The Invitation

And it had him so frazzled.

If only he knew that I’d had DNA from each of the three men I’d told him to choose between planted all over her body. It didn’t matter who he chose. Every one of those men were horrible creatures—ones I had painstakingly found, ensuring the only alibi they had wasn’t trustworthy.

If he only knew the invisible strings I had pulled. And one day he would… When he finally let go, when he was ready to embrace his true potential and was truly willing to tap into the most savage and brutal parts of humanity.

“Of course you DNA is all over her,” I said, stepping forward to cup his jaw.

And oh, how conflicted he looked. He must hate me—he should, but in this moment, the only salvation he had was the very monster who created him. “Do you feel remorse for what you’ve done?” I asked.

His jaw ticced beneath my palm. “Honestly? No. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“I did. And I’m so proud of you.” I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. All the possibilities of what and who we would be danced through my mind like tiny skeletons. “And you are right. I know everything about you.”

Seconds passed, and I couldn’t quite make out whether it was annoyance or flattery darkening his eyes. “And you want someone to play with you—someone without morals?” He asked. “Without remorse.”

“Precisely.”

“You didn’t have to blackmail me for that, Tobias. You only had to ask.”

What he didn’t understand—I couldn’t simply ask.

I had to be certain his demons would play well with mine.

I had to witness, for myself, that his depraved whims weren’t merely a form of entertainment, but a bone-deep calling. Something that coursed through his veins like a life force. “Am I blackmailing you though?”

His face reddened, and he held up his hand, his fingers centimeters apart. “I’m this close to being arrested, Tobias. So yeah…”

“And you think her body wouldn’t have been discovered eventually?” I swept a tendril of hair behind his ears. “I told you earlier, you didn’t bury her deep enough.”

“So, you did me a favor?” He huffed a humorless laugh at the statement.

“I did us a favor.”

“By digging her up and handing them a body?”

Annoyance lanced through me. It was crystal-fucking-clear what I’d done for him, but he was so blinded by his cloud of narcissism he couldn’t see past anything besides himself. “Do you not understand it’s my need for you that’s driven every damn thing I’ve done? I couldn’t leave her there to be found, and have them take you away.” I brushed my thumb over his bottom lip. “Don’t be so messy next time.”

His brows furrowed and he stared at me for long seconds. “You… care for me?”

Care was a word equated with emotions. And I could only care for him in the most selfish of ways, the way an art collector cares for an extravagant piece of art which brings them joy. “I’ve always wanted to own you, Preston,” I said, stroking his cheek as my gaze dropped to his perfect mouth. “And now I do.” Then I slammed my lips over his in a brutal kiss.

One he returned.

Violence and hate-tinged passion filled each thrust of our tongues. And that one kiss sealed Preston’s fate forever.

I knew it. He knew it.

“You make me hate you…” He palmed me through my pants, making the ache in my balls grow nearly unbearable. “And want you. It’s fucking maddening.”

The buzzer from the concierge desk sounded, and I cursed myself for always needing to plan everything. There was nothing more that I wanted to do at that very moment than strip Preston out of his clothes, spread his ass cheeks, and sink my cock into him, fast and hard. But I would have to wait just a bit longer. After all, anticipation was the best type of foreplay.

The buzzer sounded again, letting me know I’d passed the time I’d given the concierge. I tore away from his kiss, adjusting my dick in my slacks. “I can give you so many things, Preston. Such unimaginable, dark things. The question is, are you game?”

A small smile played at his lips. “Yes.”

And now the tides had shifted, dark and stormy and oh so promising. It was time to play our first game.

10

Preston

Everything had changed.

Want and need now tainted what had, at first, seemed like a heinous act.

It wasn’t blackmail, but ownership dressed in a shiny bow of protection.

I still didn’t like the power Tobias held over me, but the lengths he had gone to just to have me shackled and bound to him spoke volumes. So much so, I didn’t even want to escape my chains. I wanted his possession.

A knowing smirk danced over his lips, as though he knew he finally had me right where he’d always wanted me.