Page 479 of Lessons in Cruelty

I let go of her arm, and we both go for the pick. But I can see it, and she can only guess where it is, so it’s no surprise that I get it first.

Tutting her, I dig the sharp point into the small of her back. She immediately holds out her arm, fingers spread, surrendering.

“Big mistake, Miss H. Don’t worry. You’re going to make it up to me.”

My hand shakes as I touch the ice pick to her skin. It’s not fear. That’s heavy and dull. This is bright and sharp, prickling through me like the fuse on a firecracker.

Is it power?

Is this what Haven felt on Saturday when she held that gun on me?

Jesus, it’s fucking addictive.

My heart hammers against my ribs like it’s trying to break free, every breath in my throat quick and hot. My pulse pounds so hard I can feel it in my fingertips where they press against her throat.

She’s mine.

Finally, completely mine.

Haven goes dead still in my arms. She even stops breathing for a long moment, her eyes flickering up to mine.

Wide. Terrified.

“Kai, please,” she puffs out on a frantic breath.

I scrape the sharp tip down her face, over her plump lips, and then switch it out with the handle. She tightens her mouth, denying the slim handle entry inside.

“Open wide, Miss H.”

Chapter 55

Haven

There’s so much adrenaline racing through me, I feel like I could float away…but Kai’s keeping me in place.

My heart hammers inside my chest.

My mouth is dry.

But the ache in my core is so overpowering, I barely feel the throbbing in my foot where the glass cut me.

Never should have brought an ice pick to a fistfight. Now my only weapon has become his advantage.

How did this happen?

Ha, please. I knew this would happen.

I mean, come on.

If I really wanted the advantage, I’d have stabbed him with the ice pick when he was torturing my injured foot. His eyes were right at stab-level.

But I might have killed him.

And I’m pretty sure we haven’t reached that point in our relationship.

Yet.

“I said open,” Kai grates, pressing the handle of the ice pick so hard against my lip that I taste blood in my mouth.