Live Free (Lords of Mayhem 3)

The door opened and Levi stood in a pair of smartly pressed black pants and a button-up shirt of the same hue. His expensive black loafers practically gleamed in the sunlight.

His beautiful features no longer held her interest. She recognized the perfectly groomed façade for what it was now. A way to hide the monster lurking beneath.

A pompous expression crossed his face as he leered down at her.

Her instincts told her to run. But she forged ahead until she stood before him on the front porch.

“I knew you’d be back eventually. I wanted to break you in slowly. But now you’ll have to learn your lesson.”

“L-lesson?”

“Oh, yes.” He nodded. “You used to be such a good girl. So obedient, malleable. But your time with those assholes changed you.” He frowned. “I don’t like it.” He stepped back inside the house. “Come in.”

Evonne stepped inside, waiting for the right moment to unleash her fury. Her eyes were drawn to the couch in the center of the room. The limp form of a woman lay there pale and unresponsive. Welts marked her nude frame. The blue tinge of her lips told Evonne she was too late to save her.

“Don’t mind her. A simple distraction while I bided my time waiting for you. Food, drink?” he asked, shutting the door behind her with a cordial smile.

How can this man seem so normal? She studied him like a scientist observing an animal in the wild. With the blinders off and knowledge on her side, everything looked different. Every movement he made was precise and she wondered if his obsessive-compulsive tendencies were a coping mechanism. A way to keep whatever lurked beneath the surface in check. “No, no thank you.”

“So polite, yet nervous. You know you’ve been a bad girl, don’t you, Evonne.” He walked toward her, stalking like a lion intent on devouring his prey. “But it’s okay. We can make it right as long as you do everything I tell you. We can go back to what we were. Would you like that?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“I’m going to be good to you, Evonne,” he purred. “I’ll teach you to like the pain. In time, you’ll come to enjoy playing as much as I do.”

I fucking doubt that, pal.

“For now, let’s ease in slowly. Come here and kiss me.” His words held an edge that promised punishment if she balked.

Moistening her mouth, she swallowed the bile that slithered up along the back of her throat and shuffled forward. Pretend you like it. Sell that shit like your life depends on it, because it does. She stopped a few inches from him, placed her hands on his well-formed chest and rose on her tiptoes to reach his soft, pink lips. Their mouths met and she immediately felt cold and dirty. Like a stripper dancing for money. Tracing his lips with hers, she silently asked for entrance the way she knew he liked.

He moaned, humming with that she thought was approval. “Suck my tongue,” he whispered.

Evonne did as he commanded, blanking her mind, superimposing Rocky’s face over Levi’s to manage a believable response. Levi fisted her hair, pulling it tight and she whimpered. His cock hardened, pressing into her belly. Sick fuck gets off on pain. He placed his hands on her hips, digging his fingers into her flesh. She winced and he ground against her.

She eased her hand up along his chest, wrapping it around his neck while keeping the other at her side. Taking a risk, she caught his short locks and pulled.

A bellow escaped his throat and he fucked her through her pants, nipping at her lips as he deepened the kiss in a scary display of what her future could’ve been. He was like a vampire going into bloodlust.

Mentally, she counted to ten and eased her hand back inch by inch. Digging her nails into the back of his neck to keep his attention focused, she trembled as her hand slipped under her shirt and rested on the cool piece of metal.

He must think her shaking was desire, because he dug his fingernails into her flesh.

Gasping, she returned the favor on his neck, hoping she drew blood.

He roared, sinking his teeth into her bottom lip.

The taste of copper filled her mouth. Son of a bitch. Her blood worked him into a fury. He licked at her teeth, lapping it up, like the parasite he was. She clenched the handle and brought it up swiftly, pressing the butt to his temple and pulled the trigger without hesitation. He had a moment to tense before his body jerked back and she continued to release bullets into his face. The sound of the firing muffled by his flesh. Blood splattered onto her face and clothing. Her hand shook and her heart felt ready to explode.

He hit the ground with a sickening thud and she peered down at his lifeless body, twisted in an awkward shape as he bled out. Blood soaked through his clothes. Horrified yet relieved, she stood frozen on the spot. All her planning ended here.

On overload—her brain shut down and she froze.

* * * * *

Rocky was ready to pull his hair out. “Where the fuck can she be?” he asked, pacing the length of the mini-mall with Hawk as his shadow.

“You didn’t see anyone go in after her, did you?” Hawk asked for the millionth time.