Page 70 of Handsome Devil

Desperate, I tried to elbow his ribs with all my strength, but he easily dodged my elbow, and I nearly lost my balance and fell off the horse.

He bunched the reins in one hand, using the other to grab the back of my neck like I was a feral animal, applying pressure without actually hurting me.

His mouth found the shell of my ear. “I do love a good, hostile foreplay, but you might want to wait until we make it back to my mansion.”

“How did you find me?” I bit out, realizing for the first time that my mouth was full of blood, the tip of my tongue raw. Sometime during the adrenaline rush, I’d bitten my tongue and didn’t even notice.

“I can see in the dark.” There was no sarcasm in his voice.

“Rubbish,” I bristled. “What kind of idiot do you take me for? No one is capable of—”

“A big fucking idiot indeed. It takes a special brand of stupid to run into wild woods in the middle of the night. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s the beginning ofScary Movie.”

“I’ll take any forest creature over a cold-blooded murderer.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” he said sardonically. “Anytime.”

Since I’d rather chew my own arm off than say thank you, I kept my mouth shut for the remainder of the journey.

When we arrived back at his mansion, he hopped off the horse and kept me on it as he guided it by the bridle to the stables, not giving me another chance to run away.

Once he put the horse back in his stall, he caught my waist and brought me down to the ground. He led me back to the main entrance by holding my arm captive, steering me in his desired direction. I was his prisoner now.

Inside, Tate turned on all the lights and hiked the thermostat up three degrees. I was hungry and dizzy and in pain. Collapsing on the floor seemed like an attractive option right now.

“You’ll sleep here tonight.” He was the first to break the silence.

“Keep dreaming.” I swiveled toward him with the vigor of a wounded, frightened creature. He may have saved me, but only because he probably thought death would be too lax a punishment for whatever the heck I’d done to him. “I will, however, call 911 and report themurderyou’ve committed today.”

“Strange way to show someone gratitude for saving your life.” He strolled over to the kitchen, unperturbed.

“My life wouldn’t be in danger in the first place if you hadn’t blackmailed me into marriage and killed a man in front of me.”

“Gia,” he chided, opening a cabinet and taking out a tall glass. “Please. You’re a smart girl. That guy was dead long before you entered the room.” He filled the glass with tap water and set it on the counter in front of me. “And I already told you, I’m tying up a few loose ends, and then the Irish will leave us alone. Go upstairs.”

“No.” I hugged my shoulders, my fingernails caked with mud and blood. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” I knocked off the water. Glass shattered everywhere.

He studied me intently. “What can I do to make you come upstairs with me?” He was brusque but not as callous as usual.

We’d reached an impasse. Either I handed him to the authorities and watched his entire empire—and likely my own life—implode, or I struck a deal with him.

“You can tell me why you scouted me when I finished college, why you stalked me beforehand, why you kept me close when I tried to leave so many times, why you loathe me so much.” I held on to the wall, my knees trembling. “You can tell me who you killed, why you killed them, and how you plan on getting away with it,” I continued, feeling the adrenaline slowly evaporate from my body, like mist. “And you can tell me why our lives are in danger, what you did to the Irish Mafia to make us targets. And…and your name.” Pause. “Yourrealname. I want to know it. Not all of us can see in the dark, Tate.”

There was barely any space between us at all, I realized. The air sizzled between us, soaked with something foreboding. I was going quite mad, I thought, when our breaths danced together, our heat and the scent of our sweat colliding. Because I longed to feel his lips on mine again. His rough finger pads peeling off my wet coat.

“And if I tell you everything, will you stay?” His gaze landed on my ivory pearl choker, and a rush of heat melted between my legs. I knew, with terrifying certainty, that I’d let him twist that choker and take my breath if it suited him.

Because I wanted him more than I hated him.

Always had.

“Y-yes.”

“No name, though,” he bartered. “That’s nonnegotiable.”

“First, promise me that I’m safe here.”

Tate smiled, his hand resting on my neck, right on my necklace. My heart picked up. “If I wanted to kill you, I’d have let the coyotes do their job in the woods. Less evidence to clean, less paperwork. No, Apricity. You’re safe.”