Part 48 (1/2)

”Yes. I do.”

”No one likes to look at me. Not even I do.”

”You're not ugly, Zs.a.d.i.s.t.”

He laughed, deliberately running a fingertip down his scar. ”Now, there's a ringing endors.e.m.e.nt. As well as a blatant f.u.c.king lie.”

”I find you mesmerizing. I can't get you out of my mind. I want to be with you.”

Zs.a.d.i.s.t frowned, falling still. ”Be with me exactly how?”

”You know. Be with you.” She blushed a brilliant red, but figured she had nothing to lose. ”I want to... lay with you.”

Zs.a.d.i.s.t backed up so fast he hit the bar. And as the liquor bottles rattled, she knew for certain the stories about him were false.

This was no female-killer. If anything, he seemed petrified by the thought that she was s.e.xually attracted to him.

She opened her mouth, but he cut her off.

”You stay away from me, female,” he said, pitching the half-eaten apple into the trash. ”If you don't, there's no telling what I might do to defend myself.”

”From what? I'm no threat to you.”

”No, but I can G.o.dd.a.m.n guarantee I'm hazardous to your health. There's a very good reason why people stay away from me.”

He walked out of the room.

Bella looked at the all the people around the pool table. Everyone was focused on the game. Which was perfect. She didn't want any of them to talk her out of what she was about to do.

She put her gla.s.s of wine down and slipped from the billiard room. As she came into the lobby, Zs.a.d.i.s.t was going upstairs. After giving him some time to get ahead of her, she took the steps quickly, moving silently up to the second floor. When she got to the top, she caught sight of the heel of his s.h.i.+tkicker disappearing around a corner. She jogged swiftly over the carpet, keeping a distance as he headed down a corridor that led away from the balcony and the foyer below.

Zs.a.d.i.s.t paused. She ducked behind a marble sculpture.

When she leaned out, he was gone. She walked to where she'd seen him and found a door slightly ajar. She stuck her head in. The room was pitch-dark, the light from the hall making little headway into the blackness. And it was freezing cold, as if the heat wasn't just off for the night, but hadn't been turned on since summer's warmth had faded.

Her eyes adjusted. There was a broad, sumptuous bed, dripping with heavy crimson velvet. The other furniture was equally lavish, although there was something odd in the corner on the floor. A pallet of blankets. And a skull.

Bella was yanked inside by the arm.

The door slammed shut and the room plunged into total darkness. Quick as a gasp, she was spun around and pushed face-first into the wall. Candles flared.

”What the f.u.c.k are you doing here?”

She tried to catch her breath, but with Zs.a.d.i.s.t's forearm pressed into the middle of her back, she couldn't squeeze much air into her lungs.

”I, ah, I... thought we could talk.”

”Really. Is that what you want to do up here? Talk.”

”Yes, I thought-”

His hand clamped on the back of her neck. ”I don't talk with females who are dumb enough to come after me. But I'll show you what I am willing to do to them.”

His put a thick arm around her stomach, popped her hips out from the wall, and pushed her head down. Off balance, she braced herself by holding on to a piece of molding.

His arousal came against her core. Breath exploded out of her lungs.

As heat licked between her legs, his chest brushed her back. He pulled her blouse out from her skirt and slipped his hand onto her belly, spanning it with his long fingers and wide palm.

”A female like you should be with another aristocrat. Or are the scars and the reputation part of my appeal?” When she didn't answer, because she was breathless, he muttered, ”Yeah, of course that's it.”

In one swift movement he shoved her bra up and captured her breast. Caught in an onslaught of raw l.u.s.t, she hissed and jerked.

He laughed a little.

”Too fast?” He took her nipple between his fingers and rolled it, pleasure and pain combining. She cried out. ”This too rough for you? I'll try to control myself better, but, you know, I'm a savage. Which is why you want this, right?”

But it wasn't too fast or too rough. G.o.d help her, she liked it. She wanted it hard and now, and she wanted it with him. She wanted to break the rules, wanted the danger and thrill, wanted the wild heat and the power of him. And she was so ready, especially as he pushed her skirt over her hips. All he had to do was move her thong over and he could sink in deep.

Except she wanted to see him when he penetrated her and she wanted to touch his body, too. She started to stand up, but he kept her down, leaning on her neck, holding her in place.

”Sorry, I'm a one-trick pony. I only do it this way.”

She struggled, dying to kiss him. ”Zs.a.d.i.s.t-”

”It's a little late to have second thoughts.” His voice was a sensuous growl in her ear. ”For some reason, I want to f.u.c.k you. Badly.

So do us both a favor and grit your teeth. I won't take long.”

His hand left her breast, shot between her legs, and found her core.

Zs.a.d.i.s.t froze.

Instinctively she moved her hips, rubbing herself against his fingers, feeling a wonderful friction- He leaped back. ”Get out of here.”

Disorientated, fiercely aroused, she swayed as she righted herself. ”What?”

Zs.a.d.i.s.t went over to the door, threw it open and stared at the floor. When she didn't move, he roared, ”Get out!”

”Why-” ”G.o.d, you make me sick.”

Bella felt all the blood leave her face. She pulled her skirt down and fumbled with the blouse and bra. Then she bolted out of the room.

Zs.a.d.i.s.t slammed the door shut and ran for the bathroom. Popping the toilet seat, he bent over and threw up the apple he'd eaten.

As he hit the flusher, he sank to the floor, shaky and queased out. He tried taking some deep breaths, but all he could smell was Bella. Her lovely, inexplicable arousal was on his fingers. He whipped off his turtleneck and wrapped it around his hand, needing to dim the scent.

G.o.d, the satin perfection of her. The gorgeous fragrance of her pa.s.sion. All that luscious rain.

No female had been wet for him for a hundred years. Not since his time as a blood slave. And back then... he hadn't wanted it, had learned to fear that very arousal.