Cards of Love: The Devil (Devil's Playground #1)(58)
“Cain.” I smile, feeling both relieved he came to my rescue and stupid for ever thinking he would bring me here to hurt me. “You found—” My voice catches when he presses his palm over my heart. The part of me he owns and controls. The part of me that will forever be tethered to him.
I look down when his hand compresses, painfully constricting the organ. “What are you doing?”
I try to maneuver out of his hold, but he’s too strong. Whenever I inhale, he pushes down harder. Fear pumps through my veins and I grip the collar of his jacket, urging him to stop.
White spots form in front of my eyes and the hand gripping his collar goes limp at my side. It physically hurts to breathe. I’m going to pass out if he doesn’t let up in the next ten seconds.
I flatten my back against the wall, hoping to catch a shallow breath, but the crushing weight becomes so unbearable, I give up.
My knees buckle and I start to fall—but suddenly the force is gone.
I suck in air so fast I cough, and try to push him away, but he leans in, his mouth hovering over my ear. “Remember that feeling, Eden.” His voice is deep and raspy…different. “Because it’s only going to get worse.”
My blood runs cold. It’s not Cain.
“Who are you?”
I feel his lips curve against the shell of my ear. “A friend.”
My cheeks heat when he nuzzles my neck and plants a kiss where my pulse is beating erratically. “My friends don’t hurt me.”
I know I should be running away and finding Cain, but I need to know who this man is and how he knows my name.
And why my body responds to him the way it does…even though it’s obvious he wants to harm me.
“You’re right.” His teeth scrape my flesh as his hand slips through the slit in my dress. “I’m definitely not your friend.” The vehemence in his tone is chilling, yet his touch is soft like velvet. “Consider me a messenger.” He gives me an evil grin that makes my stomach drop. “Cain’s waiting for you upstairs.”
I blink in confusion. “Cain sent you to get me?”
That doesn’t seem right, although it’s not entirely out of the question. Cain has people to do his bidding for him. But it’s weird that he would send one of his employees to fetch me.
The tip of his finger slithers up my thigh and I glare at him. “I suggest you keep your hands to yourself, Sir. Because if Cain ever finds out you touched me, I guarantee you’ll be out of a job.” I crinkle my nose. “And probably a few teeth.”
He smirks. “It’s a shame we didn’t meet under different circumstances.” He captures my hand with his free one and kisses my finger. The one I cut on broken glass. “Last bedroom on the second floor.” He plucks the string of pearls against my hip bone. “The one next to the closet.”
With that, he releases me.