Page 44 of Bed of Thorns

“You can’t just make it happen, Edmond, no matter how much you want it to. Life doesn’t work that way.”

“With me, we take everything we want.”

It was as if she was ignoring my remarks, a haze forming over her eyes as she remembered something.

“Your father found one of my sketchbooks and burned it on the charcoal grill.” She seemed surprised she’d told me, placing the back of her hand across her mouth.

Rage was never far beneath the surface. What little she’d written about him had infuriated me, but hearing the truths now only fueled the ache and the fire burning in my loins. It would be far too easy to wrap my hands around his throat, enjoying seeing the light leave his eyes as he succumbed to the claws of demons dragging him to hell. I was incapable of stopping the hatred or the madness filtering into my brain. Her actions over the last few months hadn’t made any sense.

I had to know.

“Then why did you return home? You knew what he was like. You had your entire life ahead of you.” I heard the tone of my voice. I was making accusations and she didn’t deserve my wrath, but something didn’t add up.

“I have my reasons, Edmond. I told you the majority of the reason why. The other is personal.”

“Did some asshole hurt you?”

“Why would you think that?” Her answer was quick, far too much so. I didn’t need to be a rocket scientist or to know her better to realize my hunch had been right.

I fisted my hand, trying to keep from taking out my anger on her in even the smallest way, yet the same need for revenge surfaced. Adam wasn’t here to provide calming words, convincing me that I wasn’t a monster. Even my beloved Mercedes couldn’t do that. I had to do it for myself.

“Even if they had,” she continued, “that’s long past. I left New York because it felt like the right thing to do for me. You don’t know me, Edmond. You don’t know how hard I tried to make it in New York. I had plans, big plans. Although right now they seem like they were nothing more than a stupid dream of a small-town girl trying to get away from…”

The tension between us only increased.

“From?” I pressed.

The way her lower lip was quivering tugged at my insides.

“Just let it alone, Edmond. I’m here. Everything is going to be alright, just like you said.” When she stood, acting as if she was going to ignore my question, I grabbed her wrist, yanking her toward me, sliding my hand under her bottom and forcing her legs around my hips.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her tone more playful than before.

“It’s simple. I’m taking what belongs to me.” I walked us inside, moving toward the bedroom.

“Don’t you have things to do today?”

“There’s nothing more important than being with you.”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re insatiable?” she purred.

The sound nearly drove me wild. “Just you, but that’s all I need.” As soon as I dumped her onto the bed, I thrust the entire length of my cock inside.

“Oh, Edmond. God!” She bucked up from the bed, smashing her fist against my chest, clutching the covers with the other.

“I’m going to fuck you several times a day until you scream out my name, begging me for more.” I pulled all the way out, then drove into her again. I wanted to pound into her for hours, filling her with my seed. Nothing else mattered but being with her, taking her. Dragging her into moments of utter bliss.

“You’re crazy.”

“More than you know.” I yanked one of her hands over her head then the other, easily wrapping my hand around her wrists, pinning her down. Then I fucked her like some wild man, pumping brutally.

She tossed her head from side to side, her eyelids half closed. I could study just her adorable face for hours, the way her eyelashes skimmed across her shimmering cheeks and the way she rolled her lips together when she was trying to keep from screaming. She dug her knees into my sides, every sound she made like the purr of a small kitten, but I knew there was a feisty vixen hidden inside.

“Baby, come for me.”

Her laugh was scattered, her lips remaining partially open as she gyrated against me. “I don’t… know if… I can.”

I thrust long and hard, the force slamming the headboard against the wall. Every muscle was tense, my entire body so electrified I feared I’d sear her lovely skin, but I kept going. I needed satisfaction. Even more, I wanted her driven into ecstasy.

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