Page 33 of The Sinners Gambit

Chapter 17

Naomi

Istompoutofthetraining room to go find Killian. The first place I look is the dining room—it’s the last place I saw him.Not here.Looking left and right, I think about where he could be. I can’t just aimlessly roam this ginormous mansion. It’s still pretty early, so maybe he’s working and will be in the library, since his desk is there too. I really don’t want to spill blood on that beautiful collection.

Mental note to self: Do—beat the shit out of him. Don’t—harm the books.

“I’ll have to call you back,” I hear Killian say as I get closer to the library.Bingo.

Barging in, I let the door slam on the other side, and remind myself of the mental note again. “I assume you hung up ‘cause you saw me coming?”

His eyes flicker, but a smirk fills his face. “When I’m with you, little firecracker, I want you to have my undivided attention.”

“That’s why you went and kidnapped me, right?” I ask, walking closer to his mahogany desk.

He stands up from the chair, concern etching his face. “Naomi, yes, but—”

“But nothing. You stole me in the middle of the night ‘cause you didn’t have the balls to ask me to my face.”

“You like this shit, stop fucking denying it. You like the darkness that bonds us together!” he yells back at me as we both maneuver around the desk to come face to face. His dark green eyes shine with impatience—like two beautiful emeralds.

“And what a dark bond it is,” I spit at him. My voice is laced with anger and something else I don’t dare focus on.

He inches closer. “But a bond nonetheless.”

“I. Don’t. Want. It,” I seethe, but my heart fractures at the thought. “You said I could earn my freedom. Let me fight now.”

He staggers back, hurt plastering his face. “Firecracker,” he whispers—pleads.

I lunge for him, taking advantage of his moment of weakness. “I’m not your fucking firecracker. I’m not yours.”

Killian moves my way at the last second. “Whether you believe that or not is on you.” I quickly recover my stability and turn to jab him in the back before he turns. “But you can’t deny thatIamyours.” I aim to punch him with my right fist, but he moves. Then again with my left, he moves. It’s like a choreographed dance. “I have been ever since I fucking saw you in that damn coffee shop.”

“Fight back!” I shout.

He ignores my request and does the opposite. Killian stops dodging altogether. I punch him in the ribs once, twice, three fucking times, and he lets it happen. “You think I enjoy being obsessed with someone after being alone for so long? I assumed I’d never find happiness, not like my parents. They won the lottery with both their personal and professional lives. We were one happy family. But I’m not a normal guy. I’m dark and twisted.”

“That’s a fucking understatement,” I shove at him, but all he does is let the momentum force him to step back.

“Spare me your bullshit, firecracker. I decided to look into you to either commit to the thought that I had to have you or get you out of my system.” He smiles at me, and I slap him to wipe it off his face. But he’s still smiling with a drip of blood on the left corner of his mouth. “Little did I realize how dark you really are. You live for thrills like that of being taken. Unlike the average person, you love the attention to detail I paid to all your wants and needs.” I hit him again, starting to lose steam. “You’re excited that someone sees you for exactly who you are and loves you for it.”

“I don’t love you!” I scream, hitting him again, but this time he grabs me by my shoulders and brings me closer to him, trapping my arms between us.

Killian growls before saying, “Fuck it!” He doesn’t even give me a moment to respond or react before all I feel is his lips slamming into mine. My world tilts on its axis.

My eyes go wide at the impact, but I see his are closed, fully diving into this moment. I can’t help but do the same. My eyes flutter closed, and I lean into the kiss and stop fighting him. The euphoria of finally letting go and being in the moment for once in my life is unmatched. I relax my body, and he takes that as a sign, letting go of my shoulders and moving his hands to cup my face.

His lips feel pillowy soft—unlike any other I’ve ever felt before. I find comfort in it—like putting on your favorite old soft sweater. Parting his lips, he pauses for permission. I agree to his unspoken question by parting my own, and allowing them to carefully meld between his. Killian’s tongue quickly takes the hint and gently nudges its way toward mine. The once comfortable kiss now turns fiery hot—melting me down to my core. My desire for this man is pooling between my legs.

My tongue welcomes his in a slow tango, which seems to ignite him too. The kiss quickly turns deeper and harder. He takes my mouth like he’s worried it's the only time he’ll be able to kiss me. Killian’s desperation for me fuels my need for him. I find my now free hands roaming over the same body I was assaulting moments ago. I push my fingers through his beautifully dark hair and pour all my emotions into the kiss.

“Mmm,” I moan out.

“You. Are. Perfect,” he says, planting a kiss between each word. “And you taste divine.” I groan in response because so does he.

I place my forehead on his, trying to catch my breath. “I guess you have good taste in toothpaste since you bought it.”

He laughs, while placing a kiss on my nose. “I guessyoudo since it's the one you like to use.”

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