Turns out, Landon was being literal when he mentioned a game.
We’re sitting in the haunted house that could be used as a sequel of The Nun. Landon and I are on opposite tall Victorian chairs that were covered by sheets and there’s a table between us.
To make matters worse, we’re surrounded by candles of different colors and shapes, representing a mismatched symphony of chaos.
The shadows dance around us like demons, casting an ominous edge on Landon’s already fucked-up existence.
“Your turn.” He motions at the chessboard with a provocative smirk that will get him killed one day.
I narrow my eyes as I grab my knight. His smirk widens as if celebrating my next move, which he probably thinks is leading me to my doom, but I still make it anyway.
The worst thing possible is letting someone like Landon access my head. He’s already affecting my body in a way I don’t care for, and I’m simply not allowing him more space.
That would be no different than lying around waiting for the predator to pounce and devour me.
“The game you wanted to play is chess?” I sign.
He doesn’t even look at the chessboard as he moves his rook into an extremely vulnerable position.
“What else did you have in mind?” he asks with a strange gleam in his empty eyes. “Perhaps something kinky?”
“As if.”
Though I can’t deny that those thoughts actually passed through my head after he ambushed me in front of the Heathens’ mansion and brought me here. He definitely made it sound like there’d be something more to this game of his.
Or maybe that’s another method to mess with my head and I need to stop being on edge.
“Here’s a piece of advice for you.” He strokes the knight that he killed off a few minutes ago between his fingers. “It’s not mandatory to fight me about everything. While it’s a turn-on during sex, I don’t care for it the rest of the time.”
“Here’s a news flash for you. I don’t care for your preferences.”
“You should. Considering they’ll be front and center in your life going forward.”
“Arrogant much?”
“Just the right amount, in my opinion.”
“Your opinion, just like your whole personality and existence, is awfully flawed and in need of a desperate revamp.”
“Oh?” He strangles the knight between his index and middle fingers. “I thought I’d survived just fine until now.”
I knock down his rook with an innocent grin. “You thought wrong. But hey, it’s never too late to start being a decent human being.”
“The thought of decency bores me to tears, so I’m inclined to disregard the suggestion.”
“Why?”
“I don’t subscribe to the righteous notion most people strive for.”
“Don’t I know it. You’re more interested in chaos and mayhem.”
A smile stretches his lips and I’m momentarily distracted from the board. All I can do is stare as light twinkles in his normally dead eyes, sending streaks of brightness within. It’s not his usual taunting smirk with a dash of sardonic irony. This is possibly the closest thing I’ve seen to a smile on his sculpture-like face.
And I don’t mean he has a sharp jaw but that he’s really as frigid and emotionless as his statues.
“Touché.”
I clear my throat and then sign, “How about you do something different for a change? You can start with small steps.”
“Such as?”
“Stop kidnapping people and taking them to places against their will, maybe?”
“But how else will I have your full attention that’s not muddied with either babysitting Maya or following the Heathens like a lost puppy?” He pushes his second rook, again putting it in an obviously volatile position. “Not to mention the unnecessary time you’ve spent with my brother. Spoiler alert, the girls prefer me over him.”
“Well, they’ve made the mistake of their lives. Bran is much more likable than you. In fact, you’re on different planets and don’t even compare.” I narrow my eyes on the rook.
What’s he playing at? There must be a secret move that he’s trying to pull, but what is it? He already lost his other rook, and it’s downright reckless to sacrifice the second one just after.
“And yet it’s my fingers you came all over and it’s my cum that decorated your pretty little face.”
I jerk up, my attention flying to him. His features are overshadowed by the candles’ dim light and pure sadism. The cocky smirk slips back onto his face with a vengeance. All of a sudden, he seems bigger and darker than I recall, as if he gained a few inches of height in the span of seconds.
“Stop talking to me like that,” I sign.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m your toy.”
“I prefer my future fuck doll.”
“More like your Grim Reaper, because I’ll slice your throat while you sleep.”
He laughs. “You’re such a menace, I want to gobble you up.”
“I’ll give you indigestion, asshole.”
“Worth it, muse.”
“Not sure you’ll think the same when you’re drowning in a pool of blood.”
“Blood. Yum. You just keep ticking all the kink boxes today.” He pretends to be shocked. “Did you do your research on me, after all?”
“Not even if you were the last man available.”
“Last man available to everyone? No. To you? Highly likely.”
I shake my head even as I make my move, choosing not to knock off the rook so that I won’t fall for his possible trap.
My body hums with inexplicable energy, a type I’ve never had while playing chess, even with the most skilled players I’ve had the honor to face.
The strong emotions nearly burst at the seams with every passing second, and it terrifies the shit out of me.
I haven’t had such a visceral reaction since that doomed day. Only, now, it’s fundamentally different and confusingly exciting. In fact, this feeling is similar to when I gasped, recoiled, and rode his fingers to orgasm.
Or when he thrust in and out of my mouth and used me to reach his peak.
It’s an addicting frenzy that I want more of, but I’m also judging myself too hard for wanting this from psycho Landon.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” I sign. “Also, what’s with all the candles? Are they for your demon friends who are sitting on your shoulders and whispering nasty things?”
“They’re for my foul-mouthed demon lady.”
My brow furrows. “I don’t like candles.”
“But you don’t like the dark—a piece of information I discovered last night when you momentarily lost your marbles. I suppose that has to do with the reason you refuse to let the world hear your voice.”
My lips part and I stare at him as if he’s an alien who came with the sole purpose of wiping out humanity.
“Your face says you’re wondering how I know. Reading people comes naturally to me; they’re rather predictable and dreadfully boring.” He pauses, lips thinning as if he doesn’t want to admit what follows. “You’re not. Predictable and boring, I mean. Because even though I desiccated your fear, I’m still unable to figure out the reason behind it. I’m impressed. Others wouldn’t have lasted more than a few hours in your position, but you’re still going strong. I applaud the determination.”
“Should I feel honored?”
“Preferably.” He leans his elbows on his knees and steeples his fingers near his chin. “But first, let’s work on that mystery.”
I knock down his knight. “If by mystery you mean the missing ball situation you’ll suffer from by the end of tonight, then sure. Let’s go for it.”
“Stop having violent thoughts for a second.” He advances his queen to protect his rook. “I’m more interested in the incident that stole your voice. Tell me more.”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“How about pretty please?”
“Still no.”
“Pity. I thought you’d crumble for my carefully crafted charming persona, but you don’t like nice and charming, do you, little muse? I have a feeling that you prefer being chased and cornered while you fight for your life.”
I knock down his queen with a huge grin, then throw it at him. He catches it with a sly tilt of his gorgeous lips.
“Let’s try again, and I need your mind to be open to other options aside from no.” He strokes his dead queen like he does his unfeeling statues. “You can tell me the reason behind your mutism, or as a second, less preferable option, we can discuss your kinks.”
“How about no to both?”
“Let’s make a bet,” he says, completely ignoring my words. “If I win, we’ll talk about the silence situation. If you win, it’s the kinks.”
“Nice try. But that’s not how it works, you narcissistic psycho. When you give a choice, you have to give up something when you lose.”
“Like.”
“If you win, we’ll talk about perverted kinks.” That I don’t have. “If I win, you become my slave boy.”
“Oh?” He raises a brow. “I didn’t realize you had that kink you naughty, naughty girl. I do refuse, however, as I’m too dominant to ever be a slave to anyone, including the devil himself. I’d rather strap women up and tie them down as I fuck them to within an inch of their lives.”
“I don’t mean sexually, you pervert. I meant that you’ll have to do everything I tell you and serve me until I’m satisfied.”
“For how long?”
“A week.”
“Hmm. You got yourself a deal.”
“Your queen is dead and so are you.” I push the first of two pawns protecting his king. One more move and he’s done for.
Of course, he’ll move his king out of the way, but if he does that, he’ll be cornered by my bishop. It’s over on all accounts.
Landon’s annoying smirk remains in place as he moves that damn rook right next to my king and out of reach of my queen and bishop.
“Checkmate.”
I stare at the board, refusing to believe what I’m seeing.
It couldn’t be.
“You thought sacrificing the queen was blasphemy, but you forgot a significant anecdote. The queen’s job is to die for the king.”
I glare at him. How could he be so hateful, even when talking about chess?
“Now. For that kinks discussion, care to elaborate?”
“Joke’s on you. I don’t have any kinks.” I grin back, matching his psycho energy with my wild and determined one.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You got off on being ambushed in the dark and choking on my cock, so that means you have a submissive streak. One kink down, more to go.” He leans his head on his fist. “Don’t be shy. I don’t bite.”
“You want me to believe that?”
“Fine. I don’t bite outside of sex.”
Perverted asshole.
I busy myself rearranging the chess pieces. What the hell am I supposed to say in this situation? He’s not the type who’ll be satisfied with half-truths, and I can’t exactly go with the ‘I’m a virgin’ confession, because then he’ll possibly become more insistent about claiming me.
Or worse, he’ll mock me for being such a closeted prude, since he probably lost his virginity the first time he got a boner.
“You’re far from innocent,” he comments dryly. “You must’ve had your fair share of painfully unexceptional dicks—a problem my cock will fix, by the way, so let’s hear it, what do you enjoy when you spread your legs?”
“Missionary.”
“Too vanilla for someone who’s anything but vanilla.”
“Well, I like simple stuff and caring lovers. Sorry my kink isn’t as exciting as your extensive experience.”
“Which is why we have to fix that. You’re in desperate need of the excitement that comes with the unknown. Sex is supposed to be a fun indulgence, not a boring technical task.” He narrows his eyes as if he’s seeing me for the first time.
I stare back, glaring, even though my insides are crumbling. What is he thinking now? He couldn’t have possibly figured out that the only clue I have about sex is some porn videos.
Yes, I was curious, but not enough to give it to the first boy who came knocking at my door.
“What are you looking at?” I sign.
“I’m trying to think of the experiments we can perform to determine your possible kinks. For a start…” he trails off. “Strip. Leave the boots on.”
“No, thanks,” I sign, even though I can feel my cheeks turning hot.
“Don’t be a prude. We already saw each other half naked.”
“An experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”
One second, he’s sitting leisurely like a lion in his den, and the next, he’s on me. The whole thing happens in a flash and I don’t even register when he hovers over my chair. One hand lands on the armrest and the other wraps tightly around my throat.
Oxygen dries out of my lungs and I gasp for nonexistent air.
“You don’t seem to grasp the situation, Mia. My patience has limits and I don’t appreciate mouthy brats.” His thumb presses on my pulse point. “But perhaps this is part of your kink repertoire, too. You love having that control taken from you by force, don’t you? You love not being able to think about what will happen or how. You prefer just being there, like when your tight little cunt creamed my fingers.”
He eases his hand enough to offer me a breath, but not so I’ll be able to kick him in the balls.
I still try to claw at his fingers as he reaches his free hand out and gropes me over my dress. My nipples instantly harden and he finds them, slowly flicking them over the material with lazy ease.
“See? Your body is welcoming me, so how about you follow the example?”
I glare at him. This is only a bodily reaction that could happen even if I were with someone else. I refuse to believe that my skin’s rising temperature is because of him.
Landon plunges his hand into the front cut of my dress, beneath the built-in bra, and twists my nipple. A zap of pleasure shoots to my groin and I bite my lower lip.
This definitely didn’t happen when Brian touched me in high school.
“So responsive.” He strokes my pebbled nipple and my pulse point at the same time, then twists the other one.
My toes curl in my boots as pressure builds in my most intimate part. I can feel myself wetting my panties, and the embarrassment makes me curse myself and him.
The man who’s using me and offering me pleasure I never thought available.
He toys with my nipples, his powerful calloused hand twisting, flicking, and pinching so hard, I gasp and try to bury my face in the chair.
He doesn’t allow me that, though. His hand around my throat tightens, keeping me firmly in place as his fingers torture my nipples and his eyes drown mine in a pool of chaos.
“You want this to stop?” he asks with dark, sinister words.
I nod once.
“Then do as I said earlier and strip.”
I reach behind my neck and he does release my super sensitive nipples, but that doesn’t stop my thighs from getting sticky and wet.
The position is awkward, but he doesn’t even help me as I lower the zipper and shimmy out of my dress.
The material pools on the ground in a silent whoosh, and just like that, I’m in only my panties and the boots. Landon’s somber gaze measures me from top to bottom, darkening and gleaming as if I’m a meal he’s looking forward to consuming.
No, possibly eradicating off the face of this earth.
I’ve never felt both naked and desired in my life.
“You look like my new possible addiction.” He slides his hand from my neck, over my sore nipples, and down to my belly. “Addictions don’t survive me, little muse.”
Goosebumps erupt on my skin like a fiery explosion.
He said he’d make it stop, but he’s taking it further. And I’m not even trying to put an end to this.
Could be that I’m enchanted, or, more likely, it’s because I’ve never reached this level of arousal in my life.
His long, powerful fingers linger on the band of my panties before he slowly, crudely, and so deliberately glides his middle finger over the soaked cloth.
An evil grin curves his lips as my wetness shamelessly seeps onto his hand.
He lifts it up and massages the sticky evidence of my arousal between his fingers. “Choking and manhandling. Check.”
I look the other way and wish I could disappear into a hole and never crawl out for the rest of my life.
“Perhaps we can also add the kink of being given an ultimatum.” His face gets so close to mine that I can only breathe his intoxicating scent and minty breath. “You would never admit to wanting me unless you were in this position, would you?”
I’m about to snarl at him, but he strokes my own arousal down my nose, over the slope of my cheek, then presses his middle and ring fingers on the cushion of my lips.
My mouth parts and he slides them inside, forcing me to swallow my own arousal. He thrusts in with a power and control that turns me delirious. He presses on my tongue, then curls his fingers around it, rolling and smearing my arousal. It explodes on my taste buds like an aphrodisiac.
“Lucky for you, I’m very well equipped to play the role of your villain. I will drag out your kinks one by each bloody one.”
He pulls out his fingers all of a sudden and steps back with casual ease.
The loss of his touch leaves me cold for some reason.
“Now, to unlock other kinks.” His voice drops with a chilling edge. “Run.”
The challenge in his eyes strikes me in my bones and a shudder spreads through me for a different reason other than cold.
I don’t know what’s come over me or why I’m even entertaining his crazy.
Maybe it’s my own crazy.
Slowly, I stand on unsteady legs, wearing nothing but my panties and boots, and I do the exact opposite of what’s logical.
I run.
