“Bug,” he taunts, his grip tightening on my ankle.
“Arsehole!” I struggle against his hold, feeling the carpet burn against my skin as he drags me back into the bedroom. “Babe!” I plead, watching my trousers get tossed across the room, leaving me in my Miss Piggy socks and granny panties.
He takes a seat on the bed, beaming at my misery. Although I deliver a death glare at him, he merely laughs and proceeds to drag me across his lap and shove my underwear to the side. His hand connects with my bare skin, leaving a stinging sensation in its wake. “Ouch!”
I squirm, trying to wriggle free, but his grip tightens. His hand lands on my backside with a resounding smack, causing me to yelp in surprise. “You’re an insufferable prick!”
The next smack is even harder, making me bite down hard. “Bastard!”
Motherfucker! My cheeks are on fire!
His hand slams down on my arse again, the pain shooting through me like lightning.
That’s it.
I turn enough to angle my head back, and sink my teeth into his forearm, drawing blood. The shock on his face is satisfying as I finally break free from his grasp. “Don’t mess with the piggy!” I point at my socks, then kick him in the shin for good measure.
I can hear him cursing behind me as I dive for my trousers and make a run for the door. Pulling on my pants, I feel a sense of victory and adrenaline coursing through me as I round the top of the stairs. “Dickhead!” I shout over my shoulder as I sprint down the stairs, hearing the howling laughter coming from the sitting room.
“Thanks for the help!” I bark at my friends, who are doubled over, clutching their stomachs. “I’m sneezing in your lasagne!”
The buzzer for the oven goes off, signalling that dinner is ready. Aiden appears in the doorway a moment later, blood oozing from the bite mark on his forearm.
“You’re fucking feral, bug,” he chuckles, grabbing a tea towel to mop up the blood.
“I’m going to slice your scrotum tonight,” I threaten, holding the oven mitts in my hands.
Aiden just laughs, pulls down eight plates from the press, and sets them on the kitchen island. “Promise?” He teases.
I set the lasagne down to cool and toss off the oven mitts. Snatching a knife from the block, I point it at him, and to my utter dismay, he walks into it, creating a thin cut on his cheek.
“Do it,” he challenges, wiping the blood away with his finger and pressing it against my mouth. A trickle of warmth settles on my lips, he watches me with predatory intensity. “Open.”
I hesitate for a moment before parting my lips, allowing his blood to lightly coat my tongue. “Good girl,” he murmurs, then, without warning, disarms me, pinning me against the kitchen island with the very same blade held to my throat. “Don’t move.”
I can feel the cold steel against my skin, his breath hot on my neck as he leans in closer, his lips slanting over mine in a possessive kiss. His tongue traces the line of my lips, tasting the metallic tang of his blood, then he bites down hard.
I gasp, feeling a mixture of fear and arousal course through me as he continues to press his body and the knife against me. Blood oozes from the cut on my lip, and Aiden eagerly licks it away, his eyes dark with hunger.
“That’s my girl,” he murmurs, his voice low and commanding. He slowly lowers the knife to the counter, his gaze never leaving mine as he skims his fingers down my arm, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
“You never want to aim for the chest, bug,” he whispers, his breath hot against my ear. “The stomach is a better target and easier to hit. No pesky bones to get in the way.”
The doorbell rings, interrupting our twisted moment.
“Expecting company?”
His furrowed brow tells me that he’s not pleased with the interruption. “Wait here.”
Aiden releases my arm and heads for the door, his footsteps echoing through the empty hallway. I busy myself with dishing up the lasagne and garlic bread. I’m really trying not to eavesdrop, but I blame autism for my impeccable hearing.
“What do you mean, gone?” Aiden sounds agitated.
“We found his car at the airport this morning; it looks like he’s taken off somewhere.”
It takes me a few moments to figure out that it’s detective Moore speaking.
“Where?”
