Page 23

Another sigh. He was breaking a record.

“Do not shut me out, Pet,” his voice lowered, verging on pleading, this time, twisting his torso to get in my face.

No reaction from me.

A look of contemplation settled on his expression and the bun thudded on the counter. His statement didn’t move me. I kept stiff and unyielding. “If you eat, I’ll reward you,” he murmured, thumb caressing the side of my neck.

I inhaled sharply as his touch flared my lust to life. I clutched the sides of the rectangular bar seat. He dragged his fingers into the collar of my shirt and grazed the hollow of my throat. As much as I wanted to give in, I shouldn’t—no, I wouldn’t.

I squeezed my eyes shut to block the sight of the playful curve to his lips. He’d hurt me so much.

“Why are you bargaining with a human?” Ren’s deep voice intoned.

“Why are you everywhere?” Asher muttered, and his sigh brushed against my cheek.

“Your Progeny is on a call with Jaxon. She’s been trying to contact you.”

Asher frowned and with a final spine-tingling graze against my skin, he straightened.

“Looks like the cat is out of the bag.” His grin held a secretive edge.

Progeny, like a child? Asher was a father?! Vampires could have children?

“Do not injure her,” he drawled and gave Ren another warning look. “Call for me if you need me.” He gave me a final shoulder squeeze.

Over my dead body. I didn’t say it, as much as I wanted to shout it at him.

Now that I was alone with Ren, I tensed up. He was as unpredictable as they came.

Ren gripped the back of my neck and forced my cheek flat on the counter. My gasp became muffled, and I scratched against the granite, unable to breathe. It happened so fast, I didn’t have time to brace. One second he was across the room and the next his hand clamped around my mouth. My chest seized, a burn working through my lungs.

I sank my teeth into his palm and Ren chuckled.

“I do not give a fuck if you live or die.”

I whimpered and wiggled so hard my knees slammed into the bottom side of the island. Agony wove around my bone that’d been broken just a few hours ago. He dragged me higher so my stomach pressed into the edge and my feet dangled.

Ren covered my back with the front of his body. I bucked to get him off, but it was pointless. I was a human and he was a vampire, ten times stronger than me. Even if he wasn’t a vamp, he would have overpowered me as a human man.

He pressed his stiff cock into my ass.

“Keep writhing just like that.”

I froze and my pulse stuttered.

Ren rubbed his cock harder against me. The edge of the counter dug into my belly, wrenching a gasp free. My arm and shin burned like hell.

Gritting my teeth, I clenched my thighs tight together. I would not call for Asher. His smug face was the last thing I wanted to see. I didn’t want to feel like I owed it to him if he came running in.

He’d take it as me giving in to him.

Ren’s fangs grazed against my throat. A shiver coasted down my spine. Need breathed to life and I ached.

Oh God no. I couldn’t hold back my whimper. The hair raised on my arms.

He chuckled in my ear.

“The little human enjoys being bitten,” he said huskily. “You react like a needy little blood-whore.”