Page 45 of The Devil After Dark

forty-four

LIANA

My lungs were already burning and my legs were still weak from the day before.

The anticipation of Cassio catching me was keeping my body in a state hovering next to panicked.

When I hit a cliff side I clearly could not climb, I nearly collapsed to cry.

Instead, I cursed under my breath and turned left, hoping to find a way around it.

Fucking Cassio and his games. Fucking me and liking his bullshit.

Sure I was terrified, but also I knew he would catch me.

There was no way he would send me into these woods thinking I would actually make it to the road—he was too calculated for that.

I knew my fate as soon as I stepped out that door.

Cassio would catch me, fuck me, and then I would resign to ‘giving us a chance.’ I could have just stayed and given us a chance without this bullshit, but a part of me wanted to test him too.

I wanted to push him and see just how far he would go.

Cassio got off on power moves like this …

and I got off on being on the receiving end.

The fact that he was this crazy about me made me want him more.

I had been ready to run out that door without saying goodbye and he had fought for me—in a very sick way, but still he had fought for me.

He just kept coming back, no matter what.

He kept fighting to have me. That must mean something.

Even if I made it to the road I would give him a chance.

I found a spot along the cliff I was certain I could climb.

Without hesitating I grabbed onto the moss covered rock and began hauling myself up.

I didn’t care that I was grunting with the exertion of it.

I clawed at the earth as I pulled myself victoriously over the edge to lay in the dirt panting.

I fucking made it up the cliff! I chanced a look over the side and my breath caught.

My stomach rolled with nausea—it was higher than I thought it had been.

I lifted my eyes to scan the trees, trying to ignore the height and my fear of it. But what I saw was worse.

Cassio, dressed in black, gloved, and masked, was leaning against a tree, staring right at me. It was as if he had just been waiting and watching. He slowly clapped his hands like he was applauding my effort. Flight kicked in and I scrambled back from the cliff edge and to my feet. Then I ran.

He would have to climb the cliff too. I tried to reason with myself.

He would probably climb it faster, but he still had to climb it.

Branches whipped at my face as I pushed through the trees, no longer caring about what path I took.

There was nowhere to hide out here. It was just trees and bushes and rock, but nothing I could fling myself behind or crawl under to hide.

Suddenly I heard sticks breaking and leaves rustling as footsteps gained on me—quickly.

A small sob escaped my lips as I forced my legs to move faster.

The sun was almost fully set and the shadows of the forest were growing darker.

Not only was I running from a mad man, but soon I wouldn’t be able to see where I was going.

I chanced a glance over my shoulder towards the approaching noise and a black shadow wove through the woods, moving easily between the trees.

Planting my foot and shoving my hands against the next tree, I quickly veered in the opposite direction.

I needed to get out of his view. If I could get out of his view, then I could crawl into a bush or something.

A heavy warm and hard weight hit me and my feet were no longer touching the ground.

Air expelled from my lungs with force as all I could smell was leaf and dirt and organic matter.

We tumbled together, a strong hand protecting my head from hitting the earth.

Cassio had fucking tackled me. I squirmed in my panic, thrashing and kicking and managed to roll away from him.

I was still trying to suck air back into my lungs as I paused on all fours, staring right at him.

I couldn’t force my body to stand or even move as he gracefully stood back to his full height to look down at me.

It wasn’t until his head cocked to the side slightly that my body snapped out of being frozen and flight took over again.

I was up and weaving through the trees in a heartbeat.

My escape only lasted a few seconds before hands and arms encased me.

Cassio at least braced his arms so I didn’t smack headfirst into the tree he now pressed my body against. I pushed at the bark, trying to get some room to slip away, but he didn’t budge.

I clawed at his arms and tried to jab my elbow back into him, but I was met with a breathy low chuckle instead.

“I’m impressed, Angel, you made it almost halfway to the road,” Cassio whispered in my ear.

Halfway. I only made it halfway. I stilled under his hold.

We hadn’t set the parameters of when the chase was actually over and I wasn’t about to give up.

His body loosened slightly around mine and I took the opportunity to slowly turn my body so I was facing him.

I looked up into the terrifying mask that had haunted and blessed my nights.

Just as his body relaxed, I shoved him with everything I had.

To my surprise, Cassio actually stumbled backwards.

Before he gained his balance, I took off again.

Dark laughter filled the forest as I ran.

Cassio was laughing at my attempt to get away. It made my blood chill.

This time I screamed as Cassio tackled me to the ground.

His hips pressed into my backside as he pinned me beneath him and I could feel the thick hard length of him through both of our clothes.

I clawed at the dirt and Cassio yanked one of my arms behind my back.

I let out another strangled scream—this one sounded like defeat.

Cassio didn’t say anything as his hips lifted and he tore my pants and underwear down below my ass.

I tried to struggle beneath him, but only succeeded in my arm being jerked and pain being sent through my shoulder.

He released my arm as I felt the tip of his hard cock press into my entrance.

A moment later, my head was yanked back by my ponytail and I was on my hands and knees.

Cassio’s glove covered hand grabbed my jaw, forcing my mouth open and me to look at him.

His mask was pulled up, exposing his own mouth.

His tip still rested inside of me and I could feel the tension of him holding back.

“Chase over, Angel,” he growled. I could only whimper in response, my jaw hurting under his grasp.

The forest was getting darker and I couldn’t see more than a few paces behind him.

“Look at me,” he whispered, his hand releasing my hair and slowly pulling his mask off.

I was staring into his ice blue eyes and could not mistake the pure animalistic intent behind them.

Cassio leaned closer and spit into my mouth.

I flinched at the shock of it, but was still held at his mercy.

Then his mouth dipped to mine and his hand gently released my jaw, sliding down to my neck as he kissed me.

It was the most degrading and hottest thing I had ever experienced.

My body instantly relaxed and I cried out into his mouth as he slammed his cock deep inside of me in one thrust. His teeth biting my lip made my pussy tighten around him.

Every ounce of fear inside of me turned to pure lust and need.

Pure untamed animalistic need of him. I sucked his tongue into my mouth and his hips started pumping into me.

He wasn’t being gentle as he fucked me and explored my mouth with his.

And he certainly wasn’t being gentle when he pressed my face and chest into the dirt with one hand and slammed deep inside of me with unrelenting thrusts.

I was moaning and screaming and my body was completely surrendering to the violent orgasms he was drawing from me.