He placed his lips on my neck. I didn’t flinch. I pretended it didn’t feel good, electric.
“And what is this?” he asked, when he pulled away. I could feel he didn’t go far, his mouth was close, tickling my skin.
“Javier, this is a distraction. You know it. I have to get to Travis.”
“I admire your sudden dedication,” he murmured. “But we both know there is no stopping this. You are my queen, Ellie. And when Travis is gone, you will rule with me.”
I didn’t want to be his queen. I didn’t want to rule over a terrible kingdom, a land of violence and strife. I was good, somewhere, I knew it.
Yet, I was going to help murder Travis Raines.
He let go of me and walked over to the closet, rifling through his clothes. “Tomorrow night, I will take you to The Zoo,” he said, his voice back to business. “The club Travis will be at. Should be at. You’ll go to the bar and order a drink and look for him. When you see him, you will not react. You will continue to scan the club. I just want him to see you. Then the next day, at the market, perhaps he’ll have something to talk to you about.”
I gulped air. Panic fluttered through me, tiny winged insects.
“And what if he wants to talk to me at the club?”
“Then you talk. We’ll have you in something like you wore today. If he’s anything like me, he’ll want to rip your shirt right off you, just to get a taste of your tits.”
I spun around in shock. “You want him to do that?”
He shrugged, back to me. “No, I don’t particularly want him to. I don’t want any man even looking at you. But in the name of revenge, yes, it will have to do.”
I glared at him as I came over, stopping at his back. “So I’m a sacrifice?”
“Yes. You’re good at making those now, aren’t you?” he said sarcastically.
He faced me, a twisted smile on his bruised lips. I felt like making them worse all over again.
“There are things we have to do in order to get what we want. You shouldn’t let your conscience, or your feelings, ever stop you. We are both stronger than that.”
The image of him in bed with the redhead. Patricia.
“You’re a sacrifice,” he went on smoothly, “I’m sacrificing you.”
“For the greater good,” I said snidely.
“Except there is no good here. This is for us. The greater us.”
I shook my head. I knew I’d have to get Travis’s attention, I just didn’t really think it would have to go to that, that Javier would let me, but apparently that wasn’t the case here. He probably would care if I slept with Travis—I mean, I know he would, judging by the anger in his eyes every time he looked at my cherry blossoms, but he didn’t care enough to not have me do it.
“Okay fine. I go get his attention. Then what?”
“Then we play it by ear. Maybe go on a date with him.”
My lip curled. “With that … that man, Javier, I have to go out with that man.”
He put both his hands on my arms and brought me into him, his eyes staring deeply into mine. “I wouldn’t have you do this if I thought you couldn’t. I know you can. You will be all the better for it. Can’t you see what you’ll become?”
I looked down. “I’ll become like you.”
He brushed my hair off my face. “My dear, you already are like me. You always have been.” He placed his lips on my forehead. “Why do you think we work so well together? A soul needs its other half to truly live. I said that to you once, do you remember? That was a long time ago.” His lips trailed down to my ear. “I don’t have a soul,” he said softly. “You make me feel like I do.”
He led me over to the bed and gently pressed me down onto it. He kissed along my collarbone, nibbling as he went. “I have no interest in redemption anymore. If I did, I know I’d find it in you. Deep inside.”
He pressed his erection against my leg. Hunger flared up inside me, hunger that made me feel disappointed in myself. For letting him do this. For liking it. For wanting it when I should know better.
He came up off my chest, his fingers already finding me wet for him.
“So drenched,” he whispered, taking his fingers up and sliding them across his lips. “This taste. You’re ready to be fucked again.”
With one swift and powerful motion, he flipped me over on my stomach and pulled my skirt up around my waist. He grabbed the back of my hair and yanked my head back, painful pleasure radiating out from my head. The sex in the orange grove was child’s play; I’d forgotten how rough he could be.
He didn’t give me much time to prepare for him before he thrust himself inside, my body expanding from his fullness. “You’re wet but tight,” he growled in my ear. “Perfect.” He slipped his hand over my throat and closed it there like he used to do. Instead of applying gentle pressure, just enough to feel taboo, to make me light-headed, he full on clamped his hand like a vice.