Page 5 of Beautiful Devil

Her expression of hate bore into me, reminding me that I was a soulless man. I removed the wipes from her hand, almost required to wrench them away. Then I shoved them onto the dashboard.

“No, of course not. You couldn’t care less. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. There’s nothing like hearing their laughter or being able to dry their tears.” She laughed again, the sound bitter.

Something snapped inside of me, the need to consume her overriding my purpose in coming to New York in the first place. The way she’d felt in my arms had awakened a desire I’d shoved aside almost fifteen years before. While there’d been women on occasion, there’d never been a single minute of peace or passion shared with them. They’d been vessels, their purpose similar to mine, a moment of satisfaction and nothing more.

Emily was entirely different. She carried an air of pride, even if only waiting tables in a greasy diner. She reeked of innocence, intelligence, and the kind of sexuality I craved. Although I doubted that she had any idea just how vulnerable she was sitting barely eighteen inches away from a man with no heart and no soul, my conscience and humanity tossed away twenty years before.

I’d felt the attraction the moment she’d been forced to look in my eyes. I’d gathered an incredible whiff of her desire, which she continued to fight valiantly. Did she have any idea the lurid, filthy thoughts running through my mind, images of what I could do to her voluptuous body?

I rubbed my jaw as I thought about how to handle her.

I had two choices in my mind. Kill her or keep her. Only one appealed to me. Letting her go could only prove to cause additional issues, even if my plane was standing by, waiting to fly me out of this godforsaken city. Still, I found myself compelled to taste her. Perhaps with a single night spent, her lovely body writhing under mine, I’d be sated enough to let her go.

Damn it. I longed to bask in her beauty, ripping away her slim tether to purity and goodness. I wanted to rob her of her innocence, relishing the moment of bringing her pure ecstasy. Perhaps her virtue could rub off, providing me with a sense of remorse for my sins.

Laughing to myself, I knew that would never happen.

As I headed onto the interstate, the same needs furrowed into the back of my mind. She’d made the mistake of entering my life. Now there was no turning back.

After all, I always took what I wanted.

Emily Shephard now belonged to me.

CHAPTER2

Emily

Fear was vapid and cruel, never ending when it wrapped its claws around someone’s throat. I took short breaths, my mind frozen, every muscle tense. Sitting beside the dangerous man was surreal, as if I’d been ripped out of my life, plunked down in the middle of an action movie. He was larger than life, darkness to my light, evil personified.

And as I sat beside him, rubbing my fists against my shorts, I remained disgusted that I found him attractive. I continued to stare at my hands, resigned to the fact I’d gone into some shock because of the incident. That wasn’t unusual, except I never believed I’d succumb to it if anything tragic happened. However, there was no amount of training to prepare someone for what I’d been through.

Or what I knew I’d be forced to face.

Being stupid enough to tell him what I did for a living churned in my stomach. Why I’d felt the need to try to appeal to what might be left of his humanity was laughable.

“Why did you kill Mr. Falco?” I was certain he’d never answer my question. Just asking something so forward put me even further into harm’s way. Why should he tell me anything anyway? I studied the area, unfamiliar with where he was taking me. I’d obviously lived a sheltered life when I was young, protected by my father’s abilities and his insistence that I never venture out from the world where we lived.

“Because he was my enemy.”

“That’s bullshit,” I said without thinking.

I sensed his heavy glare as he shifted gears, slowing down to take the upcoming exit. I memorized the sign number and name, just in case I was lucky enough to get away from him, able to contact the police.

“And why is that, Emily? Everyone has at least one enemy.” His voice was just as dark as before, the deep baritone sweeping over me like a warm blanket. I was unnerved by my body’s reactions, both from fear as well as the warmth between my legs. The look on his face was impassive, but I sensed a fire burning deep within.

“Because we don’t live in a society where you can just kill your enemy for no reason.”

“Oh, I assure you that I had a very good reason.”

“What? He didn’t make your Salisbury steak the way you liked it?” I dared turn my head, chewing on my inner lip as I studied him. He was in his late thirties, the small lines next to his eyes providing the clue. I hadn’t noticed the scar under his right eye, or the one on his neck. He’d been in several brutal situations, which meant this wasn’t his first time eliminating an enemy.

When he laughed, my stomach did flipflops, the ache building between my legs threatening to drag me to the precipice of raw ecstasy. I was furious with myself, disgusted about my reactions. I hated him and all he stood for.

“No, Emily. Some men will go to great lengths to destroy others, eliminating their ability to live in peace. That’s what Mr. Falco did to me.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Then you obviously didn’t know him very well. How long did you work at the diner?”

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