I needed space.
Moving past him, I was determined to throw myself out into the cold and scream on all fours until warm steam burned away the heinous memories that festered inside my skull like parasitic monsters that ripped people apart and— “No.” Malum’s arm shot out. He grabbed my bicep so I couldn’t move.
Even through my sweatshirt I was hyperaware of the burning heat emanating off his wide fingers.
More embers fell off him and hissed as they touched the exposed skin on my neck and hands.
His touch was scalding.
I was frozen.
My gaze drifted downward, and I gulped as I saw his impressive size was still straining against his pants.
Need mixed with fury between us.
Pain shivered down my spine, and I yanked backward. “Let me go,” I demanded, too delirious from lust and exhaustion to play his games.
I was confused.
The villain wasn’t supposed to ooze sex appeal; your enemy wasn’t supposed to pin you to the bed and ravish you.
He flexed his fingers, and I couldn’t move an inch.
I opened my mouth to scream.
Yet again, his mouth covered mine. He kissed me with such ferocity that my knees gave out.
His grip became unbearably painful, and air left my lungs as he yanked me close and whispered darkly, “I want answers. I know what I saw in that room.”
Pleasure mixed with pain as I gasped and struggled to catch my bearings. His heady tobacco scent wasn’t helping.
My head spun from secondary smoke inhalation and delirium.
I was high on him.
Silver eyes hardened into unfeeling chips of steel, and there was no softness left in his expression. “I know what you did,” he snarled cruelly.
His lips were swollen, and flames danced across his shoulders.
He looked like he couldn’t decide between ravaging and murdering me.
The funny （concerning） part was that I also couldn’t decide which one I preferred.
We had to stop meeting like this.
One thing was obvious: he’d just been pretending to be a gentle, nice guy when he’d blushed and given me the sandwich. He’d started the altercation with a false smile and a relaxed posture, but somewhere along the way, he’d dropped his mask.
Now his face was contorted with fury.
This was the real him.
I kicked my legs and arms out as hard as I could, fighting against his grip, but after a few minutes of struggling, I was panting heavily, and he hadn’t moved an inch. He squeezed my arm tighter and scowled.
Bronze features—too perfect to ever be called ugly, and too harsh to ever be called traditionally handsome—lowered inches from my face.
Breath whistled through his clenched teeth.
We were chest to chest, and my neck hurt as I stared up into his eyes. “Why did you do it?” he demanded.
It took every ounce of control I possessed not to flinch under his intense scrutiny.
“Do what?” My face scrunched up with feigned confusion.
I was nothing but an imbecile; the mask was too easy to don.
“Don’t play games with me—it’s not cute.” He loomed closer, and steel flashed. “I know exactly what I saw. You did it on purpose.” Red flames sizzled across his arms.
Harsh features glowed in the fire.
I stayed silent.
He scowled and spat, “Why?” White teeth gnashed, and his canines were ever so slightly pointed at the end.
He was more devil than man.
I stared back blankly with deadened eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” My voice was monotone and bleak, empty like my soul.
He shook me back and forth harshly. “Tell me.” His voice rose. “Caring about your well-being is sheer torment when you care so little about yourself.”
Fire flared hotter between us and charred the edges of my nerves.
“No one ever asked you to care,” I said through gritted teeth. “So save yourself the trouble and don’t.”
He laughed with malice, an angry, dark sound. “Unfortunately for both of us, that’s not how it works—you are my soul. Do you think I have any control over my feelings? My obsession with you?”
He pressed his hips against me as if to prove a point.
Desire pooled in my stomach, and I ignored it.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes so hard they hurt. “Please, everyone has choices.” I made a mocking face. “If I upset you so much, then just ignore me.”
“You think I could just ignore you?” Furious scarlet flames shot out of his mouth and warmed my face. “You think I could just walk the fuck away from you, Arabella?”