Chapter 8
Eight
Knox
Hallie’s body still trembled below mine long after that vibrator rolled across the floor.
She didn't fight with me once I untied the rope, simply pulling her hands under the pillows on either side of her like her wrists needed the cold comfort.
She lay there in a breathless heap, her dark hair sticking to the tears on her cheeks.
And as much as I enjoyed this moment of sweet surrender, I only gave her five seconds of reprieve before the urge to make her suffer took over. My cock went rock hard at just the thought of her crying again as she gagged on it.
God, it was fucked up.
But she had a safe word. If she wanted me to stop, she'd fucking say it. Until then, her body was mine to use however I wanted.
I gathered her hair in my fist and lifted her head, dismounting her. “Get up,” I commanded. “I'm not done using you.”
I yanked her up and brought her to her feet next to the bed. She swayed, exhausted, her legs still quaking from the overwhelming orgasms. She looked dazed, but she obeyed. There was no fight left in her.
All she could do now was succumb to me.
“On your knees,” I said, unbuttoning my jeans. Hallie dropped to her knees without hesitation, tucking her hair behind her ears. I yanked what was left of her cut-up bra off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor.
When this was over, I’d pay her back for that.
Hallie shivered before me. I couldn’t help but give her a soft smile when I looked down at her red, tear-soaked cheeks.
Fuck.
She had brought out the monster in me that night, and I wanted nothing more than to keep ruining her.
But she somehow managed to pull out the softness in me, too, and I kept having to tuck that version of me away.
I had no idea how those parts of me could co-exist like this, but Hallie managed to drag them both to the surface.
Internally, I reminded myself why I was here.
And I pushed my jeans and boxers down together, letting my erect dick spring free.
Hallie’s eyes widened like she didn’t know whether to feel terrified or reverent.
I’d seen that expression before—every woman I’d been with had reacted the same way.
When it came to penetration, they all needed me to be slow. Careful. Gentle.
But Hallie liked me rough.
My cock twitched at the thought of fucking her so hard she slammed against the headboard, but that would have to wait for another night. I still owned her for the rest of the week.
Right now, I just needed her mouth.
I stepped closer to Hallie, and she tilted her chin up, her lips parting with a whiny sigh. I touched the top of her head like she was my pet, glancing at the deep scratches she’d left on my forearms. “Not fighting me anymore, huh? Such a good, obedient girl.”
I fisted my dick in front of her face, and she swallowed hard, her glossy eyes locked on mine like she was afraid to look at what was right in front of her.
She was terrified, but determined–and that was exactly why Hallie Rutherford was the only person who got to see this version of me.
The version that wanted to use her until there was nothing left but obedience and breathless surrender.
“Take my dick in your mouth, Hallie,” I commanded.
She braced her hands on the back of my thighs to steady herself, and I slid my palm around to the back of her head. “Knox,” she whispered, almost choking on my name. “I–I don’t know if I can do it.”
“You can.” I tilted my head, looking down at her with an unholy smirk. Bunching up her hair in my hand, I gave it a little tug. “And you will. Open that mouth, baby girl.”
She obeyed, her lips parting with a little puff of air.
“Wider,” I ordered.
Hallie tilted her head back, opening her mouth wider for me. Her flat tongue looked so inviting, it almost made me want to slow down and take my time. I'd dreamed about Hallie’s lips around my cock more times than I could count, and I didn’t want to waste this moment.
I decided to leave it up to her for just a second. Let her think she had some tiny shred of control.
“Show me what you can do,” I said, guiding the head of my cock to her parted lips.
She hesitated, her wide, glassy eyes flicking up to mine. Then she leaned forward, letting her warm tongue brush the underside before her lips closed around me. Fuck.
A low groan dragged out of my chest before I could stop it.
She took me deeper, inch by inch, her hands tightening on my thighs like she needed something to hold onto. Her mouth stretched around me, cheeks hollowing as she took in more of me.
Goddamn it. She was too good at this, just like I always suspected she’d be.
I let Hallie set the pace for a few strokes, just long enough for her to relax, to think this might stay gentle. Then I tightened my fist in her hair and pushed.
Her eyes flew open as I hit the back of her throat. She gagged instantly, a wet, choked sound that went straight to my cock. Saliva flooded her mouth, and I felt it spill over her bottom lip as I held her there.
“Breathe through your nose,” I told her, struggling to keep my voice steady. “You’re going to take it all.”
Her throat fluttered around me, her body jerking with the reflex to pull away, but I didn’t let her. I pulled back just enough for her to suck in a desperate breath, then drove into her again. Deeper. Harder.
Tears spilled fresh down her cheeks, and her make-up was all smudged around her eyes. She whimpered around me, the vibration making my hips twitch. It damn near killed me.
“Good girl,” I rasped, starting to move with slower thrusts that pushed past her resistance every time. “I knew you could do this.”
Her fingernails dug into my thighs, but she didn’t push me away. She couldn’t. Not with my grip locked in her hair or the way I controlled every inch she took.
I picked up speed, fucking her mouth with wet, messy thrusts that left her gasping whenever I pulled back. Spit dripped down her chin onto her bare chest. She choked and sputtered, but every time I gave her a second to recover, she pulled me back in like she couldn’t help herself.
“Look at you,” I growled, watching her lips stretch wide, red and swollen. “On your knees, choking on my cock like the greedy little slut you are.”
And then she let out the sweetest whimper, and the sound snapped the last thread of restraint I had left.
I held her head with both hands as I came hard with a low, guttural groan, spilling against the back of her throat. She choked and swallowed what she could, the rest spilling past her lips as I stayed lodged deep, riding out every wave.
Finally, I let her pull away from me, staring down at the strings of drool and cum between my cock and her lips. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, looking completely wrecked and beautiful.
Always beautiful.
“Swallow the rest,” I said, my voice close to a whisper. She obeyed, trembling as she swallowed the last bit of my cum. “Now get up.”
Hallie hesitated, too exhausted to move, her ragged breaths the only sound left in the room.
I pulled up my jeans and boxers quickly, exhaling as I buttoned my pants, then stepped back toward her.
Sliding my hands beneath her arms, I lifted with a quiet grunt, bringing her carefully to her feet when her legs wouldn’t quite manage it on their own.
She teetered for a second, placing her palms on my chest to hold herself steady. Her chin was dipped low, her hair hanging in front of her face like she couldn’t look at me.
“There’s something you forgot to mention before,” I said, putting my hands on her naked hips. “When you were telling me what was off the table. You were very clear about what you didn’t want. No bleeding. No marks anyone could see. But that was all you said.”
Her breath hitched. Slowly, her eyes lifted, catching mine through the strands of hair. Her pupils expanded, like she was bracing herself for what would come next.
She still feared me.
I paused, squeezing her hips.
Then I raised a hand and gently brushed her hair back from her forehead with the gentlest touch. My thumb lingered there for a second as my gaze locked onto hers.
“Aftercare,” I said softly. “I know you probably want me to leave you a broken mess and disappear like a real intruder, but I’m afraid that’s not my style.”
Her shoulders sagged, and I sensed her body finally relax against mine as I brought my lips to her forehead. She leaned into the kiss, her hands gripping the front of my t-shirt like it was grounding her.
This was the Hallie I’d always known.
Soft and sweet.
I’d just violated her body in more ways than I could count, but she clung to me like she still trusted me.
Using my fingers, I continued raking her hair away from her eyes, tucking it behind her ears.
I finally had a clear view of her face, and she batted her lashes, looking even more vulnerable than she had earlier, when I had her pinned down on the carpet in her living room.
“I need to know you’re okay,” I whispered.
She licked her lips. “I’m okay, Knox.”
“Good. And,” I started, wrapping my arms around her nude body, my hands drifting down her back. Her face pressed into my chest, and her breathing began to slow. “We’re still inside the two-week window you gave me. Which means this is not over, correct?”
She shifted against me, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt. “C-correct,” she stuttered.
I brushed my mouth over the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. Garnier Fructis–which she’d switched to after moving back here because it was cheaper than the salon-grade shampoo she used when she still had that job in Milwaukee. Before her secret food delivery gig.
Would she like that I knew these things about her?
Or would it scare her away?
I swallowed, adjusting her body against me. “Because there’s more I want to do. That is, if you think you can take it. Again.”
Hallie drew in a slow, shaky breath, her grip tightening on me like I was the only thing keeping her upright. “Please.”
“Please what? I need you to be clear.”
She gave me a little nod. “Please come back. You–you gave me exactly what I wanted. You gave me what I didn’t even realize I wanted. And I want more.”
I held her by the arms, my gaze dropping to the space between us like it could hide what I was feeling.
Because that night, I’d denied myself the one thing I wanted from her the most. I’d held back from crossing that final line, not because she hadn’t offered it, but because I didn’t think I’d earned it yet.
And maybe, in some quiet way, I was punishing myself for wanting her so badly in the first place.
Fucking Hallie might undo me completely. I was afraid it could shatter the illusion that I had any control at all. I risked becoming the vulnerable one, and she’d be able to see everything I felt for her.
I cleared my throat. “Anyway, let’s get you cleaned up.”