Page 3 of Bones

Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowls at me like I’ve wronged her‌. “I was not trying to get into your house.”

Arching an eyebrow at her, I shake my head. “Climbing ten foot cement walls and getting stuck on barbed wire is a hobby then, Butterfly?”

Had I met her under different circumstances, I’d already be inside her, but unfortunately this time that’s not an option.

“Get undressed.”

With a roll of her eyes, she surprises me and does as she’s told. Why didn’t she even try to fight? I lean forward and run my thumb down her bleeding thigh. “Does this hurt?”

With a glower, she growls like a tiny kitten. “Why do you care? You’re going to kill me, anyway.”

I drag my tongue slowly over my thumb, tasting the coppery sweetness of her blood, and she gives me a disgusted face. “I will not give you what you want. If you want to fuck me, you’ll need to rape me.”

I gaze at her curiously. “I’ve never raped a woman in my life. I don’t need to. And I have no intention of fucking you, Butterfly.”

Do I miss the sad look in her eyes? No. But it doesn’t matter. She did this to herself.

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

Running my fingers down her cheek, it’s like I’m in a trance. “I had a pretty little blue butterfly when I was a boy. You remind me of it. Stunning but fragile. Too fragile for life. One torn little wing, and it’s grounded. It can’t survive the monsters of its world, if it can’t fly. Butterflies are meant to be free. Beautiful and free. One thing you are. The other you never will be.”

“I’m not fragile,” she roars angrily.

I can’t help the grin that overtakes my face. “We shall see, Butterfly. Now get in the cage.”

CHAPTER FOUR

ATHENA

My legs are like lead, I can’t move. I’m naked, afraid, and so goddamn angry as I put the pieces together. He knows my dad. Did Manny set me up? I have spent the last year making sure I never have to go back to my father’s house. Glancing at the cage, I know it shouldn’t seem as familiar as it does. You see, I’ve done this all before. It’s nothing new.

Reaching his hand up, he grabs my throat and squeezes. “Butterfly, don’t make me hurt you already.”

His voice is low and threatening, “Get in the fucking cage.”

He releases my throat, and I gasp for air as he points at the open door, and I walk around and crawl into the cage. I expect him to leave but he doesn’t, instead he takes a seat in the brown leather chair down here in his basement, the only furniture aside from my new metal home.

“If you need water, it’s there in the corner.”

I glance to my left where he was pointing and spot the water bottle, like you’d give a rabbit or a gerbil, and scrunch up my nose. “Gee, thanks.”

The corners of his mouth turn up into an amused smirk. “You’re welcome, Butterfly.”

“I hate you,” I bite like an angry teenager.

Leaning back in his chair, he grins. “Good. I’d be worried if you didn’t, because I’m going to give you every reason to.”

I sit on the cold metal with my knees drawn up, trying to hide my body from him.

“What did I do to you? I didn’t even get on your property.”

Reaching behind him, he grabs the back of his shirt and whips it over his head, revealing a heavily tattooed and muscular body thatI’m going to pretend not to notice. This asshole does not get to know how hot he is. Yet, somehow, he does. He sits on that damn chair, with dark hair that has just enough light to make it look like he’s been kissed by the sun, when I’m pretty sure evil like this lurks in the shadows of a cold, dark night. His hazel eyes focus in on me like he can get me to spill everything with only a glare.

“Do you think someone else owns the wall you were hanging from, Butterfly?”

His gaze travels my body and I know, as hard as I try, he can still see parts of me I don’t want him to, but I’m doing the best I can, considering I’m naked.

I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know you. I think I was at the wrong house. Please, don’t do this.”

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