Page 27 of Brutal Knight

He responds immediately, groaning. I only half pay attention to him. I need to do this right—it’s deflecting, getting him to let his guard down long enough to get him on my side. I know I can do it. Sex is the one way I know how to protect myself. If I do this right, I can save myself just a little more.

It doesn’t matter if I trust him or think he’s attractive. It’s just about the exchange, just about making sure he’s focused on anything other than hurting me.

Connor isn’t just responding. He’s into it. He thrusts into my mouth, even and measured. I’m almost surprised how careful he is. Dmitri never cared about how rough he was. He’d make me choke. Connor is into it more than Dmitri ever was, but his pace is measured. He’s almost…soft, with me.

I don’t know how to handle this. It makes me nervous about what’s coming, and it distracts me. I can’t stop wondering when he’s going to get rough. I know it’s coming, because why wouldn’t it? No one has ever been gentle with me in my life. It won’t happen now.

Right?

One of his hands moves to my head. I brace myself, realizing this is the moment it changes—and then it doesn’t. His grip is light, his fingers threading through my hair like he just wants to feel it.

My movements stutter, and I almost stop. I don’t know how to respond to this. I don’t know how to act when he’s like this.

I don’t understand. The only thing I know is that he’s lost in pleasure, and that’s all I need.

So I keep going, taking him deep and moving faster. I use my hands at the base of his shaft, stroking him as I take his length in my mouth. I can feel how hot and hard he is on my tongue. I know it’s working.

There’s something different about this. It’s not just that he hasn’t started forcing me down. It’s something else. There’s something different about the way he lets me work, how he doesn’t push me or grab my throat.

I don’t know what to do or how to feel. This is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

Connor curses. His eyes are hazy when he opens them and looks down at me. Something burns in the depths of his irises for a moment, something rich and low. Something pleased. It’s not smug like Dmitri, not dark like my father’s men.

But something changes when he sees me. The bliss in his gaze pulls back, replaced by a dawning realization. His breathing starts to even out as he shakes his head.

“You’re not enjoying this at all.”

I blink. I can feel my face flush, and suddenly I’m pulling back, leaving him wet and hard. There’s a flood of embarrassment in my veins, vulnerability as I sit back on my heels and press the back of my hand to my mouth.

What the hell?

I don’t even know what to say to him. Just like that, the magic is broken, and I’m aware of how much my knees hurt and how lightheaded I feel. The pleasure that was in his eyes is gone, and I’m left half befuddled and half fearful.

Part of me wonders if I did something he didn’t like. Another part of me is desperately praying he won’t explode about this, that my plan hasn’t backfired.

But at the front of my mind are his words, his claim. I can’t stop hearing them echo in my head. I can’t stop wondering what the hell they’re supposed to mean.

Dmitri never noticed or cared if I was into it. So why the fuck does Connor?

CHAPTER10

Connor

I look down at Willow. She stares back up at me, her blue-gray eyes stormy. Confused. Her hair is tousled, her cheeks flushed. She holds herself still, so still it’s like she’s frozen.

Despite the confusion, she looks so fucking hot I almost give in again. There’s something about the way she’s disheveled, her lips rosy and wet. She looks more alive than I’ve seen her since she arrived.

My cock is still aching for her mouth. It was the best damn blowjob I’ve ever gotten in my life, and my balls are about ready to explode.

Part of me wants to ignore this and just keep going. Part of me wants to let her take me in her mouth again, work me until I come, spilling down her throat. I can imagine everything I’d do after. I can imagine what I’d do if I got her to the bed.

I can imagine working at her, making her feel just the way she was starting to make me feel. I’d unravel her bit by bit, watch all those walls and defenses crumble. I’d take my time. I’d show her that I care about her and that we don’t have to be enemies.

I’d lay her down in my bed and start at her lips, then make my way down. It would be so easy. It would be so easy to keep going with this.

But I can’t do it. Not when I’ve looked down at her and seen her face.

When I looked down, I saw deadness in her eyes. It was so flat, it shocked me out of bliss. I’ve never seen a woman look at me like that, and it sent a visceral reaction through my body. I hated it.

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