Black Romance Chapter 23

Parting her lips to speak, I pushed a single finger against her mouth, silencing her from saying a word .

"I want you to think really hard about what you're going to say . Think very carefully about it, because this is the only chance you'll have . "

Her eyes searched my face, but not once did she show any true fear . She was trying to read me, trying to weigh the truthfulness in what I was saying .

Would I really hurt her?

Would I punish her for not listening?

I knew the answers to her questions, but I wasn't going to let her know how far I was willing to go to get what I wanted .
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The soft light under the stage caught her skin perfectly, highlighting thin scars on her shoulders . Running the tips of my fingers across one of the lines, I traced the old wound .

Her eyes fell to her shoulder, watching my finger as it moved over more marks, gently admiring the battles she fought .

"Are there more?" I asked .

Sucking in a gulp of air, she pushed my hand away, covering her scars with an open palm . Biting on her cheeks, she glanced over my shoulder, darting her eyes around in the darkness .

"Who did this to you?" I tried to ask delicately, knowing from her eyes that those scars were a source of pain she didn't want to remember . "Was it your boss?"

The girl froze up, her voice no longer audible as she closed her lips and bit the inside of her cheeks harder . Her face had sunken in, her skin glistening in nervous sweat as she tried to weed out the answers she was willing to give and those she couldn't—or wouldn't .

Dancing my fingers across her collarbone, I slid my hand around her throat, coddling it in my palm . My thumb found the thick vein in her neck, her pulse picking up as I applied a little pressure .

"I'm not sure you're understanding how this works . " Angling my head, I lowered my face so our cheeks were touching as I whispered into her ear . "I ask and you answer . " Inhaling a shallow breath, I felt the blood as it was forced through her vein . "Do you need me to explain the rules again?" Squaring my shoulders, I looked down on her, hoping she would give me something .

Licking her lips, her eyes stayed firmly planted on mine . "Jessie . "

"Jessie?" Catching me off guard, I expected her to beg me to let her go, to plead with me not to hurt her .

I wasn't planning on hurting her anymore than was necessary, but I wanted her to feel how serious I was, I wanted her to understand that I'm not a gentleman . I'm a soldier built from titanium, ready and willing to kill for what he wanted .

And I wanted her . I wanted everything from her .

Every detail, every memory, every pain she had ever felt; I wanted all of it .

"That's my name, my real name is Jessie . "

Loosening my grip on her neck, I pulled my hand away . "A pretty name for a pretty girl . " Looking at my watch, I took some money from my pocket and dropped it at her feet . "Time's up . Tell your boss whatever you need to, I've got a meeting to get to . "

Turning around, I jumped off the stage, leaving her with her jaw hanging open and a look of confusion . I went with one purpose that night and that was to get her real name .

I got what I wanted .

Heading towards the door, I started to pull it open . "Wait," she called out, swiftly darting to my side . "Let me actually earn this money tonight . I've already lied for you, but I'd feel a little better if I didn't have to lie again . " Her thin fingers ran across the top of my belt as her lids hooded .

"No, you don't need to . I got what I wanted, you gave me your name . I don't need anything else from you . "

"You might not need it from me, but I need it from you . Lying is just as bad, if not worse, than me having money I can't explain . " Lowering her body slowly, she was on her knees and unbuckling my belt .

My brain was screaming to stop her . That paying for sex was one thing I wouldn't do . If she was going to do anything, I wanted her to do it because she wanted to, not because she felt like she had to .

I felt my button as it popped free and heard the metal ping of the zipper as she pulled it down . But I didn't stop her, I let her keep going . It was like the animal inside me had taken over; the one that was raw, greedy, and willing to let her pleasure me .

Don't! Don't let her do this! She really doesn't want to, she just feels she needs to .

Chapter end