He looked down at my breasts with a hungry glare. “Fuck yes, it is.”
Nausea splashed my stomach as I stroked his chest, moving back up his body away from the hardness in his pants. “And your body? Is that mine in return?”
He licked his lips. “It is if you want it.”
I dared look over his shoulder as Penn slowly slinked from the doorway into the living room. His eyes met mine again, narrowed and dark and full of murder. His fists clenched with no other weapon but his hate.
He was utterly sublime.
And totally terrifying.
My skin shivered with a mixture of frustration and appreciation. I’d felt something for him. I could’ve been happy with him. But the truth shattered that.
I was glad he was here, and this situation warranted gratitude, but after that...I never want to see him again.
Tearing my eyes back to Greg, I counted the seconds until I could stop this pantomime and let Penn incapacitate him.
Placing my hand over Greg’s heart, the chain around my wrists dangled, nudging his erection with morbid jewelry. “Yes, I want it.”
He wrapped his arms around my waist, wedging himself against me. “In that case, be a good girl and get in the bedroom. I’ll make it good for you if you make it good for me. That’s all I ever wanted, Elle.”
I giggled again even though I wanted to strangle him. “Okay...”
Penn sneaked forward, his eyes darting between me in Greg’s arms and his feet on the floorboards, searching for squeaky spots.
“Let’s go.” Greg moved forward, his head turned toward the kitchen. If his peripheral was any good, he’d see Penn and all my lying and touching would’ve been for nothing.
“Wait!” I grabbed his face, holding his gaze with mine. “Don’t go, not yet.”
His eyebrows knitted together, dark blond hair cascading over his forehead. “Why the fuck not?” Temper tightened his eyes. “If you’re playing a game—”
“No game—” Panic made me blurt rather than hum with sexual intrigue.
Penn inched closer.
A floorboard creaked.
Greg’s nostrils flared as he twitched to look over his shoulder.
I did the only thing I could.
The only thing I could think of.
Digging my nails into his cheeks, I wrenched his face to mine and kissed him.
The world screeched to a halt as my lips willingly found his and seduced him.
He tasted wrong.
He felt wrong.
He was wrong.
His body tensed.
For a second, I feared he’d slap me away and find Penn just a foot behind him. But then he relaxed, grabbing me close and spearing his tongue into my mouth.
I gagged as he kissed me deep, his hands tangling in my hair.
I hated every wet heat of it. I despised every swipe of his unwanted invasion.
Trying to stay in character, I did my hardest not to bite him. But I couldn’t stop the moan of rejection or squirm of refusal.
He grunted, dragging me closer to him. The kiss turned brutal and basic. Teeth nipping at my lip, sharp and smooth.
And then...it was over.
Commotion, clamor, then Greg was torn from my arms and jerked backward. Instinct made him grab the chain around my wrists, yanking me with him.
A sharp gasp fell from me as we fell together, plummeting to the hardwood.
I landed with a bone-rattling jar half on him, half on the floor. I didn’t have time to register pain as vicious hands wrapped around my waist, plucked me from Greg, and threw me to the side out of the way.
I rolled to my knees just in time to see Penn dive onto Greg as he pinned him to the floor and delivered two solid punches to his jaw. “You cock-sucking motherfucker!”
“What the—” Greg tried to protect his face, but Penn had the element of surprise.
“How dare you take her?” Penn rammed his knuckles into Greg’s jaw.
“How dare you fucking touch her?” He hit his temple, his throat—his punches messy but swift.
“How dare you goddamn hurt her!” He turned diabolical, hitting every part he could reach.
Greg whimpered, his voice punctured by punches and pain.
Penn didn’t let up.
He didn’t stop the violence.
He’ll kill him.
“Wait!” I scrambled upright. “Stop!”
Penn didn’t listen.
Greg’s nose popped in a gush of blood. He groaned something incomprehensible.
Penn pushed up, towering over him. His chest heaved with breath, his body covered in stains and injury. “You’re an asshole.” His foot kicked out, connecting with Greg’s side. “A creep who ought to be exterminated—just like all the other fucking creeps who think they can take what isn’t theirs.”
Even in the midst of a fight, I couldn’t help my inner voice from whispering, hypocrite.
Penn was one of those creeps. He’d tried to rape me in that alley. He’d stolen my necklace.
I backed away, holding my stomach in revulsion.
Two emotions tangled and braided. They knotted together trying to confuse me. I liked Penn. I hated Penn. I wanted Penn. I couldn’t forgive Penn.
The flash of his bare foot brought me back as he buried it in Greg’s soft belly. A sickening thud made nerves tangle into sickness.
I couldn’t do a damn thing.
Penn was a ruthless machine, utterly unstoppable. He was no longer the surly liar who’d enchanted me but a cold, merciless killer.
Greg grunted, curling up, protecting every part he could. “Stop! Fucking stop!”
Hot tears came from nowhere, brimming with betrayal and exhaustion. They spilled over, distorting the room, tickling my cheeks as Greg spat red saliva on the hardwood.
Penn didn’t move back, but he didn’t strike either. Greg’s blood covered his knuckles. His stance defensive and possessive. His intentions of winning blaring all around him.
He’d been in a fight before this one. He’d been hurt before he hurt Greg. Why? How? By who? Yet more questions landing on the unanswered hillside I already had.
I’d seen Penn in many moods over the past few weeks—sarcastic, protective, combative, and seducing. But I’d never seen him channel the wish of a murderer. He glowered at Greg with no compassion or belief he was even human.
Planting his foot on Greg’s sternum, he pointed a finger in his face. “Go near Elle again, and you don’t survive.”
My chains jingled as I inched closer. I didn’t know if I wanted to pull Penn away or check that Greg wasn’t seriously hurt. I didn’t want to be close to either of them.
Deciding they were both idiots and it was my turn to rule, I pushed Penn out of the way, yanked off the despicable engagement ring, and threw it on Greg’s chest. “You can take that awful diamond back.” The minute I was free from that shackle, I dangled the chain between my wrists over Greg’s face. “Now, enough fighting. Where are the keys to the padlock?”
Penn blinked away his violent stupor, focusing on the cuffs around my wrist and ankle before focusing on the tossed away engagement ring.