Page 8 of Vow to Corrupt You (Gods of Corruption #1)

His head cocks, teeth grazing over his bottom lip.

He slides off the leather glove from his right hand so slowly, and in the next moment, slides that same bare hand underneath the fabric of my short dress.

I swallow. I swallow hard. My heart keeps racing in my chest like a trapped bird, desperately fluttering its wings to escape.

In fact, I do feel like a trapped bird myself, except I’m too weak—both physically and mentally—to escape.

Once again, it feels like I have lost control over my body.

As if I’m unable to move. Frozen. I lean against the wall for support.

I can hear my own heavy breath, feel my chest expanding and contracting.

“What…” I suck in a sudden breath at Nikos’s possessive touch between my thighs. His warm fingertips skim over the lacy fabric of my thong, and I shudder. A heat wave rushes through me, and between my legs, my muscles tense. For a moment, I lose myself in his sinful eyes.

“Hmpf.” My attention drifts toward Claudio. His muffled protests intensify the sensation, the adrenaline rushing through my veins. The jealousy painting his face is searing. Yet why does it give me satisfaction when I should be furious at him?

“Eyes on me, wicked one ,” a husky growl rings in my ears, and my focus shifts back to Nikos. I drown in his dark, dangerous gaze, so full of desire.

His teeth sink into his bottom lip while his fingertips trace maddening circles through the nearly nonexistent, thin, lacy fabric between my thighs.

I can’t deny it is a type of twisted revenge for my boyfriend’s betrayal, but it’s also strangely satisfying.

Intoxicating. But then my gaze falls on the men around the bed, and a rush of unease surges through me.

They’re all here. Though their gazes are averted, they know exactly what he’s doing.

I snap myself out of the fleeting delirium, the dangerous spell he had me under, even if only for a moment.

Then why does my body shiver in pleasure like this?

Why do I… crave it?

I hate myself for that. I struggle to suppress the moans his teasing touch causes, utterly torn between the building pleasure and guilt.

“ Wicked one ,” Nikos smirks, forcing his thumb to my mouth. He leans in, feathering his lips over my ear, “Only I will see you come, and you will beg me for that when it’s time. You are my little plaything.” His wet thumb traces my bottom lip, moistening it.

Plaything . Now, I hate myself even more.

I hate myself for letting him touch me. Even more for allowing his touch to have such an effect on me.

For not stopping this madness first. And I hate him.

How I hate him. Oh, dear God, the same God he claims abandoned me the moment he decided to take possession of me, I beg You to help me escape this obsessive, sick madman.

“In your dreams,” I scoff, pushing him away, but he’s too strong.

“You belong to me,” Nikos angles his head and turns my face, demanding eye contact. “And I will make sure you never forget it again. If you let another man touch you, I will kill him. Remember that.”

The fear twists in my stomach. I realize with this sinking feeling of dread that there’s no escape from him—not now, not ever.

He moves back, releasing his grip, and I gasp for air.

“You’re an obsessive, possessive, twisted psycho,” I hiss.

His face breaks into a grin, one of amusement and bad intentions, as he cleans his hand with a handkerchief he’s just taken out of his pocket. “You know how to stroke my ego,” he says.

Without another word, he turns to his men, putting his glove back on.

“Cut it off.”

A rush of fear surges through my body.

“Cut what off?” My heart races as I stroll before Nikos.

“Cut his cock off,” he murmurs, as if that is explanation enough.

My blood runs cold. My eyes widen in the purest of shock and fear. “You must be kidding, aren’t you?” He must be. He can’t be that excessive. He can’t be that sick.

His brow raises, but his expression remains indifferent. “He knew you were mine, and baby, no one touches what’s mine.”

“He didn’t know anything, I—“

“Shhh,” he silences me, running his thumb over my lower lip once more. “He was well aware, wicked one . As soon as I left your house, I spread the news, made sure everyone in town knew that now, you’re mine. Him before anyone else.”

Dear God, he is for real. I have to do something to stop this madness.

“This should teach him a lesson. He will remember to never touch what doesn’t belong to him.” He’s so impassive it frightens me.

“But Nikos—” The room is spinning around me. I’m so scared that I get dizzy. “I’m sure there’s a different way to teach him— us —a lesson. Something less extreme.” I pant. “I… I asked him to meet me. I’m the one who should get punished.”

Nikos’s lips curl into a dark smile. He steps closer, his fingers grazing my chin.

“I will punish you after you marry me,” he leans to my ear, “Night after night.”

My heart skips a beat. How can someone be so wicked?

Nikos pulls back, his eyes lock with mine momentarily before he signals one of his men. “Cut it up and feed it to my dogs.”

His words strike me like a punch. “Your… your dogs?” I stutter, struggling to catch my breath.

“You’re mine, wicked one ,” he says, his head angling and lips quirking, “and no one else can have you. Consider this the first lesson.”