Pennies (Dollar #1)(56)

If she thought she could avoid touching between her legs, she didn’t know my expectations for utmost obedience.

“Do you always oppose the man in your bed or just me?” My hand lashed up, looping around her throat. “You just made me break the no touching rule so soon. Don’t make me break the other rules keeping me in line tonight.”

Her eyes locked onto mine, pooling with panicked uncertainty.

“Ah, that’s intrigued you.” Loosening my fingers, I didn’t threaten to throttle her, merely held softly, trapping her mind in her body rather than flying free. “I have many laws that run my life.” I bared my teeth. “Want to know a few?”

I waited for her to nod, to blink—to do something that could be a signal for yes.

But she was too good.

Or too terrified.

She’d gone iceberg white, her eyes as complex as snowflakes.

“You don’t like your neck being touched?” I removed more of my weight but didn’t withdraw my fingers. “Does he strangle you…is that why you’re looking at me as if I’ve grown horns?”

She didn’t respond in any way, but her pulse gushed like a riptide beneath my thumb. “Don’t focus on where I’m holding you. Focus on why I’m holding you.” My thumb caressed the side of her neck, tangling with the escaped hair I’d secured. “Focus on my questions.”

Shadows formed below her eyes as she struggled to override whatever torture she associated with her throat.

Keeping her mind active with other things, I asked, “How long have you been silent? I’m rather impressed. You avoided my question and ignored your body’s will to reply—even with the small slip showing your dread.”

Her lips pursed, drawing every f*cking attention directly to her mouth. Somehow, she transformed from frozen fear to strong stubbornness. Her skin coloured with fight again, burning beneath my touch.

Heat swelled between us. Poisoning desire and consuming intoxication sucker-punched me in the chest.

I wasn’t the only one who felt it.

The zinging awareness grew heavier as we both tried to ignore its presence.

Whatever inhuman part of me she intrigued turned drunk and crowded with complicated things.

I hadn’t come here for a connection. I hadn’t claimed her to feel. I’d borrowed her to steal her secrets.

That was all.

And that’s exactly what I plan to do.

“I’ll tell you what.” I licked my lips. “You answer one of my questions, and I’ll answer one of yours.”

She swallowed, her neck working beneath my imprisoning fingers.

“You don’t believe I can hear your questions?” Trailing my touch to her sternum, I pushed on a yellowed bruise. “I can. Just like I can tell you things about your master. Things I have no doubt you’ve wanted to know for a while. Do you know why he’s letting me use you, even when it angers him? Why he lets me claim his prized possession? It’s because you might be his favourite toy for now, but what I’m building for him is worth more than a girl, more than money, more than a life. It’s a ticket to power, and for men like Alrik—that’s the only thing he craves.”

She jolted, unable to hide her shock. Wriggling away like a freshly caught fish, she shot up the bed. Locking her legs together, her arms lashed around her knees as her back slammed against the headboard.

You really shouldn’t have done that, Pim.

I pushed off my elbow, sitting upright. “That wasn’t very smart.” Grabbing her ankle, I squeezed the black-shadowed bones of her foot. “I didn’t say you could move. I won’t hurt you, so don’t f*cking run.”

Her jaw clenched, dragging me into deeper fascination with her.

I’d exercised my self-control a lot tonight.

She’d just pushed me to the edge.

Pressing my thumb against the metacarpal leading to her big toe where badly healed bones showed injury, I said, “Just like he broke your hand, he broke your foot.”

She sucked in a breath as my touch lingered on her toes then crept up her ankle to her calf. “Why? Is it to keep you in line? Are you rebellious and deserving of such cruelty? Or is he just a sick f*ck who plays with you?”

A rageful spark ignited in her gaze. For once, I couldn’t figure out if she was pissed I’d implied she deserved such punishment or relieved I saw exactly what Alrik was.

“I’ll put your mind at rest. I know it’s not you. It’s him. You don’t deserve a single bruise he’s given you.”

That damn connection spiralled thicker as she stopped breathing. Her eyes tore into mine and whatever enchantment she’d f*cking weaved on me grew hotter, tighter, stronger.

It couldn’t be permitted to continue.

I only had one night. I only wanted one night.

I wouldn’t hurt her, but I would steal from her, and then…I’d leave.

Because I was f*cking selfish and didn’t have the willpower to fight the addiction quickly building for her.

My thumb stroked her gently as my constant battle for control won over my scattered thoughts. “I have many questions for you, Pimlico. Questions I didn’t really care about until now. However, by trying to dissuade my interest by refusing to obey me, it’s done the opposite.” I grinned. “It’s only made me more determined.”