He slides his hand away from my face, but before I can breathe in air, he glides it to the hollow of my throat, his fingers digging into the sides. It’s not meant to choke me, but more to put the threat there.
It’s meant to communicate that if he wants to, he can snuff out my air at any moment.
“You said you’d let me go.” I’m thankful I sound calm and I’m not the panicky, absolutely disgraceful version from earlier.
“I said I’d remove my hand, not that I would let you go.”
“Can you let me go?”
“I like it when you ask, but the answer to your question is no.” The pads of his fingers press into the flesh of my neck. “I kind of like this position.”
He doesn’t look to have the capacity to like anything. Hell, his expression is so neutral that it’s hard to imagine him doing something fun.
Does he even have emotions like the rest of us?
Considering he was willing to see me die just so he could photograph me, and then he made me suck him off, he probably doesn’t.
Still, I force myself to stare into his apathetic eyes at the expense of being swallowed in their darkness. “What do you want from me?”
“Haven’t figured that out yet, but I will soon.”
“While you’re at it, you should also figure out how you’ll get out of prison.”
A slight smirk tilts his lips. “Why would I go to prison?”
“For assaulting me,” I hiss under my breath, watching our surroundings for any passersby.
“The fact that you’re speaking about it in a hushed tone means you didn’t report it.”
“Doesn’t mean I won’t.”
“By all means, do.”
“You’re not scared?”
“Why would I be?”
“You could be arrested.”
“For receiving a blowjob you so benevolently offered?”
“I didn’t offer you anything.” Fire bubbles in my veins and I attempt to release myself, but his merciless grip on my neck doesn’t allow me to even move.
“Oh, but you did. You said you preferred the lips instead of the cunt or the ass.”
“Because I was under threat!”
He lifts a shoulder. “Semantics.”
I stare at him. Like really stare at his messy hair and his muscles that bulge through his black shirt. I stare at his passive face and unchanging eyes, and I’m almost sure I’m dealing with a robot at this point.
“You…really don’t think you did anything wrong, do you?”
“Is saving you considered something wrong?”
“You didn’t save me!”
“You were going to fall to your death, but I caught you. Last I checked, that’s called saving in every dictionary, so how about you show more gratitude?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. How should I do that? Get on my knees again?”
“Preferably.” His thumb caresses my bottom lip and my breath hitches when his voice rumbles, “I liked these lips. What they lack in experience, they make up for with pure enthusiasm. There’s something about the nervous energy of the first time and your innocence that made it quite memorable. I bet it’ll feel more euphoric when I tear through your cunt and make you bounce off my cock.”
My mouth falls open, completely and utterly lost for words. The stranger uses the chance to press his thumb against my bottom lip so hard that I think he’s trying to glue it to my chin. “I keep imagining the expressions you’ll make when I throw you down and shove my cock deep inside your cunt. Bet it’ll be hard to choose between it and your mouth.”
I’m trembling, I realize, my fingers twitching and my limbs nearly giving up on me. But I still glare at him. “Why are you doing this to me? You have the looks to get anyone you want. Why me?”
A wolfish grin tilts his mouth. “You think I’m attractive?”
“Like hell I do.”
“You just said I have the looks.”
“Physical, that anyone can see.”
“I’m not interested in just anyone. It’s you I’m focused on right now.”
“But why?”
He lifts a shoulder. “Beats me.”
My jaw aches from how much I’m clenching it. This bastard has turned my life into a nightmare for the past couple of days and he doesn’t even know why.
So I provoke him. Probably not the best choice, but I have no other way to hurt him.
“I’d never, ever give you the time of day or look in your direction if I had a choice. Never.”
“Never say never, baby.”
“I’m not your baby.”
“You’re whatever the fuck I call you, baby.” He tugs on my lip again before he releases my mouth.
It’s swollen, puffy, and feels so sore, as if I’ve been kissing for hours.
No, no. I’m not going to think about kissing while this prick is here.
“Seriously, what do you want from me? I don’t even know your name, and I have no clue how you know mine.”
“Maybe we have more in common than you think.”
“What…is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out.”
“Just like you’ll figure out what you want from me?” I can’t hide the sarcasm from my tone, and he smiles.
“Exactly. You’re a fast learner.”
“Not fast enough to find a way to get rid of you.”
“That won’t be possible from your end, so don’t fry those neurons for nothing. Just…be good.”
“Who the hell are you to tell me whether I should be good, bad, or anything in between?”
“I don’t need a label to get what I want. You already know that.”
A sudden shudder jolts through my system. He’s subtly reminding me of how he easily escalated from nothing to full-on violation and that if I provoke him, it wouldn’t be abnormal for him to do the same.
Over and over until I learn my lesson.
I can’t help the need to face him head-on. “What does that entail exactly? Forcing me again?”
“I’d rather not. Unlike the impression I gave on the cliff, violence is not my first method of choice. However, if I have to resort to disagreeable options, I will. So don’t make me, baby. I’d rather we start on a clean slate.”
“Fuck. You.”
He releases a low chuckle that sends chills down my spine. It doesn’t reach his eyes, not even close, but it’s the first time he’s shown any semblance of human emotion. And I don’t know why I find myself memorizing every second of it.
“Such a foul mouth for a pretty little face.” The sound disappears as soon as it appeared as his fingers grab the sides of my throat. Hard. So hard that he’s practically choking me.
“Cursing me isn’t the definition of a clean slate, Glyndon. We were just talking about you being good, so how about you stick with that, hmm?”
He releases me as fast as he grabbed me and I splutter for air, my lungs nearly giving out. “What the hell is wrong with you and choking me?”
“How else will I get your full attention? Besides…” He rubs his thumb against the rest of his fingers. “I like the feel of your quickening pulse.”
I swallow as if gut-punched. There are so many dark emotions hidden behind his words and I don’t know whether to scream or cry—or do both at the same time.
He steps back, returning the space he robbed so suddenly. “I’ll keep an eye on you. Be good, baby.”