Cruel Obsession Read online

  Suddenly Zane stops. He is just hanging from the bar now, his arms extended like he is catching his breath.

  “Enjoying the show?” His deep voice fills the room. Even though he is facing the other way and can’t see my face redden, I look away embarrassed. Only then, as I avert my vision to the wall, do I realize that the entire left side of the gym is a giant mirror.

  Shit. He caught me watching him. Again.

  A little bit flustered and more than ashamed of myself, I walk over to the treadmill and start walking. Seeing that one wall is a mirror, ruins my plan to sneakily attack him with a weight. Even if he turns away from me, he would be able to see me coming.

  It’s like he thought of everything.

  * * *

  After spending some time in the gym, Zane makes us dinner, and I do my best to ignore the way his muscles clench and work as he moves about the kitchen. I have to be sick, or this is really nothing more than a fucked-up dream. That has to be it.

  I don’t understand why I am drawn to him, why my treacherous body is attracted to him. It’s probably because I’ve never been with a man. No one wanted me until now. Of course, leave it to me to attract the psycho kind.

  “You’ve been very quiet today.” He states as we sit down to eat.

  “I’m trying to figure out why you want me. What’s so special about me?”

  Zane smiles, showing off his stupidly straight, white teeth. “You’re special because you’re mine, and that’s all you need to know. I brought you here to protect you, and that’s what I’m doing.” He shoves a piece of broccoli into his mouth and starts chewing.

  Frustration bubbles over inside of me. “You keep saying that, but it makes no sense. The only person I can think that I might need protection from is you.”

  Shock overtakes his features, and then his face goes blank. “There are far worse people out there than me. People that will kill and rape you. Sell you. Make you wish you were dead a million times over.”

  Wanting… no, needing to hurt him, I lash out. “And you know this how? Because you’re one of them? Because you’ve done all those things and more?”

  Zane’s eyes zero in on me, and they are dark, punishing. The hand resting against the table closes into a tight fist. The veins in his arm bulge. Is he going to snap? Part of me hopes so. It’s so hard when he’s kind and caring, I really need him to be angry and cruel. I’d much rather have his fury, than kindness.

  “I’ve been kind to you, Dove. I’ve done everything to make you feel at home and comfortable. I haven’t hurt you. I haven’t taken from you, and still, you make me out to be some evil villain.”

  “Evil? Isn’t that what you are though? Isn’t that what kidnapping and drugging someone is? I’m here against my will. It’s wrong. Your obsession with me is wrong. All of this is wrong!” I shove out of my chair, my emotions spiraling out of control.

  I don’t make it two feet before Zane grabs me, spins me around, and has me pinned to the dinner table face down. He holds me in place, his fingers digging into the back of my neck. The weight of his body presses against me, and I feel his hard cock against my ass. Fear swirls deep in my belly, and I hold onto it. Fear and anger are what I need right now. I need this because I refuse to take his kindness.

  “There is something wrong with you, and I refuse to think just because you haven’t hurt me yet that you won’t. You’re no better than any other person who kidnaps and murders people,” I scream and continue my struggle against him.

  Snaking his other hand beneath me, I feel his fingers at the waistband of my capris. The air ceases in my lungs. This is what I wanted, right? Why I lashed out?

  “Do you want me to hurt you, Dove? Do you want to see what happens when I let myself go? I can assure you it’s not something you’ll forget.” Warm breath caresses my earlobe, and then I feel it. His tongue flicks against the sensitive flesh. I bite my bottom lip to keep the cry in. It feels so wrong.

  When I don’t respond, his grip tightens, and I let out a whimper. “Answer me. Is that what you want? Is my kindness not enough… do you need my anger too?”

  “Let me up. I hate you. I don’t want you to touch me or look at me!”

  Zane chuckles darkly and cups my pussy. “That’s not what I asked you, Dove.” There is a hint of warning to his voice, and my body starts to tremble.

  “I don’t want this,” I hiss, finally getting the words to come out.

  “But you do… I can feel you, feel your warmth, the tiny wet spot on the front of your panties.”

  My breaths quicken, and my pulse races at a million miles per hour. This is wrong. I don’t want this. I don’t want him.

  “You said you wouldn’t hurt me.”

  “And I won’t. I’m not hurting you right now, am I? I think I’m doing quite the opposite. I’m going to make you feel good. All you have to do is let me.”

  “Stop,” I gasp, feeling his fingers gently graze my center. Pushing back against him, he leans in more, pushing more of his weight into me. Keeping me in place.

  “Why? Isn’t this what you wanted?” His voice is cruel, sinister. His finger rubs against my clit, back and forth, back and forth. His strokes are meticulous, and pleasure like I’ve never experienced before blooms deep in my core.

  “Oh, god…”

  The pleasure mounts.

  It’s dangerous. Unstoppable. It grips me by the throat and refuses to let go. My nails dig into the wood of the table. I need something to hold onto, something to keep me grounded.

  “Come for me, let me feel how much you don’t want this.” Zane pants against my ear, and as if on command, my body does just that. Light flashes before my eyes, and I explode like a rocket. Shattering into a thousand pieces, my muscles tighten, my core clenches around nothing, and a muffled cry escapes my lips.

  Tears sting my eyes because this is wrong, but it feels right.

  As I drift back down to Earth, Zane gently removes his hand from my panties, and the weight of his body on mine disappears. I feel like mush, every muscle exhausted. Even though I don’t want to, I push off the table and turn around just in time to see him shoving his finger in his mouth. His eyes fall closed, and dark, untamed pleasure overtakes his features.

  “Lies. You taste like lies.” His eyes flash with primal hunger. “Next time, don’t provoke me. I told you I wouldn’t hurt you, but I’m not a saint. Every man has his limits…” Before I can conjure up a response, he walks away, heading for the bathroom. The place I planned to run and hide.

  14

  I shouldn’t have done that. Shouldn’t have let myself go like that. I shouldn’t have let what she said bother me, but like I knew she would, she’s crawling underneath my skin. I’d prepared for this for a long time, for a time and place when she would be all mine, but like most things when it comes to Dove, I never expected for it to really happen. Her ill thoughts of me are the most frustrating part.

  Yes, I’ve killed, outright murdered, and hurt people. I’ve done things that no one can fathom doing, but for her to compare me to the rest of the monsters that want to harm her… I just can’t stand her thinking of me that way.

  I’ve spent years protecting her, shielding her, making sure she had a nice place to live, and a good job. That no one hurt her. If it wasn’t for me. Nails sink into the flesh of my palm. My nails. The pain brings me back to reality, but reality isn’t any better than my mind.

  Slamming my closed fist against the tile of the shower, I try to let go of some of the tension that’s clinging to my bones. I need an outlet, but I don’t have one.

  Violence is a parasite, a vicious eater of all the good in you. It’s also the only thing that keeps me from becoming a full-fledged serial killer, and since I have no one to hurt, and no one to destroy here, I’m going to need to control myself better. Which means I’m going to have to work through my emotions instead of shutting them off.

  Sighing, I scrub my skin hard, drawing out the pain, reveling in it. I knew this wouldn
’t be easy, but I don’t understand her need to provoke me. Does she want me to hurt her?

  Something inside my chest squeezes. She was probably expecting the worst, and all I’ve given her is the opposite. I can imagine she’s confused as fuck, but there isn’t anything I can do to fix it. Not yet. I don’t want to tell her the extent of the danger she’s in yet. If I do, she’ll want to know why and from who, and I don’t have any of that information.

  The more I think, the more pissed I get.

  Fuck Christian for putting us in this situation. As soon as I get the chance, I’m putting a bullet right between his eyes. Hell, I’ll do it anyway simply because he threatened Dove. Rinsing one last time, I shut the water off and open the shower door, grabbing a towel from the rack.

  My cock is still rock hard, which is annoying as hell and only adding to my frustration. I should’ve beat off in the shower, but I was too angry, too caught up in my damn head.

  Drying off, I toss the towel to the floor and walk into the bedroom naked. It’s highly unlikely that Dove is going to seek me out. Not after what happened. She’ll stay hidden in the library until it’s time for bed.

  Fucking shit. I run my fingers through my hair, tugging at the longer strands. Her body is ingrained in my mind. Every. Single. Inch. I can still feel her tight, little body beneath mine, my cock screaming for entrance. Her tiny pussy gushing against her panties.

  I wish like hell that I could’ve peeled off those pants and plunged my finger deep inside of her. I’m sure I would’ve come right then and there, right in my fucking boxers like a teenager.

  Jesus, I have to stop thinking about this. Control yourself, asshole.

  Stomping over to the closet, I open the drawers and grab random clothes, putting them on in a hurry. I need to get a grip, need to calm down before I go back out there. Leaning against the rack of clothing, I wait a few minutes just standing and concentrating on nothing more than my breathing. When my heart rate returns to a semi-normal pace, I leave the room and walk out into the living area. Like I expected, Dove isn’t anywhere in sight.

  Needing to cool off a little more, I walk into the kitchen and head straight for the fridge. I knew I bought that six-pack of beer for a reason.

  Grabbing one, I twist the cap off and bring the bottle to my lips. I take a long pull, letting the refreshing beer cool my heated body. It doesn’t take long for me to finish the first beer, and when I’m done, I toss the bottle in the garbage and grab a second, which I drink a little slower.

  Easing into the leather of the couch, I sit in silence and drink my beer. After a short while, I hear the soft patter of feet coming my way. Never one to shy away from confrontation, it’s hard for me to watch as Dove stops at the entrance of the living room staring at me for a good second, big, blue eyes wide with apprehension before darting to the bedroom.

  Does she really think that horrible of me? I squeeze the bottle a little tighter.

  The sound of the shower turning on fills the apartment, and I force myself not to think about her naked. I’ve made it this long without fucking her, I think I can handle a little longer.

  Finishing the last of the beer, I get up and take the bottle to the trash. Standing there, I consider the fact that Dove could easily use the bottles to try and hurt me. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past her, but with my watchful eye on her, it won’t happen.

  She got me good with the lamp, but now I know what to watch for. When I hear the shower turn off, I start to prepare an apology in my head. I don’t want her to be afraid of me, so I’ll apologize and make everything better.

  The apology never comes though because when I enter the bedroom, I find Dove completely naked, the towel at her feet. I’m only a little shocked, not fully since I’ve seen her like this before.

  “Jesus Christ, have you ever heard of knocking!” She squeals, cheeks red with fury as she plucks the towel up off the floor. She wraps it around herself, but not before I catch a glimpse of her perky round breasts and pink, dusky nipples.

  The towel blocks my view of her pussy, but I’ve seen it enough times to know that it’s completely bare and most likely soft and warm, just like the rest of her.

  “One, there is no privacy between us. Two, I’ve already seen you naked, so I don’t know why you’re hiding.” That gets her attention, and those pretty blues widen with shock.

  I watch her throat bob as she asks, “What do you mean, you’ve seen me naked?”

  “Many times, yes.” I know my confession is going to scare her, and it’s not the apology I had planned, but there isn’t any point in hiding my feelings from her.

  “There is...there is something wrong with you. How did you watch me? When? How?” The questions tumble past her lips, and her knuckles turn white as she holds the towel with a death grip.

  “Camera feed that I installed in your house. I will add it was for your protection entirely, but I did watch you. I also checked on you every night while you were sleeping.”

  Her body starts to tremble as more truths come out. “You… you were in my house? You had cameras?” She looks like she’s going to pass out, and that’s the last thing I need or want. If she falls, she could hurt her head. Taking a cautious step forward, I reach to steady her.

  Fear flickers in her eyes, and she shakes her head in disbelief. Scurrying backward, she collides with the wall in her haste to get away from me.

  Looking up at me with confusion and fear, she whispers, “What is wrong with you? Why would you watch me?”

  I tell myself not to move. Not to corner her, but the truth is, I want to. I want to make sure she stays right where I want her. While I don’t want to hurt her, I need her to understand that I will do anything, kill and hurt anyone to keep her with me.

  “Because you’re mine. I’ve told you this already and when I can tell you more, I will. I’m doing my best not to scare you. I don’t want you to be afraid of me, Dove.”

  “Afraid?” A humorless laugh fills the room. “Afraid isn’t the word I would use. I’m outraged, sick. I’m past afraid.” Her words cut through me like a knife, but I remind myself that this is all new for her.

  “You should get dressed so we can get ready for bed,” I say, ignoring her outburst. “Unless you want to sleep naked, which I am more than fine with.”

  “Why do you do that?”

  “Do what?” I cock my head to the side.

  “Act like it’s not a big deal. Like this entire thing isn’t completely fucked up.”

  “Because it’s not. Not for me. Now, are you going to get dressed, or am I going to have to dress you myself? I’m tired and done fighting with you for the night.”

  Dove wrinkles her nose in disgust at me. “If you touch me…”

  All over again, she’s taunting me. “Or what? I didn’t bring you here to hurt you. I could’ve done that back in your apartment.” The mask on my face cracks a little. “All of this is for you, now get dressed, and get in the bed before I do it for you. If you want to act like a child, then I will treat you like one.”

  “I’m not sleeping in that bed with you again. I’d rather sleep on the floor.” Fear gives way to anger, and she walks right past me and into the closet. I go to the nightstand and pull out the handcuffs I stashed there. After what I just told her, and her reaction, I don’t feel like being forced to strong-arm her all night. Handcuffing us together is the easiest solution, that way, even if she was able to hurt me, she’d have to lug my body around.

  When she emerges from the closet and sees the cuffs in my hand, she pauses. Her eyes flick from the cold metal and back to my face again. Fear. That’s all I see, and I know what she’s thinking. That I’m going to take advantage of her, hurt her, but I’m not.

  Before I can say anything, she whirls around and rushes out of the room.

  Fucking Christ. She’s halfway up the stairs when I enter the living room, and by the time I reach her, she’s screaming and beating her fists on the door as if someone is on the other side comin
g to let her out.

  Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her to my chest and hold her tightly even as she kicks and screams.

  “You said you wouldn’t hurt me. You lied! You’re a liar!” She continues to struggle against my hold. Throwing her head back, she smashes it into the side of my face, barely missing my nose. Pain lances across my cheek, and I squeeze her a little tighter. The urge to shake some sense into her is strong.

  “I’m not sleeping with you!”

  “You’re doing whatever I tell you to,” I snap.

  When we reach the bedroom, I’m exhausted, my face hurts, and I’m fed up with her bullshit. I drop her down onto the mattress, and she does her best to crawl away from me, but she’s not fast enough. Grabbing her by the ankle, I drag her back toward me. Her hands claw against the sheets.

  She flails against the mattress, trying to kick me, but I roll her over onto her back and force myself between her legs. Grabbing both hands, I press them into the mattress and move her arms so I can hold her wrists with one hand and handcuff her with the other.

  Clicking the cuff into place, I release the wrist I cuffed and cuff the other one to my own wrist. The heat of her body seeps into mine. She feels perfect beneath me, even if she isn’t willing to be there.

  “Please, Zane! Please, let me go! Please! I won’t tell anyone. I’ll just go back to my apartment, and we can pretend like none of this happened.” The way she says my name… I know it’s out of fear, but I want to hear her say it again.

  She’s desperate to escape, to feel safe, but there is no safer place on this planet than right here with me. Tears pool in her eyes, threatening to fall. A tightness fills my chest cavity. I hate when she cries, and this time it’s worse because I’m the reason for those tears.

  Looking into her eyes, I lean forward and say my next word with firmness. “I’m never letting you go, and the sooner you come to terms with that, the better things will be.”