Page 26 of Savage Torment

“I deserve to know.”

Eliminating the space between us again, I grab her chin a little more forcefully than she probably likes, but it renders herspeechless, eyes wide as she waits, not pushing me away or attempting to fight me off.

“I’m soft on you, Polaris. That's no secret, but I’m not soft enough to give you everything you want all at once so you can run for the hills… run fromme,” I state, and she gapes at me for a moment.

“Who says I’ll run?” she breathes, making my cock unbearably hard in my pants.

“Are you saying you won’t?” I push, running my thumb across her bottom lip, and her tongue peaks out to follow the movement. She doesn’t offer a single word in response to deny what I already know. “That's what I thought, Amica Mea. I'm learning to share for the greater good. Don't push it and make me regret it. It will only end in tragedy, and not for me because I’ll have you by my side whether you like it or not.”

8

POLARIS

“You're all set,” the nurse says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. One that feels filled with more sympathy than excitement about my departure from the medical center. However, if I acknowledge what her expression conveys, I have to confront the truth, so I swallow my observations and remain silent. I don’t call for help either; it’s evident that’s out of the question. I’m at Blaze’s mercy while I’m here, and although I should be grateful to still be alive, there’s no chance in Hell I’m going to validate the vampire’s worth right now.

Instead of blurting out all the thoughts running through my mind, I simply smile back. “Thank you.”

She nods, her gaze dropping to her feet as she shuffles toward the corner of the room, where she pretends to organize the medical supplies. Instead of dwelling on the glimmer of sympathy I saw in her eyes, I glance down at my clothes, relieved to be wearing something other than the Medical Center-issued gown. I feel as though I’ve spent an eternity in the scratchy, thin material.

Thankfully, I managed to shower before changing into my own clothes, or what’s left of them, at least. My t-shirt was cut right down the middle so the staff could tend to the wound onmy chest. No replacement was offered, so I tighten my jacket around my waist, acutely aware of the exposed skin between the hem and the waistband of my pants. The door creaks open as I continue to adjust myself, and when I relent, I lift my gaze to see Blaze step in.

His eyes scan me from head to toe and back again three more times, narrowing with each pass.

Someone so… mean, so… dark, shouldn't be so damn tempting.

The mystery in his eyes, the promise of sin, should not be so inviting.

When his gaze finally meets mine again, his lips are pressed together in a thin line as he unzips his jacket, shaking out of it before extending it in my direction.

“Here, take this.”

I scoff, taking a step back as my arms wrap tighter around my middle. “No.”

His head tilts to the side, irritation clear in his eyes. “It wasn't a request.”

The smile on my face is too sickly to feel completely genuine, but I can’t hold it back. “Great, then I retract my unnecessary answer.”

He rolls his eyes, yet there’s a hint of amusement, as if my defiance thrills him. The idea sends a shiver down my spine, but it completely dissolves a moment later. My joy at outsmarting him and the potential success of rendering him speechless is short-lived as he closes the distance between us.

His proximity is overwhelming as he wraps his jacket around my shoulders before prying my arms open and slipping them into the sleeves.Pryingis a strong word. It's more like I relent, but the reality of that is irritating as he seemingly scores another point in this battle between us.

I’m certain he’s unaware of the scoring system to begin with, but the thought of him knowing he’s winning is fear-inducing. He doesn’t need access to that information. Ever.

I gape at him, but his gaze remains fixed on his fingertips. I finally snap from my frozen state as the zipper rings out through the air. He doesn’t stop until it’s all the way up to my neck, his eyes returning to mine as his fingers linger a breath away from my throat. Goosebumps rise to meet him, eager for his touch, all while I glare at him.

“Once we're out of this building, I'm no longer under your control. You know that, right?” I declare, stepping back. My effort to provoke him as frustration courses through my veins falls flat; he smirks, unfazed.

“You love it when I take control,” he says, adjusting the hood of his jacket around my shoulders before adding to the distance between us.

“I hate you,” I insist as his gaze shifts down to my chest.

Is he observing the harsh rise and fall of every inhale and exhale that escapes my lips? Does he comprehend the impact he’s having on me? How angry I feel?

“Why are your nipples seeking me out, then?” he rasps, and I struggle to suppress the frustration and rage inside of me.

“Screw you,” I snap, and his grin widens as he walks backward toward the door.

“Please.”

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