It wasn’t enough.
The monster met every blow, judged every attack as though he’d been sparring with me for years. Moments later, he lunged and caught me in an iron grip. My back slammed against the thick panes of glass. The air left my lungs in a whoosh right before his gloved fingers closed around my throat.
“Beautifully done, little one. You’ve learned well,” he murmured.
My stupid body responded with a violent rush of something I didn’t want to name. This wasn’t how I should respond! I was an independent woman, never cowed by a man. I gripped his forearm that held my throat, trying to claw at him. But he only closed the distance, pressing part of his body against mine.
He was warm. Hard.Powerful.
“I like this side of you.” Those words were a seductive, velvety purr. “But I’m in control now.”
An embarrassing little whimper squeaked up my throat as heat pulsed low. Right between my legs. That strip of my swimsuit grew hot and damp.
Self-loathing bubbled inside me. “Why are you doing this?”
He sounded a touch surprised, but my brain was fuzzy. Maybe he was just happy. “Isn’t it obvious?”
I shook my head.
“You said yes when you should have said no.” He squeezed me hard as I jerked. “And if anyone is going to destroy you, it will be me.”
Oh, good lord, if that wasn’t the hottest offer anyone had ever made me—
What is wrong with me?!
I tried and failed to pull myself free.
“You know what I think?” he continued, his other hand tracing down the side of my ribs. The contact made my nipples tighten, and I prayed he didn’t notice. This was not something meant to be enjoyed! Yet everything about this encounter called to a wild, deranged part of me that craved this contact. “I think you like this.”
Guilty. I was freaking guilty of that truth!
“I’ve been watching you.” His voice dripped an intoxicating venom. There was something in the way he spoke, as if I knew that voice from a dream. But I couldn’t place it. Couldn’t remember. “I have a hunch this is exactly what you need.”
I jerked and tugged, fighting hard to struggle out of his hold.
An impossibility.
“Should we see if I’m right?” The tip of his glove traced along my chest, right where the swimsuit hugged my skin.
“Go to hell,” I spat with what little air he allowed me.
His chuckle lacked mirth, cutting through the space between us. “I’ve already been there.”
“I bet you have,” I seethed. “I bet you’re such a monster, the devil spit you back out!”
He clicked his tongue. “You’ve got a mouth on you, ragazza. Pity I don’t trust you enough to put it to good use.”
As he spoke, he shifted his hand under my jaw and pressed his thumb firmly against my bottom lip.
There was something deeply wrong with me. Because just that firm, commanding touch sent a throb between my legs.
The worst part, the bastard in front of me knew exactly what was happening. His rough laugh said it all.
With a fast flick of movement, he spun me around, caging me against his body. I felt himeverywhere. The hard cut of his chest against my spine. The corded muscles of his arm crushed my ribs. The thick outline of his cock dug into my lower back.
He was huge.
And he was just as turned on by this as I was.
