Page 115 of Reckoning

I guess he sees the resignation in my face because he murmurs, “Good girl,” before taking my hand.

It’s so odd to let him do it. I just lie there, letting him clean me, letting him wash my hair – like that even got dirty, and then he’s massaging my feet and I swear I’ve just died and gone to heaven.

“How does that feel?”

“Fucking incredible.” I gasp.

He chuckles that deep sexy laugh of his.

He’s there, kneeling beside the bath, and I can’t help but drool at his body, at how toned he is, at all those tattoos that adorn his skin, and make his actually look like King of the Underworld.

He’s so damn gorgeous. He’s breathtaking. This man oozes danger and destruction in a way that makes you want to throw yourself off the cliff and willingly die for him. I understand now why all his men are so loyal. Why they look like they’d lay down their lives without question.

He could have anyone he wants – I know that. I’ve been more than aware of that, and up until now I haven’t wanted to explore the reasons why he’s so set on me. What it is he sees in me that makes me worthy of his attention.

That voice in my head stirs. Those words that my father whispered so long ago, words that took root, that spread, that latched themselves around my soul and leeched into every dream, every hope, every conscious moment.

“Am I not disgusting to you?” I ask.

He freezes.

His eyes meet mine and they’re not soft, not gentle, they’re hard.

“Why would you be?” He growls.

I gulp, forcing myself to be brave, to just spit it out. “I can’t have children.” I state. “I can’t give you a family, if that’s what you’re after. And more than that, after what they did, my body isn’t something anyone would…”

His hand silences me. He slaps it over my mouth, forcing those words to stop.

My eyes widen, I freeze as my adrenaline spikes.

“You want to know why I made that deal?” He asks, “You want to know why I snuck into your bedroom night after night, why I sat in that damned hotel for months on end, hoping just to get a glimpse of you as you walked by…?”

He did that? He was at the hotel too? What the fuck? How on earth did I not notice? God I’m so stupid sometimes.

“I want you, Sofia, I’ve always wanted you. From the moment I held you in my arms, I knew you were it. And I also knew I would do whatever was necessary to get you.”

“You tricked me.” I state. That deal I made, he was always going to say yes, he was always going to let me stay here, and yet I handed myself over to him on a silver platter.

He laughs. Just a little. “Oh, Little Devil,” He murmurs. “You have no idea the lengths I would go to keep you with me.”

Those words should scare the shit out of me. They should send me running for the hills.

Only they don’t.

As I stare back at him all I want more than anything is to show that I feel the same. That I am falling so hard for this man.

“I want to touch you.” I blurt out, as my cheeks burn. “I want to...”

I can’t finish that sentence but I know he knows.

His lips curl in amusement. “Is that right, Sofia? You want to make me come?”

I know I technically have; he’s used my mouth already but it was on his terms. I want to explore with him, play with him, not always simply be taking what he gives like I’m a greedy selfish bitch.

“Isn’t it only fair?” I reply. “You’ve played with me enough times. Don’t I deserve to play with you?”

“Alright, Little Devil, later I’ll let you touch me.” The way he says it is like he’s granting me some great honour. Bestowing some award.