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"I don't think so, słoneczko. He was a giant of a man and armed with half his footwear. That would have been logistically complex, and one skate alone can be a formidable weapon."

“Don't call me things I can't understand." She presses her lips into a thin line and slaps me again.

For fuck's sake. What is wrong with this woman? But the slap only sharpens the arousal, which raises questions about me I intend never to examine. I'm painfully hard, and if she keeps this up I might actually come, which would be embarrassing this side of the wedding night.

“Okay, ma macabre.” What a sudden bout of inspiration…

"What did you just call me?"

"Ma macabre."

"Your macabre … what? Seriously. I’m the gruesome, fearsome one. That’s rich. Do you think this is funny?" She swings a third time. I catch her wrist and pull her into me. Our faces are inches apart, and she must be able to feel exactly how ready I am because she goes soft, and her eyes widen again. Not with fear this time.

"Let go of my arm."

"Fine. But don't slap me again," I warn her, not letting go. I want this woman so much I might explode. Her ex lies a few feet away with a face nobody will recognize. Rafe is on the way and neither of us seems to be breathing properly. Her gaze drops to my mouth. I’m sure she didn’t really want to do that. The air between us crackles. How long do we have before this space becomes a hubbub of activity with the cleanup crew?

Then I slam my mouth into hers, release her wrist, wrap my arms around her, and start devouring her. She tastes better than I have ever imagined, and I have imagined this in forensic detail for years. All I can think is that I want to bury myself inside her and never be exhumed.

She hesitates, but only for a heartbeat, then puts her all into it. I groan against her lips. Yes, I promised her I wouldn't touch her unless she asked, but these are unexpected circumstances, and I'd argue three slaps—and her returning my kiss—constitutes asking.

Yes, she kisses me back, sending the message that she wants this too. I'm panting, ruined already for her mouth is undoing me. My tongue strokes hers as I drown in her scent, in all that is her. Messy and desperate, that’s how I feel. The world turns upside down and there’s nothing I can do about it. My hands move down her body and find her breast through the torn shirt, her nipple hard through her thin bra.

Goddammit. “Manon,” I sigh against her lips as I press my body against hers. She knows what this is doing to me… a few more seconds and I won’t be able to stop…

Then she shoves me away. "No. We can't! This is crazy! I don't want any part of this. You killed him!"

I smile at her, breathing like I've run for miles, because she's flushed and her pupils are blown. She is so turned on she can barely stand it. She's just struggling to sit with the fact that she couldn't save the poor bastard. Saving people is her whole religion, and I've committed blasphemy on her altar.

"He was assaulting you. He had every intention to take you against your will. What do you think would be a fit punishment for rape?”

She’s speechless, only stares at me.

“Tell me. Cat got your tongue?”

“You still didn’t have to kill him. I could have reported him!” She looks magnificent, fierce.

“Right. Ruin his career. Then, if not me, your father would have had his balls cut off and put him under cement. Only, his death would have been much, much slower. The way I see it, though I hate that it had to be this way, I did him a mercy.”

She shakes her head but still, she said nothing. She knows I’m right.

Moisture gathers around her eyes, and I can see how shaken she is. This was a man she’d trusted for four years, and he had no qualms about hurting her to get his way. He was a son of a bitch who didn’t deserve the oxygen he breathed.

I reach out and gently wipe away a wayward tear. “He hurt you, Manon. And he was going to do worse.”

She purses her lips, and I can see I’m getting to her. “But…” She lets her voice trail, but then rethinks. “How did you know I was here?”

I’m not about to answer that right now.

I get closer still, in her space. She is mine, whether she thinks so or not. This has been decided long ago. “Stop talking about the bastard, ma macabre. He had it coming.” I run my hand through her hair. “I want to take the taste of him away from your mind and body. I want you to forget him and remember only me. I want to fuck you on this floor, and I'd bet anything I own you're already wet for me." It's the truth.

CHAPTER 15

Laszlo

When she doesn't pull away, I have no more doubts. "Hold on a sec." I text Rafe and tell him to hold off coming into the garage until I give the go-ahead. No one else is coming. The rink isn't open to the public today, and it's Halloween. No one’s showing up here. It’s just us.

She scoffs and shakes her head, and I can see the overthinking start behind her eyes. Again. I can't allow that. Pulling her back into me, I kiss her neck, her collarbone, then lower, my mouth on breasts I didn't know were so full. I've never seen her in revealing clothing, so some things still surprise me.