Dark Need (House of Sin 3)

But now that I’ve felt what it’s like to be truly free, I don’t even know if I can go back to that.

“I’m sorry too,” April suddenly says.

I glance over my shoulder, hiding the metal, but it’s too late, it seems.

“I shouldn’t have taken it off,” she adds.

I close my eyes and let out a sigh, then look upon the metal again. I used to believe it was a gift. An honor. But now, I’m not so sure it was anything but a cage.

I shove it back into the bag. “Okay.”

“What? That’s it?” She frowns.

I narrow my eyes at her. “That’s it.”

“Oh … okay. So you’re still mad at me?”

I raise a brow. “No.”

What makes her say that?

“Let’s just go,” I growl, and I continue my pace.

I don’t understand one thing about women.

One second, they want to hate my guts, and then the next, they care about my feelings for them as if it matters. What does she want from me? She already got her apology. I’m not going to change, and I’m not going to stop until we get to our destination.

Because I’m sure this is nothing more than a distraction.

Just like when her tits fell out of her shirt and how she landed right on top of me. That was no fucking accident, and it definitely wasn’t an accident either when I needed to let off steam because of it.

She uncaged me … and I can’t help but wonder if she did it on purpose?

To make me want her?

To make me thirst for her and her delicious body?

I lick my lips and glance at her over my shoulder. She succeeded all right. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about all the filthy things I want to do to her since she came with me, and now that the metal is off, I’m finally able.

The only thing that’s certain is that sooner or later, I won’t be able to stop.

And when that time comes, she’d better be prepared.

She’s going to wish I was mad at her.

Oh no.

I’m not fucking mad.

I’m agitated.

Roused.

And the only thing that stimulates me is her and the way she looks at me and the hard-on between my legs.

I groan and close my eyes.

You already had your fill, Soren. She’s not yours. And Eli gave you a task, so do it.

I sigh out loud again, forcing myself to forget the dirty images of her floating through my head while I tread on. We’re near the crossing. I can already hear the water rushing up ahead.

Just a few more steps up this hill, and I’ll be able to pinpoint the direction we need to take. And as I get to the top, I look out at the river down below. She bumps into my back, and a gasp emanates from her mouth as she peers around my shoulder.

“Oh my …” She can’t even finish her sentence as she stands beside me and peers at the water rushing along. Her jaw tightens, and she swallows, visibly strained at the sight.

“What are we going to do?” she asks, gazing at me. “How are we going to cross that?”

I look back at her, a smirk spreading on my lip. “We swim.”

Chapter 24

April

Swim?

Did he just say swim?

My face turns pale. “No … no, we’re not.”

He must be joking, right?

The river below us is huge and very wild, the type you’d hear people talk about when they went kayaking and almost went under. Rocks are everywhere, and water crashes into them, spilling over with great speed.

There’s no way in hell I’m getting in that cold water.

Not to mention the fact that it could kill us.

“Tell me you’re making a cruel joke,” I say.

“We’re swimming,” he answers.

I shake my head. “You can’t be for real right now. You know that’s going to kill us, right? That river is fucking deep.” How is he even considering that? “Look at the size of that thing!”

“We can walk. We’ll make it across,” he says, and he steps forward as if he’s actually contemplating climbing down and getting into the water.

“How?” I scoff. “Can’t we just find a bridge? There must be one somewhere up or downstream.”

“Too much time wasted already,” he retorts. “We go now.”

“What?” I mutter, completely flabbergasted he’s even contemplating this. “No, absolutely not.”

At the water’s edge, he turns to me, throwing me that same menacing look I’ve seen before … when he was about to cut me with his knife. But he wouldn’t do that, would he? I’m his precious cargo. The one thing he’s supposed to keep safe. He wouldn’t hurt me.

“Come. Now,” he barks with that same authoritarian voice he used when he demanded I’d come with him from the comfort of my bed back in the house. It never fails to bring goose bumps to my skin.

I step a little bit closer, but not far enough so that he can grab my hand and tug me in. I’m not dumb. “I’m not getting one bit closer until you tell me what the hell you’re planning. I’m not risking my life by getting in there.”