Page 97 of Crave

Good. She needed to be afraid.

“You think you can ever escape me?”

She didn’t answer, her gaze fixed on the floor. Her silence only fueled that thing inside.

“Look at me!”

Her head snapped up, her eyes locking on mine.

“I told you, Angel,” I held her stare, leaning down until my face was inches from hers. “You belong to us—to me.”I lashed out, grabbing a handful of her hair in my fist. “Now you’re going to learn what happens when you forget that.”

Her breath hitched, but she didn’t look away. That stubbornness, that fire inside her eyes—it was maddening. I pushed in and sat, forcing her body to slide backwards, before I grabbed her thigh and pulled her against me in one swift motion. She had no other option than to be dragged onto my lap,her thighs straddling one of mine, her hands braced against my chest.

“Silas, don’t,” she fought, slamming her fists against me in a desperate need to escape.

Something inside me let her go.

My hold slipped and she scurried backwards, windmilling her arms before she caught her balance. Then turned and lunged for the door. This was what that animal inside me wanted. This was the trigger to act.

My entire body was wired tight. I lunged, driving myself forward and descended on her as she hit the door, grabbing her around the waist and lifted her feet from the floor.

“LET ME GO!”She howled, throwing her head backwards.

I jerked to the side, narrowly missing the blow and hauled her backwards, all but throwing her across the room toward the fireplace. She landed on her feet hard, then lunged once more, slamming right into my chest.

“YouTHINKyou can escapeME?”I roared, sweeping my foot out to knock her off balance.

It worked, buckling her knees and taking her to the ground. She landed on the soft, plush rug in front of the cold hearth and scurried forward. But I was already dropping on top of her, grabbing her arms and jerking them high. She buckled under my weight, pinned in place with my hands around her wrists above her head.

Jesus fucking Christ she feltgood.

Her muffled cries were swallowed by the rug. I couldn’t hear them anyway over the roaring in my ears.

“Seems like you need a reminder of who exactlyisin control here.”

The words rose instantly in my head. Words uttered by the sick sonovabitch London called The Teacher.

“Owned.” I growled against her ear. “That’s what you are right? You’re fucking owned by us…” I closed my eyes, my voice thick and husky. “You’re owned by me.”

The fight went out of her.

That alone did things to me I’d never felt before. I lowered my head, dragging in the frantic gasps of her breath and the scent of her skin.

“You ran,” agony roared inside me. “Do you have any idea what that did to me?”

I was unhinged. Frantic. Tearing along the streets, thinking she was going back to that asshole boyfriend. I ground my hips against her, letting her feel how fucking hard I was. Let her know just how much she affected me.

“You drive me fucking insane, do you get that?” I growled against her ear. “I fucking hate you and yet I…I still can’t let you go.”

There was battling in her now, only the hard rise and fall of her chest. Still, I couldn’t let her go. I was too far gone now, unable to stop this from happening even if I wanted to…and I didn’t want to.

“Owned.” I pulled backwards, looking down as she turned her head, her lips parted. Fuck I wanted to taste those lips, to bite and lick and consume.

I’d never wanted anyone so fucking much in my entire life. I eased my hold on one hand and dragged my fingers along her arm, then down her body until I cupped her breast. My feet moved, driving between her legs, my thighs holding her still under me as I found her nipple with my fingers.

“You belong to me, do you get that?”

Deep down I knew what I was doing, that I was triggering whatever mindfuck she had inside her head. But I couldn’t stop myself. I was out of my mind with desperation and rage…and driving all of that was this sick fucking desire for her.