Chapter 4

SERAPHINA

"Ouch. Oh, my God."

"That should make you not trust anyone."

He smacked his palm on one side then the other, my bottom already aching as the heat started to build. The insanity of what was happening—a man sitting in the middle of the road with his headlights on—stuck in my throat.

I kicked out, fight or flight taking over. He pressed his hand against my back, holding me in place.

"You're not going anywhere, little one, not until I'm finished teaching you a lesson you won't soon forget."

I continued to fight, wiggling as he cracked his hand against both sides. That only made my mouth water alongside the feel of his cock throbbing beneath me. This was turning him on. I wanted to be angry, but I had to admit—I was just as aroused.

Even the sound as he tortured my bottom with brutal smacks had become an aphrodisiac. Nothing like this had ever happened to me.

When he caressed my skin, brushing his fingers from one side to the other, I allowed myself to float into a beautiful moment of bliss.

"My guess is you can be tamed."

His words were dark and full of filthy promise. Tamed? I wiggled and gyrated, breathless, horrified that the pain was driving me to some crazy point of madness.

He issued ten more in rapid succession, each one harder than the last. Then he stopped, his breathing as labored as mine.

"Are you wet for me, Little one?"

"Never."

"Hmmm... Something else you need to learn. You will never lie to me. You're terrible at it."

I bit back a smile as he rolled his fingers down the crack of my ass, pushing one leg aside. When he eased his hand between my thighs, I couldn't stop a jagged moan from escaping.

He chuckled as he dared to tease my clit. Another whimper rushed past my lips and I felt my body bucking against him, humping his leg.

I was so wet I knew my juice had to be staining his trousers. He fingered me for a few additional seconds until suddenly a flash of light forced him to tense. A single blast of a horn made him burst into laughter.

"Maybe we should continue this elsewhere, Little one."

The car jerked around, another blast jarring us. As soon as he eased me off his lap onto my knees, he cupped the side of my face. Then he brought his head down until our lips were almost touching.

"You have no idea what you've done, sweet girl. None."

"Maybe I do."

He brushed his lips across mine, allowing a single growl to float between us.

"I'll keep that in mind. Buckle up, Little one. And get ready for a ride."

Shuddering, I moved into my seat, still tingling as I fastened the seatbelt. After revving the engine, he sped away.

That allowed me to take a deep breath and think about the consequences of what I'd just done.

I had no idea how I'd managed to escape, but I had made sure to punch him in his groin. A pain i hope he enjoyed.

I'd run as fast as my feet would allow, ignoring the pain as I stumbled from one part of the resort to another. Terror had kept me going, the certainty of what him chasing after me weighing heavily in my mind.

Now, as Azriel sped away from the neighborhood, the lights from the luxury houses fading into the distance, I felt safe. Mom would be worried about me but I'll find her later.

I leaned my head against the supple leather seat, concentrating on the lull of the engine. What little I knew about him was from observation. Early twenties. Gorgeous shaggy blonde hair in a buzz cut military style. He wore a now wet button down shirt and jeans. A classy leather brown watch on his wrist. 

He was insanely gorgeous and rugged, but his eyes were empty and restless.

At this moment, I didn't care. I wanted to be swept away in an entirely different level of danger, one that I chose. I wanted to feel this excitement before I went back to mom and her new life.

There was no need to say anything else, our bodies speaking for us. The moment I'd rushed into his arms I'd felt an instant connection, jolts of electricity keeping my heart racing.

As the few miles turned into a dozen, I found myself relaxing beside his massive frame.

I turned my head, studying his profile as the storm began to subside. His jaw was strong, chiseled to perfection, his shirt unable to hide his muscular physique. I took a deep breath, holding his exotic scent in my system—trouble.

"Who are you, Azriel?"

He laughed and threw me a look. "A very bad man, the kind who took lives."

I should've asked him to stop the car and fled but I stayed.

He pressed his hand against my knee and I shuddered audibly. Every word out of his mouth made me shiver.

I forced my attention away, staring out the rain-streaked window at the darkness. 

A smile crossed my face and I pressed my fingers to my lips, eager to taste all of him.

When he rolled into another neighborhood similar to where I had just ran from, I tensed.

"Relax, Seraphina. Where we're going, no one will hurt you."

"Okay."

 "Apparently, you don't have an understanding of what I'm capable of. I didn't lie when I said I wasn't a good man. If anyone tries to touch even a single strand of your hair, they'll regret it."

For some crazy reason, I believed him. Yet I also sensed that I was completely safe with him.

He pulled down a long driveway and into an oversized garage. Bright lights highlighted several expensive vehicles. About ten of them.

As soon as he pulled to a stop, he was out of the car, taking long strides to open my door. The heated look in his eyes alone showed how enticed he was. The thick bulge between his legs made my mouth water.

The moment he wrapped his fingers around my hand, a single strangled moan slipped past my lips. I took a good look at him as he tugged me toward the door.

Tall. Broad. Fit. Deadly.

He pulled me into his kitchen, the neon blue glow from two wall ovens the only light. The darkness was almost suffocating.

Azriel backed me against one of the counters, planting his hands on either side of me. He stood almost a foot taller than me, his wet hair shimmering in the eerie light.

"Are you afraid of me, Seraphina?" he asked in a deep, throaty voice.

I didn't answer right away, tingling all the way to my icy toes.

"I asked you a question."

My lips formed the words, but my mind was strangely blank except for the single thought that had been in my head since I'd rushed into his arms. Kissing his soft lips. Biting down until I tasted blood. Touching him in the most inappropriate places.

"Answer me, Little one. I need to know what you're thinking."

"Yes, very much so. Is that what you want?"

"The truth is that you should be, but it's apparent I'm not the one you should fear at this point in your life. If you tell me who hurt you, they will suffer."

As he cupped both sides of my face, I pressed my palms against his chest, kneading his muscles through his shirt.

"I won't do that. And the truth is I want to be afraid of you, if only for a little while. I want the fear and anger to fuel me, to help me let go. I need this, Azriel."

My whispered words seemed to intrigue him, his upper lip curling.

"I need you." I requested.

"Be careful what you ask for, Little one. Once we begin, there's no going back."

I sensed he was a man who took what he wanted instead of asking. When I rose onto my tiptoes, he knew it was my final answer.

"Then so be it."

"What are you going to do?" I asked breathlessly, pressing my hand against his chest.

"Whatever the hell I want to."