And too intimate.
“Why?” My voice was barely above a whisper.
His head tilted, watching me like I was something fragile. Breakable.
“Because I like seeing pretty things in places only I can touch.”
I sucked in a breath.
“Put it on.”
I hesitated. His gaze sharpened. “Do it, or I’ll do it for you.”
I shook my head, my fingers tightening around the box. “No.”
His smile didn’t falter, but something dark flickered in his gaze. So dangerously amused it terrified me. Like I’d just told him something utterly ridiculous.
“That wasn’t a request.”
I turned to move, to put space between us, but he was faster. His fingers clamped around my wrist, yanking me forward so fast I barely had time to gasp before I was against him, his body a wall of heat and dominance.
“Stubborn little thing,” he murmured. “Should I punish you for making me work so hard?”
I opened my mouth, but the next second, I was airborne—lifted like I weighed nothing and dumped onto the desk. A sharp yelp escaped me as papers and pens scattered to the floor.
He caught my ankle before I could kick him, fingers wrapping around the delicate bone. His grip was firm, unrelenting, as he dragged my leg up—higher, higher—until my calf was slung over his shoulder.
“Let me go,” I gritted out, shoving at him, but he didn’t budge.
“Shh.” He stroked his thumb over my ankle like mocking me with tenderness. “You should be thanking me. Not every girl gets jewellery on her pretty little feet.”
I gasped as I felt the cold metal brush against my skin. He was slipping the anklet on, slow, methodical, like he was savouring every second. The clasp clicked into place, locking me in.
And then—
His lips grazed my ankle.
I sucked in a breath, my entire body tensing as his mouth lingered, warm and wet, tongue flicking out to taste the anklet.
“Perfect,” he murmured, breath ghosting over my skin. His voice dripped with satisfaction. “Now every step you take, you’ll feel it. My mark on you.”
I shuddered, torn between fury and something else. Something that made my stomach tighten and my skin burn.
He lifted his head, eyes gleaming. “I wonder…” His fingers trailed up my calf, lazy, teasing. “Should I put something else on you? Something only I can take off?”
My pulse stuttered.
His smirk deepened. “Say no again. I dare you.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A Reason She Can’t Refuse
Monsters don’t always look like nightmares. Sometimes, they wear expensive suits and sit behind mahogany desks, watching you shatter piece by piece. He was just like that. Cruelly handsome and sinfully arrogant.
I could still feel the anklet biting into my skin.
I should never have walked into this room.
