Page 22 of Forbidden Harvest

With a shaky breath, I surrender to my vulnerability. “Are they... your initials?”

“Yes!” Triumph colors his voice. “My initials, forever a part of you. A constant reminder that you belong to me and that I can take what’s mine whenever I please.”

Tears sting my eyes as the reality of his words sinks in. “You branded me?”

“Exactly. It’s our secret, a symbol of our twisted bond.” His laughter fills the room, a dark melody that sends shivers down my spine.

“Show me,” I demand.

“I want you to see my handiwork, but that would give away my identity, and I’m not ready yet.”

His red contact-covered eyes burn with intensity. “You’re mine. My canvas to mark and do with as I please.”

I shudder, goosebumps rising on my skin. Some part of me must’ve expected this, hoped for it even. I fantasized about it, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be like this. In my fantasies, I knew who my partner was.

“Please...” I whisper, the word escaping before I can stop it. I want him to continue, to lead me further down this twisted path.

Gently, he grasps my wrist, his gloved hand tender yet firm. The knife appears again, and I flinch as he slowly, deliberately cuts me once more, the blade slicing my skin with precision. The sting is instantly overridden by a burning sensation that consumes me.

Without breaking eye contact, he bends down, his tongue hot against my skin as he laps at the blood. A shiver shoots through right between my thighs.

“S-stop,” I whisper.

“You don’t want me to stop, do you, Aria?” His voice is filled with anticipation.

I look away, my cheeks flaming. “No,” I admit in a hoarse whisper.

Removing his gloves, he reaches for me, his intention clear. “Then let’s explore how much more you can take.”

His hands claim my breasts, thumbs teasing my sensitive nipples. A moan escapes as he alternates between sucking andnibbling, leaving my nipples aching and my body thrumming. With each touch, he pushes me further down this rabbit hole of desire, his masked presence both tantalizing and terrifying.

His mouth trails kisses down my stomach, his hands spreading my thighs. His tongue teases and licks, driving me wild, and I cry out, my body arching off the bed as he pushes me closer to the edge.

“Please...” I beg, needing something I can’t even name.

With a hum, he obliges, his tongue and fingers working in sync. He continues his assault, relentless in his pursuit of my pleasure until I’m a quivering mess, poised on the precipice, teetering between sanity and the oblivion that awaits.

With a skilled stroke of his tongue, he pushes me over the edge, and I cry out, my voice filling the room. My body convulses as an intense orgasm tears through me, leaving me breathless and trembling.

In the aftermath, I lie boneless, my senses heightened, and my skin hypersensitive to his every touch. His kisses trail up my body, a lingering touch that sends sparks skittering across my nerve endings.

“Don’t be shy, Aria,” he whispers, his thumb brushing my lower lip. “Embrace your desires. Admit that you enjoyed that.”

Shame wars with my need to feel desired. I bite my lip, my eyes unable to meet his. “I did,” I whisper. “I enjoyed it.”

He chuckles. “You’ve got no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that. To taste you, to hear you cry.”

A shiver runs down my spine, remembering I still don’t know who he is. And yet he knows who I am. “I don’t even know you.”

“You know my touch,” he murmurs, his thumb lifting my chin so our eyes meet. “You know the effect I have on you.”

I search his gaze to find a clue as to who he is.

“Tell me. Tell me how I make you feel.” He cups my chin.

“You make me feel desired,” I admit, my voice quiet. “As if I belong to you.”

His voice drops to a dangerous whisper. “You are mine, princess. My perfect, willing captive.”

---