Buttons and Lace (Buttons 1)

Her beauty wasn’t enough to distract me. “I’m always busy.”

Her eyes showed her disappointment, expecting the same gentle man she saw the night before. He wasn’t constant. He came and went—gone more often than present. “I was hoping we could talk. It can wait until later if that’s more convenient for you.”

“Or we could not talk at all. That’s the most convenient option.” I hated myself for going soft on her. I hated myself for being anything but ruthless. I had revenge to plot, and I was dropping the ball.

She stared at me in bewilderment, having no idea what triggered this anger. “Did I do something?”

“You’re talking. That’s what you did.”

Her eyes fell in sadness, the fight inside her gone. “I just wanted to say thank you for—”

“You already did. Now go.” I just wanted her out of my office so I could soak in my rage peacefully—and alone.

“You’re a better man than you give yourself credit for. I just want you to know that.”

“Don’t care.” Just leave.

Her fire roared to life when she became fed up with my hostility. “What’s your problem? I’m in here giving you a compliment and respect, and you’re being a bitch-ass.”

Both of my eyebrows rose when I heard what she said. “Bitch-ass?”

“Yes. That’s exactly how you’re acting.”

When she told me off, it just made me hard. I wanted her to slap me across the face then kiss me on the lips. I rose to my feet and walked around the desk, feeling anger course through my veins—a different kind of anger than I felt before.

She didn’t flinch at my approach, assuming she was safe with me after last night.

I grabbed a handful of hair and yanked her head back aggressively, exposing her lips for my mouth to take. I kissed her hard, practically bruising her lips. My arm circled her waist, and I pulled her flush against me, wanting her to understand just how much my cock wanted to fuck her small cunt.

Her lips were unresponsive at first, but she kissed me back a moment later, moving her lips with the same aggression and hostility. Our teeth rubbed together by mistake, but I liked it. She did too. Her arm hooked around my neck, and she dragged her nails into my skin.

My hand gave her ass a firm squeeze before I pulled away. “Talk to me like that again, and see what happens.”

“I don’t get you.”

“I don’t care.”

“I came in here to tell you—”

“You came in here to manipulate me. You think I’m wrapped around your finger because I won’t strike you or rape you. You’ve completely misinterpreted me. I’m the kind of man who will still bury you in my fields. I’m the kind of man who will kill innocent people just because they’re standing in my way. You can’t come in here dressed up and expect me to fall to your knees. The only person who will be falling to your knees is you.” My hands moved to her waist, and I squeezed her so tightly she tried to pull away. “I’m not letting you go. Not now. Not ever. The only escape you’ll find from this place is when I kill you. Do you understand me?”

Her eyes lacked any fear. She stared at me in disbelief, not believing a word I said. She shoved my hands off her body, fighting for dominion over the argument. “You won’t hurt me. You won’t kill me.”

“You’re stupid, you know that?” I hated it when she stood up to me. But I fucking loved it at the same time.

“When Cane comes by and demands you put a bullet in my head, you won’t do it. When he wants to pull the trigger himself, you’ll take the bullet for me. You aren’t fooling anyone, Crow. You’re a good person—”

I slapped her across the face. I didn’t use much force because the collision of my hand against her cheek would be enough to shut her the fuck up. “Don’t talk about me like you know me. You don’t know anything about me. I will strangle you with my bare hands and watch the light leave your eyes. Stop rewriting my story. Stop trying to change who I am.”

She turned with the hit and cupped her cheek, feeling the sting of the slap long after the collision ended. She kept her back to me, recovering from the shock of what I just did.

“I’ll do it again.” And I meant that.

She turned around, her hand still on her cheek. Instead of tears in her eyes, there was just surprise. She truly didn’t expect me to lay a hand on her, like a goddamn idiot. With the speed of a viper, she slapped her hand across my face—as hard as she could.

My face turned with her hand, and I felt the redness flush my cheeks. It didn’t hurt, not in a painful way. It set my nerves on fire, bringing forth the beast deep inside me. My cock was hard in my trousers, and my mouth ached for hers. I wanted to twist her nipples until she screamed.