Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

“Fuck, baby,” he growled as the ice spread.

I saw the ledge, felt it, and I was ready to fling myself off, mind, body, and fucking soul. “Trick,” I grunted.

He sunk his teeth into my neck, shoving his hips against mine. “Don’t you dare hold back,” he threatened, his heart slamming against my spine.

I released a sob, instincts fighting against primal urges.

Hesucked at my skin, the pain spreading across my neck, down my shoulders. “I want to hear you,” he snarled. “I want to hear it when you realize that you are mine.”

“Oh, God,” I gasped.

He chuckled. “I’m here.”

I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop his name from ripping out of my throat when I fell over the edge, his hand releasing my neck, allowing the blood to rush through me.

“Trick!” I screamed, and he kept going as the ice spread through me, prickling and pulsing and vibrating against every nerve. He kept slamming his fingers into me until I was pleading for him to stop, until my body was nothing but a soaking puddle of arousal.

When he finally decided he had tortured me enough, he pulled his fingers out and lifted them up to his own mouth. He wiped them across his lips and pulled my own back to his.“Taste that?”he asked, working his lips slowly against mine.“Taste what I’ve done to you.”

I twisted towards him, deepening the kiss myself, sliding my hand over his cheek, feeling his hands slide over my waist. I wanted more. I want—

“Take off your clothes.”

And just like that, the craving slammed into a wall of fear. My eyes flashed open as I broke the kiss and found his.

They were black with need, and I understood that, I did. I couldfeelit in my soul. I needed him inside of me. I needed it more than I needed air to breathe.

“It wasn’t an option, Angel.”

I knew that. The utter command in his voice told me that we weren’t playing around anymore, but I was frozen. Frozen in my own hatred and denial.

When I didn’t move, he reached for my pants.

I grabbed his wrist, fear slamming through me. “No,” I said before I could stop myself.

His eyes flared.

Before I could blink, he was on top of me, knees on either side of my ribs, his hands pinning my wrists to the bed. “I’m done wa—”

“Eleven,” I spit out, the fear causing my voice to shake.

Trick froze.

My heart slammed against my ribs, my breathing labored as I stared at him wide-eyed, unblinking.

His eyes narrowed to slits. “That isnota game, Kyra.”

I swallowed, nodding, the regret of saying it and the fear of not saying it causing my stomach to twist and turn violently. “I know.”

He searched my eyes, his lips curling back from his teeth. “Why?”

Because my body was covered in the marks that had not yet healed. Because I still had to peel away my clothes. Because I still hissed when the hot water touched them.

Because I wasn’t ready for him to leave, and I hated that he did that to me.

When I didn’t respond, Trick snarled and crawled off of me, leaving me feeling empty and filled with guilt. “I’m s—”

“Do not say those words to me,” he stated as Iforced myself to a sit.