Toxic

by Nicole Blanchard

To all the good girls who want to be railed by a psychopath

Six feet of animal male towers over my five-foot-six frame.

“Did someone hurt you, little mouse?” His voice is as empty and hard as his gaze was. An abyss of secrets and lies.

“A woman like you,” his deep, dark voice follows even as I brush by him to go back to my paperwork, “doesn’t deserve to be treated that way.”

“Tell me. Admit to me who hurt you, and I’ll leave you alone.”

“Who are you to judge me?” I ask when I manage to recover my breath. Even then, my voice is little more than a wheezing gasp and lacks my usual bite. His voice deepens, and though it seems impossible, he grows even more imposing. “I’m someone who knows better than to hit a woman.”

“Looks like you took one heck of a beating.” “You should see the other guy.”

"Let me give you this. One kiss. I promise you'll enjoy it. Let me show you a little something sweet to take away from the sour. One kiss, and if you want me to walk away after I will."

"Gracin," he says, his lips so close they graze the shell of my ear. "My name is Gracin."

The dark parts of me find solace in the blackness inside him.

“I’m playing a most dangerous game, and you’re the prize. Our deal is off, Tessa. I want you, and I’ll take you any way I can get you.”

“You're not upset because you didn't like it. You're angry because you loved it.”

“Hey,” a soothing voice says. “Hey, no, it’s okay. Baby, calm down. You gotta calm down for me. It’s okay. You’re okay.”

he rips off my shirt with barely contained violence. His eyes go to my bruises and darken. When his hands splay over them, they’re gentle. “I’m glad the bastard’s dead for what he did to you.”

He’s violence wrapped in a pretty bow. Danger made to shine. Only instead of the prison jumpsuit, his warning label is an Armani suit and a Rolex. Money is power, but on him, it’s also lethal.

“What, exactly, do you do?” I was afraid to know, but I’m done hiding from my fears. “I kill people for money, Tessa. Lots of money.”

“You can’t keep me here forever.” “I can,” he says. “And I will.”

“This doesn’t mean I don’t want to kill you,” I say against his throat. “I know,” he says solemnly. “I’ll let you kill me later, just let me hold you.”

I like to think I’m getting pretty good at being just as ruthless as the man beside me.

“No one will ever hurt you like this again.” He looks up from his crouched position with a devilish smile. “Except maybe me.” I shiver despite the hot spray. “You won’t hurt me,” I say. “No?” he asks as he gets back to his feet to rinse my hair.

He stills underneath my touch, like a lion allowing a human to pet it.

How is it that a cage with Gracin is appealing? Maybe because within these walls, I found freedom, even if it was at the hands of my captor.

“You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.” My words do something to him and his thrusts quicken. His hold convulses around me and I realize maybe he needs me to soothe the broken parts of him as much as I need him to show me there’s someone who needs me in return.

I know there isn’t a chance in hell I’m giving up another minute without him by my side. If he’s an addiction, I welcome the rush.

I lose myself in his kiss, his touch, his toxic love.