Page 103 of Dreadful

Indecision battles throughout my body and mind as I pace around him, and my hands shake around his cane.

Before I can question myself, I aim for the top of his large, defined shoulder muscles. He pushes them back, readying for impact. I use the same small wrist flick that I witnessed him use on me, careful not to hurt him. Yet.

The shaft of his cane pops against his upper shoulders, and he grunts.

“Goddamn,dolcezza.”

My inner muscles contract at the thought, but I ignore them and keep going.

“Shut up,” I growl.

The muscles I just struck are so thick that his spine is nestled safely between them, nowhere near the cane’s impact. I do it again just below my other strike and revel in the light thud. His medium olive skin remains unblemished, making me realize I’m not doing this nearly hard enough to cause him the deep, delicious bruising I can already feel on me. But when I move the cane back to give him more pain…I can’t. Instead, I use the same cautious wrist flicks down his shoulders, finishing just above where his shoulder blades end.

His grunts have become growly moans, and I can feel my pulse throbbing in my pussy. It’s flooded with desire again, soaking the inside of my bare thighs. His long, hard cock juts out from behind his half-zipped jeans, despite the fact that he came in my mouth just moments ago.

Deciding to give his back a break, I walk around my prey and slide the tip along his skin until I’m standing by his side. He’s trying to remain still, but his body is tense with anticipation. I roll the shaft over his nipples and tap them so gingerly that I wonder if he’ll even feel it. He shudders, and his cock jolts in response.

“Fuck, this is torture. I should’ve let you come when I had the chance.”

“You should’ve done a lot of things,” I hiss, even though the anger I usually feel…doesn’t rear its head.

I tap him again, a little harder this time. He nearly doubles over, and his low moan of agonizing need ripples through me. Knowing I’m bringing this potent man to his knees with pleasure makes me feel more powerful than any kill.

The strikes on his lower chest are lighter than the others, but rosy stripes are already beginning to bloom. My mouth waters when his cock peeks out from his boxer briefs, the tip swollen and weeping with need. I bite back a moan of my own, but Sever notices anyway.

“Let me make us feel good,dolcezza. Let me take care of you.”

His plea makes me pause.

Pleasure isn’t what I want, is it? If we fuck, then what? He’s still a name on my list, still Claudio’s nephew, and still part of the evil that has ruined my life.

“No. You kidnapped me for answers? Well, I have some questions of my own. And you deserveactualpunishment. Not whatever the fuck this is.”

The muscles in his jaw tic underneath his short beard and he nods, but his eyes soften as he meets my gaze again.

“I’ll give you whatever you need.”

He’s truly ready to accept his fate, and yet, my heart aches at the mere thought of hurting him. The boy has been on my list for so long, but now that I’m confronted by the man, I can’t help feeling that the boy is already gone.

He must notice me hesitating because he clears his throat and levels his serious gaze on mine.

“Do it,dolcezza. I’m on your list. You’re right. I’ve deserved it ever since—” His voice cuts off and he swallows. When he speaks again, it’s quiet and hoarse. “Ever since you screamed for me.”

I suck in a ragged breath. “You were still there when those dogs attacked me?”

“I was. But none of that matters now—”

“It matters!” My yell ends sharply. The insulated walls quiet the echo even though the question reverberates between us. “Answer me. If you were there, why…why did you leave me?”

His head bows.

“Look at me, Sever!” The hook of his cane is suddenly lifting his chin, and it takes me a moment to realize I’m the one forcing him to meet my rage. I’ve buried the wood underneath his jaw, right above his Adam’s apple, partially choking off his airway.

“When I reached for you, I fell.” His voice is rough like gravel as he answers, and his golden-brown caramel eyes burn with shame. “I tried to get back over, but I’d broken my ankle on the sidewalk.”

“That’s how you got hurt? It was from that night?” I slowly lower the cane from his neck, and he nods.

“My father refused to let me see a doctor until the heat had died down. By the time I went to the hospital, my bones couldn’t be set correctly. I never truly healed.”