Chapter 30 Late Night Confessions #3
Leaning in, she had no choice but to stare into his emerald eyes, the irises glimmering in the light.
His finger traced the outline of the tape on her skin, mocking her.
His eyes dipped down to her covered lips, then back up.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.” His sarcasm made her grit her teeth.
Her nails dug into the arm of the chair, leaving little marks.
Her mind tried to focus on that—the wood grain beneath her hands, and not the hate she concealed behind her teeth. Her throat ached as a scream built.
“Care to try and repeat it?” he pressed, his covered face impossibly close.
Anika mumbled, “fuck you,” this time knowing he wouldn’t understand. Nonetheless, it made her feel slightly better, and he inclined his head farther.
“How badly do you want me to—”
Crack!
Anika knocked her head into his, their closeness making it easy. Pain radiated out from her forehead, her skull aching from the hardness of his own head. But his surprise made it worth it.
“Fuck!” Mikko backed away, gloved hand clutching his forehead. Hers currently pounded from the harsh contact. Despite the pain, she was relatively unscathed; Anika had a hard head in more ways than one.
“Why the fuck did you do that?”
Smiling beneath the tape, Anika shrugged, cocking her head to the side as if to say, “no reason.”
As he turned away from her, his back was on display, and Anika wondered briefly if he had tattoos there as well.
Dangerous train of thought, she internally chided.
He gripped his head while trying to think of ways to torture her most likely. Anika squirmed in her chair. The ropes were tight, but if she could begin loosening them now, she’d be ahead of his own schemes.
Whipping back around as if remembering himself—and his captive—Mikko’s hand lashed out. Anika was sure his palm would connect with her cheek, a punishment for her own retaliation. But she was surprised when he ripped the tape free from her mouth.
A gasp flew out of her, the freedom tangible—the cool air brushing across her mouth ushering in a sense of relief. She could finally speak. “Ow.”
“Let’s try this again,” Mikko began, wadding up the tape and tossing it out of sight. His blatant disregard to her house pissed her off, but she kept her eyes trained on him. “I’m tired of playing these games with you, Anika. Why did you leave me the note?”
“If you’re tired of playing games, why do this?” She looked down at her body as rope rubbed against her flesh.
He sighed as if she exhausted him. “Don’t question me.”
“And if that’s exactly what I’m doing, what then? How far would you go for revenge?”
His eyes hardened, mind trying to unravel her so he could study her, but he’d find nothing. Anika was introspective, keeping everything to herself until she’d figured out what needed to be done. Then, she acted.
Until then, her secrets were just that.
Fire licked in her veins.
Desire darkened his eyes.
And the world stopped.
He was purposefully playing with her, drawing out her torture, trying to get her to crack.
And they were both feeding off the euphoric feeling.
“Then this is going to be a long, grueling process,” he finally said.
“Someone is going to have to give,” she started, “and it isn’t going to be me.”
“Oh, is that right?” His hand snaked up the front of her neck, gripping the delicate column of her throat. “Didn’t I just tell you how patient I could be, little moon?”
He restricted her blood flow, squeezing tightly. “Those who are truly patient don’t have to reassure those around them—”
Before she could even finish her sentence, the softness of his black balaclava brushed against her lips.
Even though there was material still between them, shock sparked throughout her body, shivers zipping down her spine at the sudden contact.
And as much as she wanted to shy away from him, she couldn’t.
It felt dirty to kiss him. And she liked it.
The warmth leaching through the fabric had her tugging uselessly against her restraints.
His lips pressed against hers, eager to touch her even if there was a barrier between them.
Despite their argument, their overall situation, there was a hunger in Mikko—one Anika wanted to tear out of him.
He always kept it locked behind his stoic facade unless he was around her. Then, all hell broke loose.
Everything sparking between them conveyed what they couldn’t say: desire and unadulterated lust. Anika knew she shouldn’t want it, knew they were always at each other’s throats, but this felt so good.
He felt so good. Curse the threads of hate tying them together.
Those emotions were beginning to suspiciously feel similar.
If only he wasn’t Alek’s son…
Mikko groaned against her lips, the sound vibrating across her sensitive skin. It was at such odds from the ripping sensation of the tape moments before.
If she’d have guessed confessing partially to Mikko would encourage him to break in and kiss her, she might’ve gone about this differently. But now, she didn’t want him to stop. He was in the palm of her hand, and it was the most exhilarating feeling in the world.
Pulling away, Mikko’s breath slightly labored, had her wishing his mask was gone—that she could feel him against her skin unhindered.
So she could sink her fucking teeth into him.
No, no, no.
Meeting his gaze head on, mostly unashamed of what had happened, she was surprised to see pain blatantly displayed in his eyes.
“Fuck,” he whispered.
Heat pooled between her thighs, her ability to clench them together mostly prohibited from his expert knots. She swallowed audibly, trying to school her features and tamp down her vile thoughts.
“You shouldn’t have done that.” Anika’s voice was quiet but strong. “Untie me and see how things go for you then.”
Backing away, he put more distance between them as if he didn’t trust himself.
Good.
“What and take the fun out of this?” His words were light but there was a fire blazing in his eyes.
“What? You don’t want me to touch you?” she said, a sweet smile forming on her face as she teased him. “You showering and coming all over my things has me thinking differently. You don’t want to know what it feels like for me to kiss and lick and suck—”
“I don’t think you’d want to see the man I become…” he trailed off, emotions back to cool and collected.
If her hands had been free, she would’ve wiped her mouth. “I think you’re using that excuse as a crutch.”
She’d learned long ago that even though humans were complex, they could be boiled down into attributes.
And she was figuring Mikko out piece by piece.
He was ruled by his emotions, but did everything in his power to remain emotionless in front of others.
Anika wanted to see him crack—knew he already had.
Him breaking in and cornering her was an action so full of feeling that it was amazing he couldn’t see it himself.
But Anika had no intention of giving the reins back to the man in front of her.
No, not until I get what I want.
“Besides, I’ve encountered people worse than you and made it out. I won’t be intimidated in my own home.”
Running his hands over the top of his head, forgetting his hair was protected by the balaclava, he tugged futilely on the fabric in frustration. “Intimidation is not the word I think of when I think of this.” His hands motioned between them and the distance he purposefully put there.
Anika smiled, words full of venom to hide her underlying emotions. “At least this time I know you’ll go home and have a great time with your hand…”
“That’s low, even for you.”
“Get out.”
He gathered his things and slung the duffel bag over his back. “When you decide to play nice, malyshka, you know where to find me.”
Her blood ignited farther. “Says the stalker.”
“Takes one to know one, little moon,” he started, a humorless smirk evident in his words, “but I believe our business here is finished. For now.”
Backing away, he looked at her one more time, the intensity in his gaze crippling. “I trust you can weasel your way out,” he said, nodding to her restraints.
“Wait—” she squirmed, trying to loosen the knots he’d created. She could, but it’d take her longer than she’d like.
“I’ll see you around.” With that he exited as quietly as he’d entered, leaving her too stunned to move. Glancing over to her table, she saw he’d left her gun there.
How generous, she inwardly scoffed.
The sound of the rain died down in his absence, leaving Anika feeling empty, anxious, and guilty. All emotions she hated more than anything else.