Page 12

Poppy

I try to imagine how different today would have been if Corbin hadn’t survived his stab wounds.

At the beginning of this quest for vengeance, I always planned on my last murder taking place in year seven. One for each of the deadly sins. Although, after having a taste of how it feels, I found myself wondering if I'd truly be able to stop.

Over the years, I considered everything and decided the only way for this to truly be over was if I became my seventh kill. I would get to be with Drew, and while it may not be exactly what he wanted for me, I highly doubt he would want me to spend the rest of my life in jail.

Corbin changed everything. He reminded me what it feels like to live again. I was dead on the inside for so long, but he managed to awaken my heart. It’s finally beating toward the future, and I don't want to be my seventh kill.

I want to explore our connection because I’m almost positive he feels the same way. It's unfathomable considering how little time we’ve actually spent together, but when you know something is right, you just know. Why else would he even give me the time of day after I left the way I did last year?

Somehow, the broken parts of our souls intertwined with one another, upheaving our trauma and forcing us forward. We were both frozen in the past, but slowly, we’re healing.

I definitely wasn't expecting him to be okay with me being a serial killer, so I turn toward him to talk about it a little more. "I'm not going to lie. I thought the whole 'I'm a serial killer' thing would be a bigger deal. You seem like you're okay with it," I say, testing the waters.

"Did you kill people who deserved it?"

"I did. They were all men who lived up to whatever sin I chose for the year. The first kill was a man trying to assault a woman."

"You sound more like a vigilante than anything else."

I laugh at that suggestion. "The police don't consider me a vigilante. I do appreciate the difference in outlooks, though."

"You said you have seven kills over seven years. Have you killed this year yet?" He asks a loaded question that I don't want to confess the answer to.

"I kill on Valentine's Day, and that's not until tomorrow." It's not a lie, although I'm leaving out some of the truth.

"Do you have someone chosen to kill tomorrow? It's not me, is it? I mean, now you know I'm not a good guy, even if that's what you thought before. I’m retired from a secret society and the reason my wife died. I lied to you about her."

"I'm not going to kill you, Corbin. If that were what I planned, I wouldn't have slept with you first."

"Just tell me, cupid. I can see you're struggling with something."

"The seventh kill was going to be me. I was going to confess to the murders with a letter and take my life the same way I did the rest of them."

"You're not doing that," he states plainly. He cares about me, and he doesn't want me to hurt myself. It’s cute.

"I know. I changed my mind, but I don't know how I feel about that because that means my promise to Drew is unfulfilled."

"That doesn't have to be true. You can find someone else."

I could, but I don't know if I want to. I'm not angry at the city anymore. That anger has shifted to The Collection. They’re the cause of all of this. So much unnecessary pain just to fill the pockets of men who most likely have tiny dicks.

The Collection didn't care about me because I didn't come from wealth. I wasn't even a significant enough person for them to eliminate after they killed Drew. That may be the part that stings the most. They weren't worried about me.

Something about that sparks a new vengeance deep within. My promise to Drew melds into something new that will have the men of that stupid society quaking in their penthouses. There's no limitation on how many years it will take or how many people will come to their untimely demise. Part of me did die today, and a new part was born in its place.

Drew's death awakened the killer in me, and this will see it blossom. The Collection didn't fear me before, but they will now. Everyone will fear my wrath because I'll be there to destroy what they built, brick by brick, no matter how long it takes.

"You look like you're up to something, cupid."

"Corbin, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"That spare room, is it empty? I need a place to stay."

"Don't take this the wrong way because I would love to have you around, but why would you stay in the city? I figured you would make your kill tomorrow and be on your way."

"Before I came here, I sold my house and pretty much everything I own because I planned on dying or turning myself in. I'm not going to kill someone tomorrow. Things have changed. It's going to be much bigger than that." An evil grin spreads across my face. "They're all going to die."

"Who?"

"Your Collection. I'm going to find out everything I can about them and destroy it all. I won't leave them out there to continue altering lives just so they can fill their pockets at everyone else's expense."

"Poppy, their influence runs deep. Do you really think you can take them down?"

"I think you underestimate my perseverance. When someone tells me I can't do something, my only response is to say, watch me." I nod my head to myself, knowing I will devote my entire life's purpose going forward to making this a reality if I have to. I will end them or die trying. "My final kill is going to be The Collection."

"I'll help you then. We won't stop until we take them down," he says in a stance of solidarity. "You'll be my own little bloody valentine, cupid."

"I like the sound of that." I giggle, my eyes filling with lust as my gaze lands on his. "Corbin," I say, curling a finger in his direction. "Come here."

He stands and goes to take a step toward me, but I hold out my hand and shake my head.

"Crawl to me and worship me," I say, scooting to the edge of the loveseat.

He pauses for a moment, eyes darkening before he falls to his hands and knees. He inches forward, little by little, doing exactly what I asked before he finally stops in front of me and leans back on his heels. His hands glide up my legs from my ankles to my knees before he gently pushes them apart and positions himself between them.

"You're wearing too much clothing," he teases, pressing a kiss to my thigh.

I groan, knowing he's right, as I hook my thumbs into my leggings and underwear before sliding them off. He aids me in the process, wasting no time making himself at home between my legs again.

"My favorite place to be." He grins before leaning in and sweeping his tongue along my pussy.

I will never get enough of this man or how amazing he is at giving me pleasure. My enjoyment means more than his own, and that thought has me pushing back on his shoulders. He deserves a reward.

"Stop," I command, leaving him confused, but he listens. "Take your pants off and come here." I pat on the vacant seat next to me.

Once he does, I stand and get him repositioned so that he’s lying on the loveseat with his legs hanging over one end and his head folded up a little on the other.

"I thought a good boy like you deserved a nice little treat."

"Are you going to sit on my face, cupid?"

"Maybe."

"Fuck," he groans. "Get that pussy over here. Please don't make me wait."

"I love it when you beg." I lean in to kiss him, tasting myself on his lips.

When I pull back, I slide one leg over his waist, facing the opposite direction, and slowly scoot my ass backward until my pussy hovers over his face. He grips my hips and pulls me down, not hesitating to dive right in.

"Yes," I moan as I lean forward and grip his hardened cock.

His tongue swipes up and down, lapping me up as one of his fingers finds its way to my clit. I lean forward and slide my tongue up the length of his shaft, making him shudder beneath me.

The power I feel as I swirl my tongue around his tip and then flick it against his piercing is beyond words. His hips buck forward, wanting more, as he pulls me up from his face to speak.

"You're a fucking goddess, cupid. Please suck my cock. Give me that mouth, baby."

When he pulls my pussy back down to his face, his fingers find my clit again. He grins against me, rubbing quickly as my focus falls back on his hard length and my mouth closes around his tip.

I glide my mouth down his cock, slowly taking every bit of him before I begin bobbing up and down. The piercing feels weird when it hits the back of my throat, but I get used to it as I find my pace.

He moans against me when I bring a hand up to place it at his base, moving it up and down in tune with my mouth. It's a sloppy mess, but I don't think either of us cares. My tongue swirls around his cock over and over while he rubs my clit.

I whimper around his cock. The combined sensations of his touch have my body buzzing, so I suck him harder and faster. I need him to come for me before I explode.

His hips push up, making me gag, but I don't stop. We work together, both of us doing everything we can to bring one another to bliss. My pussy spasms against his tongue, and I feel his dick twitch in my mouth.

At this point, it’s a game to see who will find their release first, and he's determined to make sure it's me. He picks up his pace, licking faster, and I lose. My body erupts in pleasure, and I scream around his cock while the tingles ripple through me. Just a few seconds later, he pulls his face from my center and says, "I'm going to come in that pretty mouth if you don't stop, cupid."

I keep up my pace, hoping he does exactly that, but he slaps my ass, making me jump. I lift my mouth off of him and scowl over my shoulder. "Why would you do that?"

"When I come, I want to feel your pussy gripping my cock. Let me grab a condom and fuck you right, please."

"Since you said please, I'll let it slide. You don't need a condom, though." I grin, not giving him a chance to ask if I’m sure before I slide my body forward, grabbing his shins and lowering myself onto his cock.

Feeling him bare is so much better than I could have ever imagined. I have to pause for a moment as I look over my shoulder again. He's up on his elbows this time, watching me intently.

"Lay back and let me use you, bagel boy."

"You don't have to tell me twice, cupid," he says as his back meets the loveseat again, and his hands find my hips.

"Good boy." I smirk before turning my head and beginning to bounce up and down on him. One of his hands falls from my waist to the side of my ass as I grind down.

"You feel so good," he praises, and it pushes me to move faster.

His hips begin thrusting up from under me, matching my pace and building the heat. I need more stimulation, so I bring a finger down to my clit and rub it while continuing to use him. Hands grip my hips tighter, and he grunts while thrusting up into me faster.

"Yes, baby. That's it. Make yourself come with my cock," he groans.

"Look at you, so needy. Let me hear all those pretty little sounds you make," I breathe out, using each one of them as fuel.

"Fuck, I'm going to bust," he says, making me that much more determined.

"Do it. Come for me like the desperate little bagel boy I know you are."

He groans again, and I rub myself faster while the roaring fire begins to blaze inside me. I slide up and down, once, twice, three more times before he curses, and I feel him jerking beneath me. My pussy clamps down, and I come with him while tipping my head back, screaming his name, "Corbin!"

My body slumps forward, and we take a few minutes to catch our breath before I slide off of him and fall to the floor. His release begins to drip out of me, and before I know what's happening, I'm being swept up and tossed over a shoulder.

"What are you doing!" I giggle.

"I'm taking you to bed so I can devour you for the rest of the day."

"It's barely one o'clock! We have to eat!" I protest when I feel a rumble in my stomach as he tosses me down.

"Oh, I'll eat," he tries, making me laugh as I slap him away.

"You're ridiculous. I need some sustenance first."

"I believe I made you a bagel before we came here," he counters.

"Yeah, about that. I didn't have time to eat it. It's still in my purse."

He brings his hand to his mouth, covering up a horrified look on his face. "You being a serial killer, I can excuse, but wasting a perfectly good bagel is criminal!"

"What can I say? I may be certifiably insane. You better watch yourself, considering you agreed to let me live with you." I sit up and cross my arms over my chest.

"Having you close just means you can't get away from me, pretty girl. I'm just protecting my assets."

"Oh, yours?" I raise a brow.

"If you want to be." He shrugs.

"I definitely want that," I say, making him smile as I slip away to go to the bathroom real quick.

When I come back out, he's lying on the bed, patting the spot next to him. Without hesitating, I crawl up and lay down, letting him pull me into the safety of his hold.

If you had asked me a year ago what my future would look like, it certainly wouldn’t be this. Things are so different now. Corbin and I may not know everything about one another, but he feels like home.

He squeezes me tighter as if he's thinking the exact same thing, and I pull back a little bit to peer into his eyes, which are full of nothing but vulnerability. "It's you and me, right?"

"You and me, cupid. We're in this together," he reassures me as he leans in to press a kiss to my forehead.

I don't know what taking down The Collection will look like, but I know that with him by my side, they will feel my wrath. I've never felt more sure about anything in my life.