Page 87 of Silk and Sirens

“Are you really going to use a blade against me, Tempest?” His eyes flared with something feral.

“Caden,” I warned, voice shaking. “I will cut you.”

He leaned in even more, the blade biting deeper. Another drop of blood welled up and slid down his skin like a dark invitation.

“Then this’ll just have to be a taster of what I do to you later.”

I frowned at him, but before I could contemplate his warning he’d twisted my wrist, forcing me to drop the knife before slamming his lips back to mine.

This kiss was violent, messy, starving—all teeth, tongue, and raw need. I moaned into his mouth, hating myself for it, but unable to stop. I don’t know where my knife fell, not caring that someone could walk in on us when his hands were on me.

He spun me around, my hands slapping against the full body mirror on the wall before he pressed his body flush against my back, forcing me to face our joint reflection.

Then he pressed the knife against my throat.

The sharp edge kissed my skin, cold and unforgiving.

“Look at yourself,” he ordered, voice a low rumble as he yanked my dress up over my hips. “Look how fucking beautiful you are when you’re falling apart for me.”

My eyes were wild, lips swollen, cheeks flushed. Behind me, Caden looked every bit the dangerous predator he was. Blood on his throat, eyes dark with lust even as he pressed the blade to my skin—not cutting, exactly, but there.

“Want to tell me why you’re on a date?” he growled, my dress getting higher until I felt his erection against my bare skin. “When I’ve already told you you’re mine.”

“It isn’t a date,” I whispered, barely containing my moan when he tugged my thong to the side and rubbed his thumb against my clit. “It’s an assignment.”

“Does this assignment make you wet?” His finger found my entrance, and I pressed heavier against the glass for stability.

“No,” I managed to reply, groaning when he teased a second, thick finger. “I always hate it.”

“Hate killing them?”

“Hate fucking them.”

Caden stilled, his fingers still buried inside me. His eyes turned arctic in the mirror, and I took it as a small victory. But then he leaned down, pressing his lips against my ear.

“I’m going to fuck you, Tempest. I’m going to make you ache for days, and then I’m going to return you to your date with my cum running down your thighs.”

A violent shiver tore through me, uncontrollable and humiliating.

He was so much bigger, his body swallowing mine.

I couldn’t look away, not from the way his fingers thrust between my legs or the way he watched. Even the sound of my arousal was obscene, heightened by the blade at my throat.

I knew I should push him away, not let this go any further when Vivienne was only in the other room waiting for him to return.

Instead, I met his gaze in the mirror, feeling this thrill at taking what I wanted.

“Then do it,” I whispered, daring him. Needing him to help me forget, if only for this moment. To make me feel normal.

Caden’s eyes burned, his fingers pumping so slowly it was driving me crazy. “Beg.”

I tried to wrestle away, the sharp sting of the knife keeping me immobile. I watched the line of red drip down my throat, his thumb circling my clit with maddening precision. The cut was barely a scratch, and yet it pushed my arousal into the stratosphere.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

His fingers slowed even more. Teasing me. Denying me.

I groaned, hips rolling shamelessly, chasing his touch.