Ruthless Heart

“I don’t expect anything from you.”

Her withering look adds an undertone of anger to the desire I feel, and I want to put my fist through a wall. This alliance isn’t going to work if I can’t get myself together.

But when she looks at me like that… It brings out the beast in me. Like she’s superior. Untouchable.

And we both know that’s bullshit. I’ve touched her. I know her moans of pleasure and the taste of her sweet honey. She can’t take that away, no matter how much she might despise me now.

I grab my jacket, and nod to the door. “Don’t forget what I said, Princess. If you run again—”

“I won’t.” she cuts me off. “We have an agreement.”

I snort. “And you’re a woman of honor, huh? Don’t play those games with me. You’re forgetting. I know all your lies.”

I walk out, knowing she’ll follow. She’s smart enough to know she’s on thin ice with me, at least. The car’s waiting downstairs, and I get in, trying to ignore her as she settles in the backseat beside me, fussing with her hair and arranging her skirts.

The skirts I’m hungry to shove up around her waist. The gold silk hair I want knotted around my fist as I ride her, hard, until she breaks.

I clench my fists and look out of the window, aware of every damn shift of her lithe body.

How could I forget, when she’s around, there’s nothing else in the world.

I hate that she holds my attention so thoroughly. She doesn’t even have to try. It’s just like when we were younger. I lusted after her for years when we were growing up, fixated to the point of obsession. I’d volunteer to run important documents out to her father on Long Island, just to catch a glimpse of her in that jailbait Catholic girl uniform, hanging out in the kitchen after school. Not that I could do more than look. She was off-limits, out of my league. Hell, she was too young, as innocent as they come up in her ivory tower, pampered and protected from the likes of me.

Until she wasn’t.

Until I’d catch her watching me with heat in her eyes, a flush in those pretty cheeks.

Until the day she turned sixteen, and I had no excuses left why I couldn’t steal a taste of heaven for myself.

“I don’t want a repeat of the gala this time.”

Her voice snaps me back to the present as we arrive at the theater. Lily gives me a cool, disdainful look. “You need to make an effort. And if you can’t? Then just keep quiet and let me do the talking.”

“Fine with me,” I snap back. The superiority in her eyes should ease my hard-on, but fuck if it doesn’t make me want her more. “It’s about time you earned your keep.”

She flushes, angry. “I’m the one who even found out about tonight,” she replies.

“What do you want, a medal?”

I get out of the car and march up the front steps, making her hurry to keep up. That’s how I need to keep this—never let her forget even for a moment who’s boss. It’s her life in my hands, and she needs to remember that.

But of course, Lily always demanded the upper hand. “Would it kill you to smile?” she murmurs, as we step into the crowded lobby.

“Not everyone can just slip on a mask and be a different person,” I reply. “But you were always good at lying, weren’t you?”

I see a flash of hurt on her face, but it’s quickly smoothed by that perfect smile again. “You should be grateful. My lies are going to get you what you want.”

What I want is this woman on her knees with her lips wrapped around my cock. Begging for another inch. Swallowing every last drop.

“Careful, Princess,” I growl, stepping closer. Her eyes widen, and she inhales fast. Fearful.

Good.

“You’re the one who should be grateful, that I’m allowing your heart to keep beating another night. Or maybe I should call my guys, and have them pay your brother a visit…”

“No!” Lily blurts. “Please. I… I’m sorry,” she manages, even with hatred flashing in her eyes. “I’ll behave.”

Damn. What I wouldn’t give to see her behave herself in a dark, empty room. Or maybe I wouldn’t even wait for that. Fuck, we could put on a show right here that these rich assholes would never forget: Her dress yanked down to her waist, her screams of pleasure echoing for everyone to hear—