Chapter 20
She’s hesitant and fearful, but I taste her arousal on my tongue.
She’s second-guessing her entire existence from a simple touch.
Was too easy. I’ll shatter her world with the touch of my hands over her body.
Gonna teach her what pleasure feels like, just to take it away.
Right now, I’m her savior in a world of chaos.
Poor thing was never cut out for this life.
I’m selfish—I’ll take until she’s left with nothing.
I should feel sorry for her, but all I feel is the need to mold her to my ideals.
The world is a cruel place, and my poor songbird ran into the arms of a psychopath.
Thought I’d have the patience to fuck her as my final hurrah, but why not indulge in a little pleasure to pass the time?
Don’t gotta fuck her to silence the demons.
Using her body would suffice. Might push that envelope and indulge because fuck, why the hell not?
She’s mine to ruin. Mine to break. Mine to use and discard.
Touch her. Mark her. Own her. Taste her.
I take a measured breath to silence my demons.
My mind drifts to how her blood tastes on my tongue. Is she sweet? Is she salty?
Fuck, I just wanna mark her skin and watch her come. My demons bubble to the surface, ready to act on my crazy cynical impulses that drive me to madness. Before I can, I twist her body around to face me and steal a bruising kiss from her salty lips.
For a single second, my mind goes quiet.
She doesn’t push me away, as if I’d give her the chance.
I grip her hair, fisting it, forcing her against my chest. She tastes how I imagined.
Sinful, teasing, and tantalizing with a hint of cherries.
I resist the urge to bite her plush lip and draw blood.
Fuck, I need to taste her insides. Gotta stick to the plan.
Be her savior. Play the part, Zain. My other hand reaches out and clasps against her hip.
I dig my fingers in, bruising her velvety skin.
Just like that, her body melts against me.
I can’t contain my craziness. My true venomous nature is finally—violently—pushing through. My teeth sink into her lip, and the taste of salty copper pools on my tongue, consuming my senses.
More. Take it all. Yours to break.
She lets out a pained groan and pushes her hands against my chest to dislodge me. Does nothin’. I’m twice her size. She’s such a little thing, weak and vulnerable, and I’m in control. Her purpose is bound solely to my will. Doesn’t she understand she belongs to me?
Fuck. I’m a greedy bastard. I lick every last crimson drop from her lips as she squirms against my punishing grasp. I never want to release the hold I have on her. Gotta use her to silence my mind, nothing else comes close.
She staggers backwards, wide-eyed the second I release my grip on her. Her small hands touch her bloody lip. She is a cursed masterpiece.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she spits, anger radiating from her shaking body, but so does something else. Arousal. Hunger. An insatiable craving she wants to explore but is too scared. She’s fuckin’ desperate. I see it.
I suck the residue of her lifeblood from my lips.
“Do I scare you, little songbird?” I stalk forward, invading her space again.
She steps back, straight into one of the many tall birch trees scattered across campus.
Her face is obscured by the darkness of the branches overhead.
I don’t need to see her face to smell her fear, her curiosity, and that fuckin’ cunt.
“You want to explore. You’re curious,” I say slowly.
I reach into my hoodie and pull out my switchblade, flipping it open.
She shakes her head quickly, trying to convince herself. Cute.
But I’m not in the mood for bullshit games. Her salty saliva mixed with blood is better than any fucking high I could ever chase. I know my limits. I don’t get attached. Not my style. But Jesus, if I can’t use her to my advantage before I bring her down…
More. My demons are just under the surface.
“It’s natural,” I shrug, tracing the blade across my palm. She watches with fascination.
I slink closer until we’re both shrouded in Mother Nature’s darkness. The birch sways in the wind. Not a soul is around. They all went to the parties. Would be easy to take her here. No witnesses. Sweet-talk her just right.
“If you beg me, I’ll show you,” I say, silver-tongued. Gotta love reverse psychology. I grip the blade, relishing in the pain. Blood pools in my palm. I run the handle over her jugular. It’s pulsing wildly under her skin.
Her hands cling to the tree behind her for dear life. as if it’ll save her from this fever dream. I’m a fuckin’ nightmare, baby. A nightmare that’ll haunt her mind until her last breath.
Her eyes flicker up to meet mine. She’s contemplating. My eyes rove over her neck, watching each stroke. I’m dying to sink my teeth into her milky skin. “Say when, songbird,” I say, calculated and slow. My silken voice has her in a choke hold.
Fuckin’ perfect. Almost in my trap, little songbird.
She sucks her bottom lip. “My only experience with a man’s touch has been…traumatizing,” she whispers under the low breeze. She swallows thickly.
Knew it. She’s a virgin. Fuckin’ untouched. Pure. My cock hardens at the thought.
What a lucky sonofabitch I am. Not every day a guy gets to ruin something so innocent and addictive.
If she gives herself to me, it’ll be the ultimate trust exercise.
I’ll have her on the line. It’ll be smooth sailing from there.
I drop the blade to my side and twist it around so I’m holding the handle.
She steps forward, and the moon lights up her face. I calculate my next words. I don’t do gentle. Guess she’s gonna find out how real men play with their toys. A deep whisper leaves my throat. “Beg,” I drill into her.
Her heart is beating a mile a minute. I can read people like fuckin’ books. People wear their emotions on their sleeve. Doesn’t take much to sense fear.
I wait patiently to see if she’ll obey. “Please show me, Zain,” she whispers.
Too low. I force her to repeat it. Wanna remember this. “Louder,” I growl, gripping the handle so tightly my hand shakes.
“Show me pleasure, Zain.” Her eyes search mine for some sense of security. Instead of being her savior, I’m her demise.
A wicked smirk plays over my face. Don’t need to tell me twice.
I slam my body against hers, placing the blade against her neck.
She lets out a shiver, hiding her face from me, burying it in her shoulder.
Her panic is the air I breathe. Her heartbeat slows.
I sink the blade into her flesh, piercing it enough to give me a steady drip of blood.
“No,” she whimpers. Tears mist her pretty eyes.
I grip her chin, forcing her face towards me.
“Shh. Feel the pleasure.” The words roll off my tongue in a dark, silky cadence.
My free hand digging around in my sweatpants pocket, I pull out two molly tabs and slip once under my tongue.
She watches blurry-eyed as I let it dissolve under my tongue.
“Open,” I command. My vision loses focus as I watch the blood drip onto her leather jacket.
Such a fuckin’ waste. My cock presses against her thigh.
She can’t shake her head with my blade to her throat.
I use the sharp edge to scrape up her pooled blood.
I bring it to my mouth. My tongue darts out, twisting around the blade, lapping up every last fuckin’ drop.
She still doesn’t comply. The words leave my throat clipped as I grit through my teeth, “Now.”
She sobs softly. If I wasn’t so fuckin’ twisted, I’d almost feel sorry. Almost. A cynical laugh escapes my lips. Her struggle and fear just spur me on to push her limits. Haven’t even touched her yet, and she’s a goddamn mess.
She parts her lips, spit and saliva pool at her entrance.
Her cheeks turn pink from the cold. Such a beautiful broken mess.
Without a word, I slip it under her tongue and pull her chin up to close her mouth, ensuring she holds it there.
Won’t take long to feel the effects. I figure I’ll drag her into the Cadence Building and make her fall apart before me.
Every time she goes into that building from now on she’ll think about me. A memory imprinted on her psyche.
“Pain is the building block of pleasure,” I whisper into her ear.
She shudders, goose bumps pebbling her skin as I trace along her jawline with my fingertip until it reaches my handiwork.
I rub my thumb over her wound. She winces.
I extend my neck and lick the remainder of her crimson offering.
I grip her wrist and lead her out of the pale moonlight and deeper into the darkness behind the Cadence Building.
I push open the back door, dragging in her behind me.
Her tears have subsided. For now. Won’t last long.
The door slams closed, reminding her how alone we really are.
The smell of the wooden instruments and the freshly polished floor fill the air, erasing her cherry scent.
Fuckin’ shame. My eyes adjust quickly to the darkness.
Her boots thud against the floor, matching my steps as I pull her with me.
I weave through the back room effortlessly until we reach the archway leading to the main stage.
It’s dark. The only light coming from the flickering candelabras stationed at each section of the auditorium on either side.
The only sound is her subtle breathing. Killing her would hinder the plan.
I deposit her in front of the Steinway grand piano.
“Take your pants off,” I demand. She’s gonna learn who’s in control. If she thought I was gonna go slow and sweet because she’s a virgin, she’s dead wrong.
I’m enthralled watching her reach for her button and zipper.
Slowly, she lowers her pants and then unzips the side of her boots so she can peel them off.
Her very fuckin’ existence is a sublime catastrophe.
Why her body sends me into a frenzy I don’t understand, but my demons are screaming at me to take.
Good enough for me. The lambent lighting dances over her skin.
My body tightens, and my thoughts grow louder.
Afraid I might reach out and take every ounce of offering she can give until I leave her with nothing.
Soon. Soon, I’ll strip her of herself until she’s a broken shell.
She stands before me in a simple pair of black lace panties and her corset top and leather jacket. She could almost pass for a bad girl.
Almost.
The plush stool cushions her unsteady legs as I direct her ass onto the seat. “Play.”