Page 24 of Lord of Vice

“I was raised in a city where hunting was a normal way of life. So what?”

The girl was going to be adversarial about everything. I pointed to the area in front of me before placing my glass on the table.

“Do you have any other interests other than berating people, punishing them? I bet you’re a lot of fun at parties.”

“One last time, Penny. There won’t be another. I will make the punishment you’re about to receive something you’ll remember for a long time. Come here. Now.” Goddamn, my cock was twitching.

When she rolled her eyes, I was pleasantly surprised at my reaction. My cock was immediately pressing against my trousers. Maybe it was because people so rarely tried to defy me.I was a violent man, my brother would say stupidly so, but I was also masterful at keeping my temper. But amusement didn’t seem to be in my DNA.

Until now.

She swaggered closer, throwing back the rest of her champagne. The pup made a harrumphing sound and collapsed somewhere behind the couch, which was fine by me. When she was standing in front of me, I had the distinct feeling she planned on breaking the glass and using the pointed edges to slit my throat.

Everything about her screamed that I’d enjoy breaking her.

I was pleasantly surprised again when she placed it on the table before rubbing her hands down the front of her shorts. “As I said, I am sorry. I did leave a ten-dollar bill for the waiter.”

Another beautiful surprise. She’d been somewhat okay stealing from the owner of the restaurant but not from the staff. I liked this girl, perhaps a little too much. “Understood, pretty Penny, but that doesn’t change anything.” I patted my lap and it was easy to tell how distraught she was.

“If you’re going to kill me, just do it.”

“I’m not going to kill you, but I am going to teach you never to cross a very bad man.”

She nibbled on her inner cheek, glancing away twice and moving from foot to foot. But there was more.

It was easy to tell by her scent that she was fully aroused.

That was going to make for a very difficult time.

Perhaps I’d need more than just to try to keep her in line while protecting her.

If the stunning girl wasn’t careful, I’d take away every last scrap of her innocence.

CHAPTER 9

Penny

Cause and effect.

Behaviors and consequences.

The sentiments played over and over again in my mind like a skipping record, reminding me that every good deed didn’t go unpunished. I’d reacted as any decent human being should, and now I was held prisoner in a rich monster’s lair. It was all so unseemly, but here I was, lost in a combination of fear and the strangest sense of desire any human being had ever felt. I was certain of it.

I was trapped in his suite, in his hold even though he wasn’t touching me. Yet. I could sense from the passionate kiss he would do what he wanted to me.

The law of attraction was a funny rule and one I’d never wanted to participate in, much like love at first sight or the notion there was only one person in the universe meant for me. It was all hogwash in my mind. However, there was something sointriguing and powerful about Kraven that even though he was pushing me into something I couldn’t wrap my mind around, he was doing so with a sensuality that kept my body swaying.

How was that even possible?

I continued to shift from foot to foot, his eyes piercing mine as he attempted to keep his patience. “This is crazy,” I said under my breath.

“This is life, Red Penny. If rules aren’t followed in my world, people die.”

“Why would people die in a world where the wealthiest people engage in partying until dawn, losing money so your bank accounts are padded?”

He was obviously amused by my question. “Perhaps I’m not who you think I am.”

“I don’t know you.” I started to say I didn’t want to know him but that wasn’t true.