PAYBACK (A Bad Boy Romance) Read Free Page A

Butcher got his due.
    ”That sucks for you,” was all I said, then pushed off, away from her, leaving with a warning. “Stay put. If I find you tried to escape…well, let’s just say, it’s in your best interests to just do as you’re told.”
    “You can’t keep me here forever,” she shot back, tears still sparkling in her eyes.
    I laughed. “Of course not. But I can make each day feel like an eternity if you cross me. Understand?”
    Fear snaked its way into her eyes. Good. Fear kept people from doing stupid things.
    Tito walked in, a hulking mass of tattooed bad-assery with a permanent scowl, and she shrank back against the sofa cushion. To Tito, I said, “Watch her. I’ll be back.”
    “Maybe she gets out of line,” Tito suggested with a shrug and I fought the immediate growl. Tito knew me well enough to know when he was treading on dangerous ground. He chuckled, easing up on his scowl for a moment. “Go on, bring back a pizza. I’m fucking starved.”
    I nodded. Tito would guard my prize while I went on a food run.
    For Holly’s sake, I hoped she heeded my warning.
    I’d hate to mark up that creamy skin prematurely.

Chapter 7
Cason
    S he had spunk .
    Not overt, but layered beneath the surface of the shy girl that she put out there.
    I saw though the layers.
    I saw fire.
    God damn, I saw the most magnificent tits hiding beneath that Cornwall University T-shirt.
    I heard her stomach rumble.
    She wouldn’t beg.
    I liked that about her.
    But I wanted to push, to see how far I could go.
    Maybe I wanted to see if that banked fire could burn.
    “Remember how I said I would reward you for good behavior?”
    She cast me a dark look that pretty much said, “Fuck you” and my cock stirred. Hell, I still had pizza in my damn mouth and my cock wanted to do dirty things to her sweet curves.
    I was an equal opportunity man. I liked women of all shapes and sizes but there was something about Holly that made my dick hard as rock.
    I grabbed another slice and practically shoved it in my mouth. It wasn’t physical hunger driving me and I knew it.
    But you know, denial was pretty powerful when you were bound and determined to do the opposite of whatever your body and mind were saying.
    Maybe I was trying to prevent myself from doing something I couldn’t take back.
    To be honest, I was a little confused by my visceral reaction to her. She was just a chick, like any other, except she served a bigger purpose than just arm candy for the night.
    I had to remember that.
    “All right, so here’s how it works. Play nice and we’ll get along just fine. Pretty easy, wouldn’t you say?”
    “That would depend on what you mean by playing nice.”
    “Well, for starters, when I ask you a question, tell me the truth.”
    “I’ve been truthful with you!” She glared. “You are the one who doesn’t believe me. I’ve been nothing but honest with you.”
    “You lied to me about being hungry,” I reminded her softly. “Truth is, your stomach is growling like a bear coming out of hibernation.”
    Her tender mouth tightened as if she didn’t want to admit I was right but a second yowl from her belly only made my point.
    “Fine,” she bit out. “Yes, I’m hungry. Is that what you want to hear?”
    “That’s a good start,” I said.
    “Does that mean you’ll feed me?”
    “Perhaps if you ask nice enough.”
    She lifted her hands. “I can’t eat like this.”
    I regarded her with a steady gaze. Would she run? I almost hoped she would that way I could justify the things I wanted to do to her. I took my pocketknife and slowly sliced through the rope.
    She gasped with relief, rubbing at her reddened skin. “Thank God,” she breathed, groaning a little at the chaffing. “I could’ve lost my fingers.”
    I ignored her complaint. Grabbing the pizza box, I opened it up and offered her some.
    Holly hesitated for the barest minute, then selected a slice.
    The moment her mouth opened, my erection nearly burst through