Page 16 of Doomed (Blackwood Brothers #2)
KNOX
I ’m reviewing inventory spreadsheets in the back office of Purgatory, fighting the urge to stab myself in the eye with a pen out of sheer boredom. Numbers have never been my thing—that’s what we have accountants for—but Xavier insists we all understand the business inside and out.
“Mr. Blackwood?” One of the new bartenders pokes her head in. “There’s someone here to see you.”
I glance up, annoyed at the interruption. “Who?”
“She says her name is Bianca Hayes.”
My mood instantly shifts. I toss the pen onto the desk and lean back in my chair, a grin spreading across my face. “Send her in.”
I don’t bother hiding my smirk when Bianca walks through the door, all buttoned up in a crisp white shirt like she’s here for a job interview. The professional look doesn’t hide the fire in her eyes or the tension in her shoulders.
“Twice in twenty-four hours?” I spread my arms wide. “Clearly, you can’t stay away from me.”
Her jaw tightens. “That’s not?—”
“Last night you were throwing glances my way all fucking night while pretending to be interested in those other guys.” I stand, circling the desk to lean against the front of it. “And now you’re back. Were you trying to make me jealous, princess? Because I’ve gotta say, it was a cute attempt.”
“I wasn’t trying to make you anything,” she says, her cheeks flushing beautifully. “And that’s not why I’m here.”
“No? Then please, enlighten me.” I cross my arms, enjoying the way her eyes briefly drop to my forearms before snapping back up to my face.
She pulls an envelope from her leather portfolio—the black envelope with red trim. My invitation to the Hollow’s Hunt.
“I’m here because of this,” she says. “Care to explain exactly what I’d be signing up for?”
I can’t help the satisfaction that washes over me seeing that black envelope in her hand.
“So, you got the invitation,” I say. The distance between us feels like too much. I push off the desk to approach her, enjoying how her eyes track my movements, the little spark in them giving away her interest.
“Yes, I got your invitation,” she says, her chin lifting slightly. “But you haven’t answered my question. What exactly is the Hollow’s Hunt?”
This close to her, I catch the subtle scent of her perfume, which is floral and not too sweet. “It’s exactly what it sounds like. A hunt.”
“That tells me nothing.” She waves the envelope between us. “These documents are extensive, and I’m not signing anything without knowing what I’m agreeing to.”
“Smart girl,” I murmur, and before she can step back, I grab her hips and pull her against me. Her small gasp of surprise sends a thrill through me, but she doesn’t push away. Progress.
“The Hollow’s Hunt is a tradition,” I explain, keeping my voice low as if sharing a secret.
“A game, if you will, between the elite of Ravenwood. Five women are chosen as prey, while fifteen men are designated as hunters. You’ll be given a head start, and then.
..” I trace my thumb along her lower lip, “...we hunt.”
Her breath catches. “And when you catch us?”
I smile, watching her pupils dilate despite her obvious attempt to maintain composure. “That’s the fun part. But I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”
“That’s not good enough,” she says. Her hands remain on my chest, but she doesn’t push me away. “I need more details before I consider this.”
I lean in closer. “Let me put it this way, Bianca. I’m the best hunter there is. You can run, you can hide, but I’ll be the one to catch you.”
Her breathing quickens, and I pull back enough to see her face. Those beautiful eyes are wide, pupils dilated despite her obvious attempt at being unaffected.
“And when I do catch you...” I slide my hand to her lower back, pressing flush against her. “I’m going to show you the true meaning of ecstasy.”
“Is that so?” Her voice comes out shakier than I think she intended.
“Oh, princess.” I flash her my signature grin. “I’m going to fuck you so hard you forget every other man who came before me. You’ll be screaming my name so loud they’ll hear you all the way across Ravenwood.”
Her cheeks flush crimson, but she doesn’t pull away. If anything, she leans in slightly.
“I’ll have you coming so many times you’ll lose count,” I continue, my tone light and playful despite the filthy promises. “You’ll be orgasming over and over again until you can hardly fucking see straight. And when you think you can’t take anymore—” I snap my fingers, “—I’ll prove you wrong.”
I trace a finger along her collarbone, feeling her shiver. “But here’s the fun part, princess. Every hunter has their own... style. Their own way of claiming their prey. You’ll have to sign those papers to find out exactly what I’m going to do to this perfect body of yours.”
“And if I don’t want to be caught by you?” she challenges.
I laugh. “Oh, come on. We both know that’s not true. You’ve been playing hard to get since the moment we met. The Hunt makes our cat-and-mouse game more interesting.”
I yank Bianca closer, eliminating what little space remains between us and forcing her to feel exactly what she does to me. My cock is hard and straining against my pants, pressing into her stomach.
Her lips part in surprise, a breathy whimper escapes her throat—a sound so fucking hot it makes my cock feel like it’s in a vise.. Her eyes widen slightly, pupils dilating as she stares up at me. She doesn’t pull away. Interesting.
“What’s wrong, princess?” I murmur, my voice dropping lower. “Feeling a little overwhelmed?”
Her breath catches, but she tilts her chin up defiantly. “You don’t intimidate me, Knox.”
“No? Then prove it.” I slide my hand up her back, feeling her shiver under my touch. “Sign the NDA. Accept the invitation.” I lower my mouth to her ear, my lips barely grazing her skin. “Unless you’re too scared.”
I feel her stiffen against me, and when I pull back to look at her face, I see exactly what I was hoping for—a spark of challenge lighting up her eyes. The same look she gave me right before she slapped me that first day in the gallery.
Bianca Hayes doesn’t back down from a challenge. It’s one of the things that makes her so fucking irresistible.
“You think I won’t do it?” she asks, her voice stronger now despite the unyielding way that I hold her captive in my arms.
“I think you want to,” I counter, keeping her pressed against me. “I think you’re dying to know what I’ll do to you when I catch you.” I emphasize the ‘when’—not ‘if’—and watch her pupils dilate further.
“You’re awfully confident.”
“Always.” I flash her my most wicked grin. “So, what’s it going to be, Bianca? Are you brave enough to take your chances and play the game with me?”
I can see the wheels turning in her head, and I already know her answer. The fire in her eyes tells me everything I need to know. She won’t be able to refuse—not when I’ve made it a challenge.
She pulls back enough to create a sliver of space between us while remaining in my grip. The defiance in her eyes is intoxicating.
“You’ll have to wait and see,” she says. “I need time to think about it.” Bianca steps away, attempting to slip out of my grasp and turn toward the door.
Like hell she’s walking away from me now.
I move quickly, catching her before she makes it three steps. My hand wraps around her throat—not squeezing, holding her in place with enough pressure to feel her swallow nervously. Her eyes widen as I back her against the wall.
“I’ve waited long enough,” I murmur, my thumb tracing her jawline.
I crash my lips against hers, not bothering with gentleness. I’m done playing nice. I feel her posture change in an instant, her frame tenses with her hands frozen at her sides like she can’t decide whether to push me away or pull me closer.
For a moment, I wonder if I’ve miscalculated and pushed her too far. Then I trace my tongue along the seam of her lips, demanding entry, and her defenses melt away.
Herlips part beneath mine, and fuck—the sound she makes. A soft, desperate moan vibrates against my lips as she melts for me. Her hands find their way to my chest, fingers curling into my shirt like she needs an anchor.
The noise she makes when I deepen the kiss sends heat straight to my cock. I can’t help but chuckle against her mouth at how quickly her resistance crumbled.
That seems to snap her out of it. She stiffens in my arms, and before I can react, she shoves me back hard enough to make me stumble. Her chest heaves as she glares at me, lips swollen and eyes blazing.
“You think this is funny?” she demands, voice trembling with anger.
“You can’t just—just grab me whenever you want!
You’re so fucking insufferable,” she spits out, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“You think you can manhandle anyone you want because your last name is Blackwood? God, you’re such a toxic man-child. ”
I can’t help but laugh at her modern terminology. “Man-child? That’s a new one.”
“Stay away from me. I’m not some object to be used and discarded.” She snatches up the invitation from where it fell during our kiss, shoving it back into her portfolio. “I haven’t decided if I’m signing this yet, but if I do, it won’t have anything to do with you.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Keep telling yourself that, princess.”
“Go to hell, Knox.” She straightens her shirt, which my hands have wrinkled, and storms toward the door. “And don’t call me princess, asshole!”
The door slams behind her with enough force to rattle the framed artwork on the wall. I stand there for a moment, my cock throbbing painfully against my zipper. Fuck.
I sit down in my chair and pull up the security feed on my computer. There she is, marching through the main floor of Purgatory, her whole body rigid with fury. Watching her hips sway as she stomps toward the exit makes my dick throb harder. I palm myself through my jeans, hissing at the contact.
“Run all you want, Bianca,” I murmur to the screen, squeezing myself as I watch her disappear through the front doors. “But we both know you’re coming back.”
She’ll sign those papers. She’s too proud to back down from the challenge I’ve thrown at her. And once she’s in the Hunt, there will be nowhere to hide. I’ll find her—I always find what I’m looking for.
The thought makes me groan, my hand pressing harder against my erection.
I click the mouse, eyes locked on the security feed where Bianca stares directly into the camera before storming toward the parking lot.
I rewind and pause the feed so that those hazel eyes meet mine through the screen, and my cock throbs painfully against my zipper.
Fucking minx knows exactly where the cameras are—we all monitor them, but she’s looking right at me.
The ache becomes urgent, demanding attention. All I can think about is painting that beautiful face with my cum. That’s an art exhibit I’d pay to see daily—her lips parted, skin glistening with my release. Now that would be a masterpiece worth collecting.
I press the door lock on my phone, making sure no one interrupts my private viewing session. My zipper slides down with a satisfying rasp, and I take my cock in hand, stroking it to the fire in her eyes and those pouty lips made for fucking. Christ, she doesn’t even know what she does to me.
The pressure builds as I work myself, eyes never leaving her face on the screen.
That defiance, that fucking attitude—the same one she had when she slapped me at the gallery.
My strokes increase in speed and pressure, base to tip, thumb rolling over the sensitive head before plunging back down.
Over and over until my thighs shake with need.
I know it’s coming, but it’s not enough. It will never be enough with Bianca. My need to mark her, to see my cum on her skin, is beyond control. With the final three pumps of my fist, I stand up and cum all over the monitor, watching as it drips down her face frozen on the screen.
“FUCK,” I growl as the tension ebbs from my body, pleasure pulsing through me in waves. Soon, my beautiful princess. Soon.
I grab a glass of whiskey once my heart rate begins to settle, wiping the screen clean with a tissue.
The grin on my face is practically feral as I run through the possibilities in my head.
The Hunt is less than two weeks away, and I’ve never been more fucking excited for it.
The anticipation has been building ever since Xavier confirmed he’d invite Bianca as the fifth prey.
She hasn’t officially RSVP’d yet, but she will. That kiss in my office confirmed what I already knew—she wants me as much as I want her. She’s just too stubborn to admit it. The way she melted against me, that little moan she couldn’t hold back... yeah, she’ll be there.
Once that NDA is signed, she’s mine for the taking. No more of this back-and-forth game we’ve been playing. The rules of the Hunt are clear—when a hunter catches his prey, she belongs to him, at least until the next Hunt. And I plan to make the most of every second of that time.
I swirl the amber liquid in my glass, imagining Bianca in the maze, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement as she realizes I’m closing in.
The thought makes my cock twitch—greedy bastard.
She’ll run, of course. That fire in her wouldn’t let her do anything else, but running makes the catch more satisfying.
And when I do catch her...
I down the rest of my whiskey in one burning gulp. The image of Bianca, breathless and vulnerable, looking up at me with those defiant eyes as I pin her against the wall of the maze... Fuck. I’m getting hard again just thinking about it.
She has no idea what she’s getting herself into, but that’s what makes it so perfect. The NDA ensures total discretion. Whatever happens in the Hunt stays in the Hunt.