Page 75 of Fallen to Thievery
I tried to look away, but he gripped my chin and forced me to look at him.
“Let me take him from you. That shit-eating pig doesn’t deserve a place in your beautiful mind. Let me erase the memories of him. Or at least… paint over it. Your terror belongs tome. I’m the only man you shouldeverfear.”
I swallowed hard. “How?” I wish it was that easy to get rid of that vile man.
Grayson kissed me lightly, then released me. He lifted his pelvis and buttoned his jeans. “A fucked-up coping mechanism I’ve used over the years. Now get dressed, baby. And put on some running shoes.” He winked at me and disappeared out the door.
Thethunderingofmyheartbeat was deafening. That, and Grayson’s boots hitting the ground behind me. I ran as if possessed. Iwaspossessed. By fear. It kept my legs going. It kept my lungs breathing and my body from collapsing.
“This is fucking insane!”I wanted to scream to my brain. I knew it was Grayson. I knew it was him. Why was I still so scared? Why was I running for my life?
Grayson had the same outfit on as the day of the robbery, completely black from head to toe like a demon carved from hell’s shadows. He was closer now. And no amount of common sense could slow my flight. I grabbed hold of a sapling tree and swung myself in a new direction, trying to throw him off. I caught a glimpse of him. His black figure darted past me, going too fast to swerve with me. He crouched to the ground, sliding across the forest floor, stopping himself.
I had bought myself some time. He seemed to like playing games in the forest. But it felt different from before. He wasn’t toying with me, this time. It felt too real.
Fear laced through me anew as his boots caught up to me again. Gods, he wasn’t letting up! I wanted to scream for him to stop, that I was donewith this game of his, but I had no breath to spare. My lungs could barely suck in enough air to keep me going.
His hands ripped at me suddenly, and we tumbled to the ground, the fall knocking the breath from me, my scream abruptly going silent. I heaved for air as I clawed at the dirt, trying to pull myself away from the black figure behind me. But he grabbed my ankle harshly and used it to pull himself on top of me. I fought with all I had, but he was stronger.
Again, I found myself pinned against the ground by a heavy body, with no way of escaping. Again, I found myself helpless, defenceless.
Grayson pulled back on my ponytail, arching my neck backwards. Something thin and cold bit into my throat.
Oh, gods.His knife. A sob escaped me, as he slowly dragged it from left to right over my neck. It didn’t yet pierce my skin, but gods, I didn’t like this. I wanted him to stop. I managed to get my hand around his arm that grasped my ponytail, scratching and clawing at it, but he held tight. He laughed at me, again that ominous sound that had me shuddering at the Inn. The sound of him enjoying my terror.
His fencing-like mask dropped in front of me, and I felt his lips at my ear, his own breathing almost as ragged as mine. “I’m going to enjoy this, Princess. You might not, butfuck, am I going to enjoyyou.”
My heart lurched at the eerie sound of his voice. A voice that once had me trembling, the soundtrack of my nightmares. A voice I had forgotten to be afraid of.
“Grayson,” I rasped the name that echoed in my thoughts. I needed to get a grip. This wasn’t real, right? He wouldn’t hurt me. It was Grayson. My Grayson. He wouldn’t hurt me. No, not like that.
“Save your breath, Princess. You’ll be screaming that name in a few minutes.” He let go of my hair, his hand trailing down my side.
My stomach turned nervously. “In fear or pleasure?” I managed to get past my lips.
His hand reached under my shirt, making its way back up my side. I could hear the devilish smirk on his face, “Oh, baby.Both.” His voice dropped low on the last word. He thrusted his pelvis into my backside, hard as a rock.
My throat bobbed. Was I scared or excited? Maybe both.
Grayson sat up, grabbed my hips and flipped me over. Before I could thrust my palm into his nose, his knife dug into my throat again. He chuckled as I stilled.
“Hands above your head. If you so much as move a fucking finger, I’m gonna start carving.” He pressed the blade harder against my neck. The cold look in his eyes turned my blood to ice.
Tears slipped down my face as I obeyed. He unzipped my jacket slowly, then grabbed my shirt and sliced through it. He swallowed hard as he lowered the blade to my chest, and I watched as Grayson sliced through my bra, my breasts bouncing free as the material snapped back.
“Fuck me,” he moaned. I sucked in a breath as he pinched my nipple too hard. I could feel my body responding to him. The insides of my thighsclenched while my heart hammered away. His teeth closed around my still aching nipple, biting hard, like he meant to leave his mark.
“You’re hurting me,” I whimpered, concentrating hard against the impulse to push him off me. I had to keep my hands still.
His tongue swept softly over the burning flesh as he moaned. “Yes, baby. Say that again. I like it.”
His teeth caused a searing pain to travel through my body as he bit my other nipple. I ground my teeth together but didn’t make a sound. Grayson bit harder, drawing blood, and this time I couldn’t keep quiet. “Fuck you!” I hissed at him, breathlessly.
He released me with a devilish glint in his eyes, my blood glistening on his lips. “There she is,” he purred. “Now let’s have some fun.”
Grayson flipped me over again and pushed me down, his hand at the back of my neck, pressing my face into the cold dirt.
“Grayson, please. Stop this.” I grunted against the force of his hold. Instead, his other hand slid down and roughly grabbed me between my legs, over my pants.
