Page 43 of Prey

“Roman.”

He lifted my shirt off me, and I was left in nothing but my panties.

He looked down at me on the bed, his eyes darkening even more than usual, and his erection pressed against his pants.

I licked my lips.

I never experimented with tasting him. I had offered, but he never took me up on it, and briefly, I wondered if it was because he thought I would be bad at it.

But no, I had seen the way he looked when I said I wanted to do it for him.

I blinked up at him when he pressed his thumb against my nipple.

“Lost you there, didn’t I?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, trying not to let the fact that he was playing with me like this get to me.

I failed when he plucked my nipple harshly, my spine arching backward, trying to get away from him and yet move closer at the same time. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up to a sitting position, and took my dress, putting it on me.

I held out my arms so he could loop them through the straps, then he pulled the fabric down my body until it bunched up around my waist.

“Are we going somewhere?” I asked.

“Yeah. We’re gonna go shop for whatever girly shit you might need.”

“Shopping? Wait, why would I needgirly shit. How long are you planning on keeping me here? I can’t just stay in this cabin with you, Roman. You have to let me go.”

“Wouldn't it be easier if we could stay here forever,” he muttered.

“Roman.”

He ignored me, grasping my chin with his hand until I looked at him. “I don’t need to remind you to behave when we get out there, do I? I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I will if they stand between me and what’s mine.”

“Roman.”

He shook my chin a little. “Ryleigh. Tell me you understand.”

What the hell? How was this okay? But I could tell by the determined look in his eyes that he was serious.

“Have you done that? Hurt someone because they got in your way with me?” I asked.

“Do you want to know the answer to that question? Because I told you, no more lies, and I mean it. But be sure you really want to know the answer.”

His non-answer already told me all I needed to know.

A part of me said to leave it alone.

I looked him in the eyes when I said, “Yes.”

He seemed surprised over that. “Yes,” he answered back.

I tried to swallow, but there was something lodged in my throat. He waited for me to ask for the details. I had enough of his truth for one day, though, so I just nodded.

He helped me stand up and smooth down my dress, grabbing a pair of my sandals in the bag and setting them on the floor.

I grabbed his arm to keep my balance as I slipped into the sandals before Roman grabbed my hand and led me out of the bedroom to the front door.

I hesitated at the threshold.

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