“Are you certain about that? Do you have any idea what my father would do if he knew the two of us had been intimate?” She shuddered visibly, but I could easily tell she was forcing a reaction. Her mind was torn, the betrayal of her body haunting her.

  “I suspect Michael would be understandably angry. However, this is your life. Not your father’s.”

  “True, but you know my father well enough to know he enjoys acting as if he’s the only savior in the world. What really happened between the two of you? Is this all about Shanna?”

  “It’s a subject I don’t like to talk about. We had our differences over the years. They began to escalate. When I dared date his daughter behind his back, things began to unravel. You can use your imagination from there.”

  “You know what’s funny? Or maybe I should say tragic? He was so angry with you and still is. But I can tell he misses you. He never really talked about the two of you when you were younger. I have a feeling he didn’t want me to know because you two were hellions.” Her snort was the cutest thing in the world.

  Her comment made me laugh once again. It felt good to do so. I rarely did. “On a scale of one to ten, I’d say we were a twelve.”

  “I knew my father had some wickedness inside of him. He told me once my mother tamed him, although it took several years. I wonder if that was really true.”

  Michael had been a good guy, too good to spend time with a bastard like me. “Your mother had a powerful influence on him. But as with all levels of darkness, the shadows never leave. They only remain dormant.”

  “How profound and I’m certain you’re right. No one is eternally good.”

  “That’s my belief.” It was interesting she was doing her best to justify not only what had occurred between us, but the manner in which she both played and hungered for the games.

  “I wish I’d known my mom. I heard she was an amazing woman.”

  She leaned forward as if she knew very little about her own mother. I guess she wouldn’t given how young she’d been when her mom died. Maybe that had been the true beginning of the end to my relationship with Michael.

  After all, he’d blamed me for her death just like he had with his daughter, Shanna. I was an asshole, but going three for three would gut him.

  “You knew her.”

  “I did,” I admitted. There was no reason to lie.

  “Was she anything like me?”

  The question was a reminder of just how much older I was. Granted, I was much younger than Michael. I couldn’t remember exactly when, but I’d met Michael the first time when I was seventeen, scraping by on the streets while hustling for money and food. He was at least twenty-five, maybe older. It was funny how certain details just never mattered.

  He’d grown up privileged. I was nothing but a throwaway. Yet our connection had been tight from the beginning. He’d already been married at that point with a four-year-old daughter. Even thought he’d been heavily involved in a family life, I’d managed to monopolize much of his time.

  It was perhaps the one thing I was least proud of. Well, that and how I’d surrendered to his one demand that I now regretted.

  “You’re very much like her. Innocent souls.” Perhaps I was testing her.

  She huffed and turned back toward the fire, huddling even more. “You don’t know me that well, even if you think you do. Although I’m certain your background check of me found all my secrets.”

  “Evidently not all of them.” I wondered why she hadn’t mentioned her sister earlier, other than that she’d been dead set on deceiving me. Had she really thought she’d be able to act out on her need for revenge? I’d heard they were tight, but given how Michael had felt about me dating Shanna, I’d almost never come to the house.

  Another reason Jessica’s identity hadn’t been detected.

  “You know enough to scare me or maybe I should say use against me.”

  “You already know about my reputation, Jessica. You assume everything you’ve heard is correct. Most is, but I’m not in the habit of using anything against beautiful women.”

  “That’s right. You’re a protector.” The words dripped of sarcasm and she shivered again. “I don’t know what I’m doing any longer. I want so much to hate you. Why can’t I continue doing so?”

  “Because I’m a great guy.” I grinned to try to break the tension. At least she rolled her eyes instead of showing fear in them as she’d done before.

  “Why don’t I run you a bath.” I wasn’t asking a question. I was making a statement.

  She sputtered and bent her knees, pulling her legs against her chest, leaning her head on her knees. “A bath? Are you serious?”

  “Believe it or not, the house comes with running water.” I placed my drink on the table and stood.

  “Stephanie warned me about you,” she said absently, reiterating the point from before. There was no reason to elaborate or grill her on why. Her gaze lifted seconds later. “But she’s wrong.”

  We locked eyes for a few seconds and a part of her armor began to slip away. Some of mine did as well. Somehow, after all the years of fighting the demons inside, she’d managed to crawl under my skin next to them. My increasing pulse reflected not only the intense desire, but also emotions I wasn’t used to experiencing.

  I wanted to learn more about her, to spend quality time exploring both her body and her mind. The thought was riveting.

  “Don’t go anywhere, my sweet Desdemona, or I’ll be forced to keep you in my cage for the night.”

  “You have a cage?”

  I laughed. Little did she know just how deep the depravity went. “A cage isn’t your style, Jessica. You need to run free to be hunted and captured by a predator.”

  “Mmm… Maybe.”

  Her laugh followed me to the stairs. I took them one at a time, still questioning my judgment of bringing her into my private space. Everything I’d done over the last two weeks had been out of the ordinary even for me. I could even consider my behavior reckless, which was something I’d fought hard against most of my life.

  A smile curled across my lips as I headed into my bedroom and the adjoining bath. While creature comforts were nice, including the hand-selected leather furniture, my favorite design in the house after the kitchen renovation was the master bath. It still carried a gothic feel with fixtures and the walls painted in a rich wine color.

  Had I indulged in taking a bath every so often? Yes, but for entirely different reasons than simply relaxation. I’d bathed in the blood from a night of righting wrongs. As I turned on the water, I realized until the asshole in the parking lot, my hunting had been reduced to a minimum over the last year or so.

  Why?

  I’d been too busy.

  Jessica had managed to ignite the darkness that I would never allow to be driven into the shadows again.

  I turned on the flameless candles while the tub was filling and moved to the sink as I waited. My reflection told no lies. My eyes highlighted the anguish and retaliation over the years. There was no light indicating a soul whatsoever.

  A single solid look into someone’s eyes and they were usually terrified. Not Jessica. The reasons to lay final claim to her were stacking up against those that I should consider releasing my hold.

  But I was a possessive man, more so as I’d gotten older.

  I rolled one hand down my chest, pleased at what the years of working out had done for my physique. Never again would I be the wimp, the weak boy who couldn’t fight to save himself. I was a lethal killer and proud of it.

  Steam was rising, the water the perfect temperature.

  Now it was time for my guest to enjoy another taste of my world, one she seemed to covet more than her own.

  She was still in the same position as when I’d left her, only her eyes were closed and her head was placed against the back of the chair. I stood over her, admiring her beauty in the firelight before sliding my arms underneath, gathering and holding her close to my chest.

  Her face appeared angelic, her skin luminous. Even her lips were rosier than before, plump and perfect for kissing.

  For biting and drawing blood.

  I chuckled inwardly. As if I was a vampire. That was one sport I wasn’t interested in. Shedding blood was one thing. Drinking it entirely another.

  She stirred as I walked up the stairs, her eyes opening if only briefly. But she was aware of her surroundings. She knew she was in the predator’s lair.

  And she loved it.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered as she tilted her head.

  “Enjoying your company.”

  Once inside the bathroom, I took a deep breath of the light strawberry scent of whatever shower gel she’d used, my entire body filling with desire.

  I placed her on her feet, cupping both sides of her face as the blanket pooled around her feet. “Wake up, little lamb. It’s time to be cleansed.”

  Jessica opened her eyes after hearing my command, her long eyelashes floating across her porcelain skin in a provocative way. I allowed myself to be transfixed by her beauty for a few seconds while she awakened.

  Without being commanded, she stepped away from the blanket, gingerly placing one leg into the water as if testing the temperature. Once satisfied, she dipped her other, gripping both sides of the massive claw foot tub as she lowered herself into the water.

  The slight wince on her face pleased me, an indication the round of punishment she’d all but begged for had been effective. My cock twitched at the thought.

  She remained sitting upright, perhaps getting used to the hot temperature. Her lower lip quivered and she was blinking rapidly. Perhaps everything that had occurred was playing out as if the events had just happened.

  I lowered onto my knees, reaching around her and grabbing the scrubby ball and shower gel. Citrus with a hint of the ocean. Not quite the right scent, but it would need to do until I purchased more seductive products. As she rolled her shoulders, wrapping her arms around her knees, I marveled as the thoughts of bringing her here again filtered into my mind.

  Was I really thinking this was something other than what I’d intended it to be?

  Jessica sighed as I poured the gel, closing her eyes once again. She was unfolding another layer of trust, determined not to allow her anxiety to win. As I began to slide the scrubby ball down her back, she uttered a slight moan.

  The sound echoed in the room, my balls tightening from the sound. The act was more intimate than any sexual encounter I’d experienced. I also found it soothing, something the beast inside of me craved and rarely found.

  I was shocked when she started humming. While I had no idea the tune, the lilting sound was unlike anything I’d ever heard. Beautiful if not haunting. Only a few seconds later, another strange and very elusive feeling washed over me. I wanted more than just her body.

  She sighed once again. I leaned her back so her head was resting on the tub pillow attached to the side. Her eyelids opened, her lips pursed, and her entire face was glowing in the flicker of candlelight.

  “Beautiful,” I told her as I rubbed the ball down her long neck. She truly was, her hips and breasts rounded to perfection. As she parted her legs, bending one knee, I took a deep breath and was able to catch a strong inhale of her desire.

  My cock was fully aroused, making the moment somewhat painful. No other woman had done this to me.

  I kept my eyes locked on her as I rolled the ball around one nipple then the other. She shifted in the water, her breathing more ragged than before. “You’re not the man I expected you to be.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  She tilted her head to the side and I wanted to capture this moment, to take a photograph that I could indulge in after she’d gone.

  If I let her go.

  The thought brought another smile to my face and I stood, returning the scrubby ball to its holder.

  “I’ll leave you to enjoy,” I told her. How would she react?

  “Wait,” she whispered before slowly turning her head.

  “Yes?” I’d already turned as if heading for the door. The air between us was as heavy as before, but for an entirely different reason. I concentrated on her labored breathing as I rubbed my hand across my aching cock. The need to bury my shaft inside of her was growing stronger by the minute.

  “Xander. Please…”

  “Please?”

  “Join me.”

  CHAPTER 25

  Xander

  Her words burned in the back of my mind, the darkness edging out any hint of decency. I wanted her.

  I needed her.

  I would have her.

  Her blatant invitation was yet another surprise. She should know better than to offer a cookie to a monster. He was prepared to take the entire jar.

  She scooted forward to add a punctuation mark onto her invitation. As she darted her gaze in my direction, I noticed the warm flush on her cheeks. It was another reminder she was truly more innocent than I’d ever been. Yet defiling her in every way was almost all I could think about.

  “Very well.” I hadn’t bothered to dress after enjoying our intimacy before, stepping in behind her only a few seconds later. As soon as I wrapped my long legs around her hips, I pulled her back against my chest. She took a deep breath, allowing her exhale to be methodically slow.

  Almost immediately, the tension I’d felt in her all night began to fade. I lifted my hand, lightly stroking her arm as I settled deeper into the water. I had to admit, this moment was sheer indulgence and very relaxing. We both needed it. Her trust in me was important, more so than I’d usually admit.

  “The games you play are dangerous,” she whispered after a minute of total silence.

  “Yes, they are designed to be a challenge for our customers.”

  “Not those games, although they are mind blowing.”

  “Then which ones are you referring to?”

  Using just two fingers, she rubbed the tips along the inside of my leg, tilting her head to watch the trail. “Killing people who you believe deserve the ultimate form of punishment.”

  “Is that what you believe?”

  She chuckled softly, almost with a hint of an evil tone. “You are Sinner. Aren’t you?”

  “I have many sides.”

  “Why hide?”

  “Who says I’m hiding from anyone or anything? Tell me, Desdemona, isn’t there a complete difference when a masked man chases you through a dense forest versus a boy who asks you out to share a cup of coffee?”

  She shifted in the water, grinding her body into mine. “Wanting a fantasy is a far cry from living in the real world.”

  “Why does it need to be? Why can’t a couple enjoy sharing their darkest fantasies while still engaging in what others call… normal?”

  “I hadn’t thought of it that way. Why do you risk your life and your freedom to remove what you call scum from the earth?”

  “Because it needs to be done,” I answered honestly. “In a world where so many can be bought off with a few dollars, there are thousands of innocent lives lost, their families never given justice.”

  “So you see yourself as a righteous man.” She continued stroking me as she shifted back and forth in the water, creating a wave of friction.

  Did she know tempting the beast would result in her getting fucked again? And perhaps again? I was insatiable with my needs, my cock already hardening.

  “I’m no righteous man, Jessica. But I am a man who refuses to allow true evil to thrive.”

  “Hmmm…” She placed her other hand on top of my thigh, leaning back so her head rested on my chest.

  I trickled water down her chest, enjoying the self-indulgence more than I should. When I rolled the tip of my index finger around one nipple, she released a tiny moan. The sound was so pleasant, so enticing I repeated the action before pinching and twisting her hardened bud.

  “You value those who do the right thing,” I told her. There was even more of a need to find out why she’d sought me out.

  “Very much so.” She licked her lips as if they were very dry and now, her fingernails dug into my thigh.

  I rolled my hand to her other breast, tormenting her other nipple. They were hard like precious stones and had been that way from the moment I’d seen her in the forest. They were perfectly pluckable and required my roughness.

  “An innocent soul,” I whispered into her ear and cupped both her breasts, squeezing and using enough pressure she had to feel discomfort.

  Her moans indicated pleasure instead.

  I could devour this woman hundreds if not thousands of times and it would never be enough.

  “I think you know I’m not as innocent as everyone believes.” Her admittance brought yet another smile to my face.

  “Are any of us, Desdemona? We often seek what we feel we cannot have because of traditional decency. Most hunger for what you and I have been allowed to share. Utter ecstasy.” I opened my fingers, rubbing the flat of my hand down her stomach, dipping my fingers under the water.

  Another moan escaped her lips as she bent her knees, opening her legs as wide as possible. I closed my eyes and pressed my hand against her sweet mound. As soon as I curled my fingers, shifting them back and forth, she lolled her head to the side.

  “No man will ever touch you again. Do you understand me?” I nuzzled against the side of her neck, nipping her earlobe.

  “Yes.”

  “Tell me you crave what only I can provide.”

  “I do. Maybe that makes me sick.”

  “Maybe that makes you very human.”

  I swirled my finger around her clit several times before pinching the tender tissue as I’d done with her nipples. She lifted her hips from the bathtub, throwing out one arm and gripping the side.

  “Then tell me what you want.” My command was dark and challenging, which was exactly what she needed.

  “For you to fuck me.”

  “In which hole?” I pressed kisses against the side of her neck. She was hot everywhere and not just from the bath, but from the understanding and acceptance that if she was a good girl, the world of dark passion would be opened to her.