Descent (Black Heart Romance)

As the horror ebbs, though, it begins to feel less like a deal with the devil and more like a kiss from a man. He tugs my tucked-in blouse out of my skirt. His hand slides beneath the fabric and skims my side, then he grabs my waist to pull me closer as his kiss deepens.

Adrenaline and horror mingle together in my veins as he moves me away from the wall. I don’t know where he’s taking me, I only know he’s in charge. He doesn’t break the kiss as he walks me backward. He doesn’t break the kiss until the backs of my legs hit smooth black leather, then he does so abruptly and gives me a shove.

I gasp as I fall back on the long black couch. Fear floods my gaze as he moves to climb on the couch with me. Out of some instinct that can’t serve me here, I try to back away from him.

He smiles, amused, and grabs my ankle. My gaze darts to his long fingers closed around my foot. He tugs off my nude-colored heels and carefully puts them on the ground.

His gentleness throws me. If he doesn’t care about hurting me, he certainly shouldn’t care about scuffing my shoes.

I swallow, filling up with uncertainty. I don’t understand this man’s motives. He’s confusing to me, and I don’t know how to deal with it.

Once my heels have been removed, he slides his hand up the inside of my bare leg. I squeeze my knees together, but he easily pushes them apart and slides his hand up my thigh, too.

This can’t be happening.

Defeat wraps its fingers around my throat, threatening to choke me out.

Maybe I should let it. If there’s nothing I can do to stop this man from having his way with me, maybe I should just detach and let it happen. When he’s finished with me, I can leave, just like he said.

As long as he isn’t lying.

It’s the oddest thing to ask, but it’s the thought I grab onto, so as he climbs on top of me and starts to unbutton the rest of my shirt, I ask, “Are you a liar?”

He seems to find the question curious, too. He doesn’t meet my gaze or pause in undressing me, but he does answer. “Not generally, no.”

I wouldn’t count tonight as a common occurrence. “But you’ll lie if you have to.”

His gaze meets mine. Understanding where the question is coming from, he tells me, “I’m not lying to you, Hallie.”

“You’ll really let me leave? Even though… even though I know who you are?”

He nods as if entirely untroubled by the prospect. “As I told you, if you try to tell on me, no one will believe you. Not fair, I realize, but that’s life.”

Bullshit is what it is.

“As for suing me, you can if you want to, but I’d settle out of court for a paltry sum your lawyer would get most of.” He rips my blouse open and meets my gaze. “If you want to be compensated, all you have to do is ask.”

My heart thunders as he starts to peel my shirt off. Aggravated by how cavalier he’s being as he talks about throwing money at my pain, I shove him away and pull it closed. “You’re a real asshole, you know that?”

His eyebrows rise in surprise. “I thought I was being quite accommodating.”

I’m not doing this. I can’t. I don’t care if it means I’m trapped in this room for the rest of my short life, I refuse to be one more person who rolls over and lets this man have his way.

I try to kick him in the face, but his reflexes are quick and he blocks me, grabbing my leg before I can do any damage.

Frowning, he asks, “Did I offend you?”

He cares about offending me when he’s totally fine with violating me?

He’s insane. I try harder to kick him in his stupid face even though he catches my other leg, too. All it ends up doing is spreading my legs and trapping them in his strong hands so I can’t move easily.

“How many women have you done this to?” I demand.

His frown eases. A glint of pleasure dances in his eyes as he tells me, “You’re my first.”

My heart sinks. He hasn’t done this before? Who just wakes up one day and decides to do something like this? “I don’t believe you,” I say, but he can hear the uncertainty in my voice.

“It’s the truth. I’ve played out rape scenarios with other women, but they were all willing.”

I’m horrified, but my curiosity is piqued. “Scenarios?”

He nods, releasing my legs and grabbing me so he can turn me around. I clutch my open blouse as it tries to fall off, and Calvin pulls me back against his chest, locking an arm around my neck and leaning in to murmur in my ear. “Last time I reserved a room with a bed. My playmate curled up to sleep alone—naked, like a good girl—and I played the big bad home invader who forced his way into her home and her body.”