Kaspar was right. I did want to fuck her.
I wanted to slide my fingers deep into Penny’s tight pussy until she moaned with ecstasy.
Which would never happen. Penny wasn’t into girls—and I didn’t know I was until recently.
I didn’t know I was into anything at all.
College was messing me up. Too many options, too much freedom. I didn’t want to decide who I was and what I wanted—I needed Maeve to give me that.
Penny had to die. She had to die.
I’d never get what I wanted from her.
Better to go through with my mission and leave her pretty corpse behind than to spend another day pining for her soft lips.
Penny had to die.
16
Kaspar
Present Day
Somewhere in the Midwest
Redmond showed up with an entourage. Six SUVs parked in front of my house and disgorged multiple well-armed men that began to swarm around the property, checking corners, hustling my guards.
I was still buzzing from my experience with Penny two days prior. Her taste lingered on my tongue, and though that punishment was only the first step in a long journey toward taking her again, it was a necessary one.
I proved two things that night. First, there was no escape, not until I said she could leave.
And second, she wanted me.
Her desire was tinged with hate like white paint with drips of red. That disgust intensified her need for my body, and as soon as I touched her and gave her that first jolt of pleasure, I knew I had her.
I felt it oozing from her skin, glowing like a radioactive isotope under a black light. All that intense anger and all that deep, dark lust mingled into something beautiful and explosive, and I wanted it again, needed it again—but I had to wait.
I couldn’t rush this.
Redmond came out of the last car. He looked around, grinning like he was pleased with himself. I stood near Michaels, my most loyal and trusted guard. The old mercenary chewed on bubblegum and glared at the Orchard men.
“We should squash ‘em,” he said. “Get it over with.”
“Not yet. But soon.” I clapped him on the shoulder. Touch was important. It built rapport.
Despite what Penny clearly thought, I didn’t have my men’s loyalty because of money.
They believed in me because I gave them every reason to.
“Should I start making plans?”
“You should always be making plans.”
He grunted and grinned at me. “Like my plan to trap your girl?”
“That was one of your best yet. Devious and wicked.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Now, go make sure the other men don’t start killing Redmond’s crew. That won’t be good for business.”
He nodded and sauntered off. He didn’t look like much, but Michaels was a dangerous man and very clever. I kept him close.
I stalked out and shook Redmond’s hand. His grip was crushing, like he wanted to bruise me.
His father never would’ve come to my home with such an ostentatious show of force, but Redmond wasn’t his father.
“It’s good of you to come,” I said, smiling, gripping him back enough to let him know that I didn’t care at all about his childish power games.
“We need to discuss strategy. I promised I’d help with Maeve, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
“Then let’s take a walk.”
He barked a laugh. “Walk? Where the hell would we go? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“The fields are beautiful this time of day.” I didn’t bother to wait for him. I headed toward the corn, and a moment later, he hurried to catch up.
Redmond was insecure. He needed to prove to his men that he was strong and capable in order to make sure they followed him into a real fight, but he was overdoing it. A smart Oligarch would never venture anywhere alone with me.
“Where are we going? This stuff’s actually real. I can’t believe it.” He shoved through the stalks.
“You thought I had fake corn?”
“I thought this was all some elaborate trap.”
“Corn’s a good crop. Brings in a nice little income and keeps this place self-sufficient.”
“You’re a goddamn farmer. I thought you were an Oligarch.”
“I’m more than either of those things” I shoved through into a small clearing set out in the center of the field. It was invisible except to the drones that hovered above. They were my creatures, and I made sure that no others could get into my airspace. My men had gotten pretty good at chasing down enemy craft and smashing them to pieces.
A fire pit sat in the center of the barren space. Several chairs were spaced around it. I gestured for Redmond to join me.
He shook his head, bewildered. “Is this some weird little hangout you made for yourself?”
“It’s private. Now sit down.”
He still hesitated, sensing a trap. Maybe he wasn’t so stupid. After another moment, he took the chair across from me, leaning forward on the balls of his feet like he might spring up.