Page 56 of Sinful Lord

“We can start slow,” I assure her, an unavoidable smirk filling my face as I look down at the fallen dildo.

“Oh my god, it is yours…” Melina gasps. The red blush on her cheeks deepens. It looks like she could collapse in on herself at any second.

I want to rush forward and keep her from doing that. I want to grab her by the shoulders and pull her into me. But I know I haven’t given her enough time to prepare for that.

No. Instead, I had to fucking jump the gun because of that stupid sex tape. Because of Yasha von Bingen’s traitorous ass.

No. No thoughts of other women while you’re with Melina, I order myself. She deserves all of your attention. She needs all of it. Otherwise, she could crumble.

“I see you’ve been following my instructions,” I say, lifting my gaze back up from the floor. But before I allow myself to look at Melina again, I give her painting another long glance. “How wonderful…”

“Why are you doing all of this?” she asks, interrupting my study.

“Doing what?”

“This,” she huffs, weakly gesturing around the tiny apartment and all of her gifts.

“Because I want to,” I admit. “Like I said, I’m here to help.”

For some reason, my claim seems to light a fire under Melina’s pretty little ass.

“Help?” she gapes, pushing herself up straight. “You’ve been stalking me. How is that helping me? I almost died. Where were you? Fuck. I almost died. And why? Because you convinced me to come out here alone!”

Her words hit me in the gut like a hammer. But even as I process the pain, a part of me drifts back to that first meeting.

My eye shut, and I can see the dark hallways of the Kilpatrick mansion. I can see her.

That was the closest I’d ever gotten to Melina. One more step toward her, and I can change that. Will she be able to survive being that close to me? Shit. I’m just not sure how much longer I can control myself.

My eyes snap back open.

“You were never alone,” I growl.

“Bullshit,” Mel starts to shiver. “Even now, with you in my apartment, I’m alone. You don’t want to help me. You only want to use me…”

The truth in her accusation hurts. But part of me knows there’s a different side to all of this. Part of me needs her to know that I don’t just think of her as a pawn or a tool or an object.

But the other side of me won’t stand down. It’s too stubborn. Too strong. And it flares up against Melina’s harsh words.

“Use you…” I huff. “If I wanted to use you, I would have already done it, sweetheart. Men like me don’t wait patiently for princess pawns. We take them. Savagely. Have I been savage to you, little dove? Have I hurt you? Have I wronged you? Hell, I could have dragged you right back here after you fell into that river. I could have tried to mend you myself, like a shattered doll. But that would have been selfish. I don’t know how to fix broken things. So I didn’t. I did what was best for you.”

“Why?” Mel heaves. “Why do any of this for me unless it’s for your own benefit? You think I don’t know how men like you function? I grew up in the same world as you, Tytus. I know it all too well how it works…”

The way her lips twist into a sneer when she says my name sends a hot flash racing through my body. This is only the second time I’ve heard her say it, but it’s just as delicious as the first.

In anger or in lust, the sound of my name coming out of her mouth fills me with something I can’t control.

My fingers tighten into fists. But not because I’m angry. It’s the only way I can control myself.

I’m too turned on. Too desperate to taste her.

I didn’t know my little runaway was capable of such fire. It’s even more irresistible than her innocence.

“You don’t know me, little dove. Not yet. But I mean to change that.”

“And if I refuse your advances? If I fight and scream and ask where you were when I was running from the nightmare that nearly killed me? If I doubt every word you say? Every gift you give? Every motive you hold?”

“Then I will tell you the truth. Plain and simple,” I snarl.