Chapter 10 #2
“He’s probably already planning his next heist.” Owen had a frown on his face as he threw a pebble into the lake. He was frustrated to say the least. He’d gotten his hopes up just to meet another dead end.
“Probably,” I echoed, wiping the sweat from my brow, watching the water ripple lazily.
“How does he do it, anyway? Is he some kind of boy genius?”
I let my head fall forward, staring at my hands in my lap.
“You’re too smart for your own good,” I huffed in indignation as Grayson won again, taking my king in just ten moves. I was good at chess, but compared to him, I looked and felt like a child.
“Be honest, darling. You love how smart I am.” He grinned smugly, pulling me onto his lap, making me straddle him. He’d been watching me with patient adoration as I glared at the chess board for too long in between moves, determined not to lose to him again.
It had been a cold, rainy day in Paris, so we stayed in Grayson’s apartment the whole day, huddled in front of the fireplace on a plush blanket.
“I hate losing to you in every single match,” I bristled. We’d been at it for hours—me demanding a rematch each time he beat me, refusing to accept defeat.
“And I love how tenacious you are, Princess. You’re a remarkably sore loser, you know that?” He bit at my jaw with a chuckle.
“And you’re a smug fucking asshole.”
“Hmm,” he hummed in my ear, making my heartrate pick up. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
I pushed away from him in frustration, but he didn’t let me go too far. And secretly, I loved how he held on to me, refusing to let me out of his arms.
I glared at him. “You must have been tested as a kid or something. So just tell me already. What’s your IQ?”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Those tests are stupid.”
“Just tell me,” I huffed frustratedly.
He glared back at me, sending an unexpected shiver down my spine. I was his so completely, and he was mine, but a look like that always made me feel a little uneasy.
“176.”
My mouth fell open. “Well, shit. And here you are using your gift to rob people, instead of solving world hunger.”
Grayson laughed like I’d told the most absurd joke. “I’d have to care about people to do that, little witch.”
I frowned. “So you don’t care? What about your family? What about me?” I questioned.
Grayson’s smile turned dark. “You, Princess?” He pulled a button on my shirt free, exposing some of my cleavage.
“For you I’d carve out every single last heart on this earth and lay them before your feet.
Just say the word.” He popped another few buttons open while my heart sputtered in delight.
It was wrong, so wrong, but I melted at his words.
“Well, I’m no mathematician, but is that even possible?” I challenged while his lips brushed against my breast. I bit my tongue to keep from moaning as he nipped at the sensitive flesh.
“If an exquisite thing like you chose to love a vile being like me, then nothing is impossible. All laws of the universe don’t apply anymore.”
I took his face in my hands, softly rubbing my nose against his. “There is nothing vile about you, Gray.”
“You won’t say that if you could hear my thoughts right now,” he whispered against my lips.
“Then let me hear them.”
He hummed lowly. My inner thighs clenched involuntarily at the sound.
“I’m thinking of strapping you down on our bed and punish you with so much pleasure that it turns to pain.
And when you’re crying and begging me to stop, Princess, I’m going to turn you over and wreck your asshole with my cock.
Then I’m going to carve my name in your ass cheek while I’m doing it, using your own blood as fucking lube.
And that would be just the start, if I had my way, darling.
I still fucking yearn to punish you for daring to be this close to Anderson.
It’s all I can think about.” His hand had snaked into my hair, holding me painfully in place.
“You’re right. That is vile,” I purred, rolling my hips against his erection. I was shaking with excitement and want. He could go from sweet Grayson to insane Grayson in seconds and I loved all of it.
He moaned and ripped my panties off me. “Sometimes I question your sanity,” he murmured, lust oozing from his voice as he thrusted into me.
I gasped at the intrusion, a wave of pleasure shooting through my body, leaving a wake of goosebumps over my skin. “Then you should think less, baby, and fuck me harder.”
Grayson gave a throaty laugh that skittered down my spine in warning. “You want hard?”
I was pinned on my stomach beneath his massive body, before I could blink twice. He pulled my arms straight out in front of me, then tied my wrists together with my torn panties.
My excitement turned to fear, watching in horror as Grayson pulled his knife from the side table. “Gray. You’re not serious, are you?” I tried to laugh it off. He wouldn’t really carve his name into my ass cheek, would he?
“Which part, baby? Wrecking your asshole, or carving my name into your sexy little ass?”
I froze at the excitement in his voice. “Both?” I choked.
He settled over me, pinning my legs to the ground with his own. His hand snaked over my neck and into my hair, pulling the strands tight in his fist. “You don’t want my name on your ass, little star?” he teased playfully.
I swallowed. “Isn’t it bad luck?”
He chuckled darkly. “This isn’t a tattoo, darling. This is much more depraved.”
I yelped as the cold metal of his knife nicked the skin on my backside.
He dragged it in swooping strokes against my flesh without cutting into me.
But I was sure that there would be angry, swelling red lines in the shape of his name appearing on my ass in a minute.
“Grayson, please don’t do it,” I begged, feeling a little helpless.
He sighed and pressed a soft kiss to the back of my neck. “Fine. As you wish, Princess.”
My body relaxed as his nose glided over the delicate skin behind my ear, taking in a deep breath of my scent.
“But I’m still going to fuck your ass. And I’m still going to use your blood as lube,” he whispered menacingly in my ear.
My heart thundered in my throat. “Will it hurt?” My voice was trembling. Was it fear or excitement?
Who the fuck knew when it came to Grayson.
Grayson’s deep chuckle slithered over my skin, raising all the hair on my body. “Oh, it will hurt so fucking good, baby, you will beg for more.”
I brushed my hands over the goosebumps prickling my skin, willing them away. I hated how the memory had crept in. It always happened in quiet moments like this.
“His IQ is 176,” I sighed, and Owen turned to look at me.
“And you didn’t think to divulge that tidbit of information to me?” His voice had gone high pitched.
I shrugged. “I guess I forgot. Or repressed the memory. I don’t know.” I was tired of all these damned memories sneaking up on me. I wanted to cut out the part of my brain where my memories were stored and donate it to science.
Owen snorted. “Repressed the memory,” he repeated mockingly under his breath. “Let me guess, he was fucking you silly when he told you that.”
I laughed soundlessly. If I hadn’t been so dead inside, I might have blushed. “Maybe.”
“Jesus, Ava.” Owen huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “You’re really something, I’ll give you that.”
“Thanks,” I laughed.
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
I shoved him, hoping he’d land in the water, but he caught himself just in time.
“But please. Continue to repress those memories. I’d rather drown myself in this lake then hear of yet another one of your fucking-escapades.” Owen pretended to gag.
“You and me both, buddy,” I chuckled, settling my chin onto my knees.
We were quiet for a while, listening to a cricket chirping nearby.
“Maybe I should book a room at that bed and breakfast you were talking about. Get away for a while. Maybe I can help you in your garden, plant seeds or whatever. It seemed to work for you. And I don’t know. Maybe I missed your crazy ass.” He gave me a sheepish grin.
“Owen Becket. Finally wanting to slow down and smell the roses? Impossible,” I joked, but feeling a strange sense of relief.
It would do him good to get away. With the way he’d been acting, he was heading straight into the land of insanity, following in my footsteps.
I was barely able to see the light out. I couldn’t in good conscience leave a friend behind to lose himself in it.
Like I had. “You are always welcome in my garden, Agent Becket.” I leaned in closer to him.
“Only if you promise not to arrest me should you notice a hypothetical plant that may or may not be illegal to grow.”
He chuckled. “Nah, compared to your other crimes, Miss Beaumont, I’m not gonna bother. Too much paperwork.”