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Chapter Twenty-Six

Hallie

R occo pulls into a dirt covered pull-off, and with only the trees and silence surrounding us, I realize I’ve no clue where we are.

When he stands, I feel the loss of his warmth and detest the way I long for its return. I turn on the seat and move to stand, but he steps forward, blocking me.

“Hal? Look at me.”

Fighting back tears, I turn toward the trees, attempting and failing miserably to compose myself as another tear streams down my cheek. The feeling of losing control of my life is soul destroying. “Little Red, please don’t cry,” he whispers, and a sob catches in my throat at the gentle tone he uses to speak to me. Such a contrast from Gerrard’s threatening one.

His fingers lift and turn my chin, forcing me to face him, and when our gazes meet, guilt pours from him, and that only makes it more difficult to keep my emotions in check.

“Shhh. It’s going to be okay.” He swipes away the tears one after the other. “I only ever want you to cry for me, you hear me? That way, I can always fix it.” My heart skips a beat while I give in to each of his words.

I don’t know how much time passes while he holds my face in the palms of his hands, but his presence and willingness to comfort me ground me, instilling in me the difference between Rocco and Gerrard. One was happy to break me and never willing to piece me back together while the other reluctantly breaks me but insists on making me whole again.

“I’m going to make everything right, Hallie. I promise.”

I try to shake my head, but he holds me in place, and when I move to push him back, he doesn’t budge. “You need to learn you’re mine, Little Red.”

With all the truths I’ve come to know today and him telling me I need to learn, a red haze flashes before me, and this time when I push him, I put all my anger and hurt behind it, causing him to stumble back.

I’m conflicted; I want him, but in this moment, I hate him.

The fury in the air is evident between us as he glares back at me with equal venom, and I force myself to remain unmoving.

Why does he have to be the balm that soothes me?

With his eyes locked on mine, he fumbles with his belt and jeans, and my mind is slow to pick up on what is happening. He steps forward, and I let him. “I know you’re pissed, Little Red, but you need to let it out. This is happening.”

I grind my teeth together.

“Give it to me,” he coaxes, and I push him again with a scream that echoes through the trees.

My fists hammer against his chest, but he withstands it all. Then his fingers dig into my chin, pinching it and forcing me to open my mouth as his lips slam against mine in a savage kiss. I bite at his lip, but he doesn’t budge, forcing me to accept his tongue as a deluge of copper flows between us.

His kiss is feverous, full of control and power. Full of a passion igniting in the throes of his betrayal as I kiss him back harder, biting his lip harder to punish him for the hurt he caused. He pulls back and swipes away the blood, and my heart stills, knowing I caused it.

He chuckles maniacally. “That’s it, Little Red, give me your pain.” Then he slams his lips against mine harder than before, attacking me wildly while his hand trails up my thigh and under my dress, heading toward my damp panties. We ravish one another with brutality. I bite him, and he growls, then I claw at his bare skin, and he takes it willingly. I bite him harder, longing to mark him further.

Two savage lovers spiraling out of control.

The power of his deception becomes our undoing.