Page 26

TWENTY-SIX

I feel warm skin against my back and lean into it, assuming in my sleep-induced haze it must be Luca. I reach for him, forgetting everything that happened until I run my hands over Declan's smooth jawline instead of Luca's stubble and then through his shorter, silkier dark hair.

I remember why it's not Luca. Luca got shot. And I…

"Hey, kitten," he whispers into my ear.

I quickly turn over to face him. "Where's Luca? Is he—"

"He's fine," he says. "He's back, and he's sleeping. He's going to have to have his arm in a sling whenever he's out of the public eye—and wear a fucking shirt on stage—but he'll be fine."

"River thinks I'm a freak," I tell him. "She doesn't like me anymore."

"No, that's not true," he says. He twirls one of my curls around his finger. "She was just scared—that's all."

"It is true," I cry. "I am a freak. I'm fucked up. I…I need help. I murdered someone."

"Hey. Look at me right now, Teagan."

I wipe the tears away from my eyes and look into his.

"Are you looking?"

Sniffling, I nod. "Yes."

"See the way I see you, Teagan. You are not a freak—you are fucking perfect and exactly the way you are supposed to be, do you hear me? You are not fucked up. You did what you had to do in that moment, and then you did what you could just because you could do it and no one could stop you. And there isn't a damn thing wrong with that. That is fucking beautiful. It's fucking poetry."

"It is?"

"Of course it is," he says. "You know it is." He moves on top of me, brushing my curls away from my wet cheeks. "It's okay that you liked it—and from the looks of it, you really liked it."

"I didn't…I don't…"

"You're supposed to like it, Teagan. The power…all that blood…" He shifts between my legs, and I feel him rock hard against me. "I'm going to tell you a secret," he says. "I killed my stepmom for what she did to Luca. I cut her up just like you did to that girl—until her torso looked like ground beef. And I loved every fucking second of it. I loved it so much that I knew I could never do it again because if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop. I knew there was power in the blood; I was raised in this. But I didn't really understand it until that moment. And I think you know that, too, now, don't you?"

"I think I've known for a while," I say.

"The closest I've ever gotten to that feeling is when Layla slit her throat…" He pauses, and, sitting up on his knees, pulls that ridiculous fucking t-shirt over my head, then places his hand over the 'D' on my chest. "And this. You can't do it again, though, Teagan—not unless you have to—or you'll lose yourself. And you're going to want to."

"You're wrong. I don't want to, Declan. I don't want to hurt people."

"But it feels good when you do, doesn't it? Especially when they deserve it—when it's revenge."

I almost argue that I don't know what he's talking about, but then I think about the girls who tormented me in school and the way I got them back. I think about how much I enjoyed it—how I'd laugh. I did feel powerful. I'd do it again and again if I could.

I felt powerful when I killed Heidi's sister, too.

"Yes." It comes out barely a whisper. "It does."

He pulls my shorts down my legs and tosses them onto the floor before leaning over and grabbing something from the bedside table. Even in the dark, I can see his thick cock straining against his boxer briefs.

Given the circumstances, maybe I shouldn't want it so badly right now. But if I'm completely honest, my pussy has been soaked since he told me he stabbed his stepmom until she looked like ground beef.

Declan flips open my knife, turning it in the moonlight. "See? Good as new. Do you trust me now, Teagan?"

"Yes," I tell him.

He presses the flat side of the blade against my chest, slowly trailing it along my collarbone, then between and under my breasts and down below my waist, leaving paper-thin cuts along the way.

"You're so pretty, Teagan; you're so perfect," he says, pushing his boxers down his thighs. "I've looked everywhere for someone exactly like you."

He brings my legs over his shoulders and, bracing himself with his forearms, slowly pushes his cock into me, stretching me as he feeds it to me inch by inch until he's buried to the hilt.

And then he pulls out just as slowly—all the way out—before pushing into me again.

Arching my back and squirming beneath him, desperate for more, I moan. "Declan…please…"

"Don't be greedy, Teagan," he says, holding the knife to my throat. "Just relax. Do you have any idea how much I've missed your tight little pussy? I'm going to take my time with it."

Biting his lower lip, he continues to fuck me slowly. I close my eyes and do my best to be good like he wants, but it's impossible. It's heaven and hell at the same time—the way he fills me, the head of his cock running over my g-spot but far too slowly. I curl my toes and wriggle my hips against him as he moves inside of me, hoping to break the control he has or, at the very least, increase the pressure against my clit.

The way I'm whimpering with each torturous thrust sounds like crying, and I almost want to. My eyes run down his body, away from the way he's biting his lip as sweat gleams on his forehead, down to his abs, and the way they flex as he drives into me.

It doesn't help, either.

"Declan…" I close my eyes and let my head drop to the side, feeling the knife dig into my throat when I do.

"Look at me when I'm fucking you, kitten," he says.

I groan before turning back to him and opening my eyes, finding his in the dark.

"Fuck," he groans, setting the knife to the side. "Grab your ankles, Teagan."

Bringing my knees into my body, I grab my ankles and hold them out above my head. Instantly, he lowers his body and sinks into me, pumping his cock into me faster, and I finally get that extra pressure I was desperate for while he licks blood from my neck and along my jaw.

"Oh, god," I moan. "Oh, god, I'm going to come like this."

"Tell me that you missed me again," he rasps against my neck.

"I missed you," I tell him. "I missed getting fucked by you. I missed the way you taste. I missed being your kitten. I need you."

He runs his hand over my face and then into my hair, grabbing a fist full near the roots before bringing his bloodstained lips to mine, thrusting into me hard and fast.

His tongue tastes of iron and a bit like whiskey when it slips past my lips. It's a heady combination while I'm on the brink of orgasm, and since I'm still holding my ankles and desperate to touch more of him somehow, I have to fight myself not to lose control and sink my teeth into him as his tongue twists with my own.

I know he wouldn't like that.

My teeth graze his lip, and I quickly move my head to the side to keep myself from breaking his rules.

"Declan!" I scream, releasing the hold on my ankles and digging them into his back. My fingers, now without any nails, dig into his back. "Oh, fuck…fuck me!"

His thrusts are merciless now. I groan as he slams into me over and over while I come all over him.

"Oh, fuck, that's a pretty sight," he says. "My little kitten, covered in blood and shaking all over, while her pussy squeezes my dick."

"It feels so good," I whimper. "Oh my god…"

I come so hard—I'm such a mess of physical bliss and emotionally overwhelmed—tears run down my face. Leaning down, Declan licks them from my cheeks.

"What would you do for me, Teagan?" he asks.

"Anything…" I tell him as he fucks me through the aftershocks, my entire body shuddering.

"Tell me you love me," he demands.

"You said I didn't have to."

"I changed my mind," he groans. "Fuck…you do love me, don't you, Teagan?"

"Yes…"

"Look at me and tell me you love me while I come in you," he says through clenched teeth.

"I love you…"

It comes out a breathless whisper, but apparently, that's enough. He sits up on his knees and pulls me into his lap without pulling out. I hold onto him as he wraps his arms around my back, holding me against him as he comes, groaning as his cock jerks inside of me.

And when he's finished, I feel…vulnerable, which is something I'm not used to, and I hate it. I also realize it's probably exactly what he wanted. I want to run, but neither of us move.

Instead, I rest my head on his shoulder, trying to catch my breath, silently scolding myself. But there's never been any equity of power in mine and Declan's relationship—not from the very first moment. Saying what we both already know aloud and letting it hang there isn't going to make that any truer than it already is.

So, really, I did nothing.

"Teagan?"

"Nothing's changed."

"What?" he asks.

Oh shit. Did I say that aloud?

"Nothing. I didn't say anything."

He lowers me onto the bed and then takes my hand in his. He presses the knife into my palm and curls my fingers around it inside of his own fist.

Then, he brings the tip of the blade to his own chest.

"Do it," he says.

"What? No!"

I try to release the knife, but he tightens his grip around mine. He leans in until it digs into his skin. Dark red blood drips down his chest.

"Stop!" I scream.

Panicking, I kick my way out from under him and jump off the bed.

"Teagan…Teagan! Stop!"

He grabs me before I get to the door, pinning my back to the wall.

"It's okay," he says.

I shake my head. "It's a trick. You won't want me anymore. I won't do it. You're punishing me for what I did. If you want me gone, I'll just leave!"

"Calm down," he says softly, tilting my chin with two fingers until my eyes meet his. "It's not a trick, Teagan. I don't want you gone. I love you."

I shake my head. "No, you're lying. I'm not falling for it."

"Take the knife, Teagan."

"No!"

"You already cut me, Teagan," he says, pressing the knife into my palm again. "I'm already bleeding. If it's a trick, you might as well make it count, right?"

I close my fist around the handle and gaze down at the blade, turning it over in my hand as I contemplate my options.

He's right. It's a small cut, but he is bleeding. A thin trail of blood runs from the tiny incision down his abs. And so, maybe I should just do it. Because fuck it—he's already ruined me. He won't stop. If this is how he wants it to end, let's get it over with.

I'll play.

Flexing my jaw, I look up at him with new resolve.

"That's my girl," he says.

"You love me?" I ask.

He places both hands on either side of my face. "Yes," he says. "Yes, Teagan. I love you."

"Okay."

I place a hand on his chest, walking him backward until his legs hit the bed, and he sits on the edge.

I flip the blade over in my hand. "Hold still."

"I—ahh, shit!"

He doesn't get a chance to say whatever it is before I dig the knife into his chest. I'm not nervous like I was when I cut Luca; I use the right amount of pressure, and the blade glides effortlessly through his flesh. He grits his teeth, the muscles in his chest flexing, but doesn't make another sound. After crossing the 'T,' I bring the knife to my lips, locking eyes with him as I lick the blade clean before folding it and tossing it aside.

He doesn't stop me.

And since he doesn't stop me, I begin licking and sucking the blood from the cuts on his chest. Taking his power, as he said.

And he doesn't stop me from doing that, either.

So, when I realize he's hard, I drop to my knees and take him in my mouth, bobbing my head on his cock until it hits the back of my throat, swirling my tongue around the tip when I come back up.

"Teagan," he moans, threading his fingers into my hair. "Fuck. Let me see those pretty blue eyes."

I look up at him, hollowing my cheeks around him while I lick and suck him off.

"This is our secret, Teagan," Declan says before tightening his grip on my hair. He hisses as he pulls my mouth away from his dick. "You can't tell anyone, okay? I love you, but I'll cut your tongue out."

"I know you will," I tell him.

"Get up," he says. "Bend over the bed now, kitten."

I do as he asks, bending over the bed, spreading my legs wide, and arching my back.

"Jesus," he says. "You're still swollen and dripping with cum, and you're begging for it."

"And you got hard bleeding for me."

A loud smack echoes through the room. "Fuck!" I cry, my ass cheek stinging. "What was that for?"

"Not listening the first time," he says. "You said you trusted me."

His hand comes down on me again. And again. And again.

Each is harder than the one before, and each time, my pussy clenches.

And when I don't think I can take it anymore, he finally thrusts his cock inside of me. He doesn't take his time savoring it the way he did before. He's savage and unforgiving in the way he takes me, grunting as he fucks me raw. The sound of his skin against mine as his hips slam into me is almost as loud as my screams.

"Declan!" I scream as I start to come apart. "Yes! Oh my god!"

"Say it again," he groans.

"I love you," I tell him. "I fucking love you. And I love getting fucked by you. It's…so…fuck!"

I explode, lifting onto my toes as the waves crash over me. I pulse around his cock until my body goes limp on the edge of the mattress.

He stills inside me as the aftershocks roll through me, filling me with cum again.

"You're so fucking beautiful, Teagan," he says. "You'll never have to worry about anything again…I promise. I can protect you from the rest of the world. You can have anything you want."

"Anything?" I ask, breath heaving.

"Anything," he repeats. "All you have to do is ask."

He leans in and kisses me, and I reach for him, tracing the bloody 'T' carved into his chest before bringing the fingertips to my mouth and sucking them clean.

"The sun's up," I tell him.

"Yeah. We'll need to leave soon. Come on—we need to shower. You have to help me clean this up."

But what is all of this— everything that's happened in the last twenty-four hours—going to look like in the light of day?

"I love you, Teagan," Declan says as he makes his way toward the bathroom. And maybe he knows me well enough that he can read my mind by now because before he turns the corner, he adds, "You have nothing to worry about. Everything is okay."

Okay.

Everything is going to be okay.