away with this on her terms.
Here I am, wishing for some way to vent my anguish.
A means of doing just that delivered themself to my front door.
“Oh, no,” I whisper, hauling her close. “It’s not going to be that easy. This doesn’t end until I say it does.”
With that, I pull her inside and lock the door.
24
DELILAH
Now I’ve done it.
I’m not only observing a predator. I’m trapped in the cage with him.
The worst part is I walked up to the cage myself. Nobody forced me into it. The only person I have to blame is myself.
Lucas takes me by the wrist in a flash and pins my arm behind my back. He’s breathing heavy, each burst of air hot against my face. I try to turn away from it, away from him, but he only digs his fingers into my cheeks and forces me to look at him.
“You are not the one calling the shots here, Delilah.” He hardly even sounds like himself, like somebody I’ve never met before.
Somebody unhinged, wild, and dark.
He’s capable of anything, and somehow, the only thing I can think is: would anybody hear me if I screamed?
Do I even want to?
He trails his fingers over my jaw and down my throat. My breath hitches, and he smiles. “That’s right. We both know the things that I could do to you right now. It would be effortless. It might even solve my problems. Hell, it would definitely put your mouth to better use than it’s currently being used for.”
“Let me go,” I grunt, still wiggling even though it doesn’t do me any good.
“Didn’t I already tell you once that you don’t get a say in what happens next?” He pulls my wrist a little farther up my back, and pain radiates down my arm. When I gasp, his smile widens. “I could snap your arm like a twig, and there’s nothing you could do about it. Say it. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
“There’s nothing I can do about it, Lucas.” The words taste sour in my mouth, but maybe that’s my fear.
“And if I take this.” He jams his other hand between my legs and squeezes until tears come to my eyes. “As many times as I want. As often as I want. There’s nothing you can do to stop me. Say it.”
“I can’t stop you. There’s nothing I can do,” I whisper the words, hating the way my voice sounds as they come out.
His grip tightens, and the pain intensifies, causing me to whimper. “You’re hurting me, Lucas.”
“Good, but surely not as bad as you hurt me,” he growls and continues, “I want your pain, Delilah. I want your fear, your sadness. I want it all.”
A shiver works its way down my spine.
Does he really want to hurt me?
He pushes me against the door and holds me in place with his body. His teeth graze my earlobe. “Come on. Fight me. Try to stop me.”
I don’t know what to do. My thoughts are racing, and adrenaline pulses through my veins, making it hard to think. I don’t know how I hurt him, and I don’t know how to fix this without it ending badly.
Do I give him what he wants? Will he hurt me more if I don’t try?
He squeezes my pussy again, and this time my whimper is louder. “Are you going to fight, or are you afraid?” Now both my wrists are pinned above my head, held in place by one of his hands while the other travels down my side and over my hip. He touches me like a lover, even when the rage inside his eyes resembles something like hate. His lips skim my throat, and I almost lean into his touch until I’m reminded of the monster he is when his teeth sink into my flesh.