“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
He was right. I probably wouldn’t. How could he have my name tattooed on him a whole year before meeting me? Why would he do such a thing? I slid off his lap and dropped his hand.
“Look, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. We can just keep listening to music and relaxing until the storm passes. Let me find my gloves,” he said.
“Don’t bother.”
I looked outside. The memory of just how cold that rain was made me shiver. It was falling down even harder now. If I went back out in the darkness, would I make it back to the house?
“You can’t go out there,” Riot said, reading my thoughts.
“Tell me why you did it.”
He sighed. “Eleanor, don’t be like this.”
“Why did you do it?” I asked again, louder. “Has this been your plan all along?”
“What exactly?” His eyes narrowed.
“To get Callahan to leave me so you could have me all for yourself?”
He laughed. “Hardly. None of what has happened in the last month has been planned. You two showed up on my doorstep and my entire life has been thrown into chaos.”
“Your life?” I crossed my arms under my chest. “Your life has drastically changed? How, because from what I’ve seen, you do the same thing you’ve always done. You spend all day in this junkyard, hiding from the world. Yeah, sounds like so much chaos.” I replied sarcastically.
“Oh, that fucking mouth of yours,” he snarled.
Suddenly, his hand shot out and wrapped around my neck. My eyes widened as he gripped me firmly and moved, lowering my back to the seat. He loomed over me, his eyes intense with rage and something else I couldn’t pinpoint.
It wasn’t until he forced my legs apart with his knees that I figured it out.
Lust.
“Always with that mouth of yours. No wonder Callahan needed a break. He’s nicer than me.” He squeezed my windpipe, cutting off my breath. It lasted only a moment. He loosened quickly, but it was long enough for my heart to go into a panic.
“You have a lot of demands for someone with little power. Do you have anything to say right now, Eleanor?” He tightened again and I shook my head furiously. Despite how scary it was, I didn’t fight to push him off. Every time I tried to close my legs, he pushed deeper into me, thrusting his hips against mine.
He dipped his head down, his lips inches from my lips. I looked up at him silently, daring him to hurt me.
He couldn’t hurt me more than I’d already been.
If he only knew what I’d gone through with Callahan. How much I could take before I broke. He squeezed my throat as he leaned down and kissed me. My head began to spin as he ground his hips into my hips. His hardness pressed right against my core. The only thing separating us were his clothes.
He released me and I gasped and brought my hands to my neck, frantic for air. He laughed and sat up.
“I can’t keep playing these games, Eleanor.”
“What games?” I choked out, sitting my head up. “That was a game? No wonder your grip was so weak.”
He licked his lips and I melted. I followed his tongue, recalling how he tasted just moments ago. I wanted to experience his lips and tongue again, and if baiting him did that…
“Oh, you little brat.” He grinned and reached for me, his hand, my name, wrapped around my neck again and he squeezed. My vision grew spotty and I wiggled uncomfortably underneath him. His other hand reached under my shirt, his shirt, and ran along my stomach, tracing my skin.
“You’re a gorgeous little brat. Your mouth gets you in so much trouble, but I think you like being in trouble, don’t you?”
His hand traveled down to the apex of my thighs. He paused, but only for a moment. I bucked my hips up and he tightened his grip on my neck again.
“You’re not in control here, Eleanor. I am.” He took his hand off my sex and shoved me back down. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing. He was careful not to hurt me, blocking my air only long enough to make my heart and body scream with need.
