Toxic

by Nicole Blanchard

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

My gaze follows his, and when I move to hide my wrists, his muscles go rigid. Dark, purpling bruises encircle my wrists from the vicious grip Vic had this morning in bed.

In the long space of a protracted moment, he’s so close to my back his warmth surrounds me. He pins me between his body and the wall, his front to my back. A stab of profound fear engulfs me, and I can’t control the whimper that explodes from my throat.

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

His hands raise, and I flinch. My reaction is so subtle that I wouldn’t expect him to even notice, but his eyes flash to mine in abrupt understanding. There’s a tug at the breast pocket of my scrubs, but I don’t dare look away from his gaze.

His eyes narrow, and I dig my nails into my palms at the fierce look on his face. “Your man enjoy putting those on you?” he says with a nod at my face and the bruises I must not have covered completely.

“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.”

He plants his legs wide and cracks his knuckles at his sides. His green eyes turn flinty and hard. I don’t know why he’s in prison, but it wouldn’t surprise me if his rap sheet contains a long list of violent crimes. “You should be more concerned about what he’s doing to you now.” A vein pulses at his temple, and his jaw flexes as he grinds his teeth to keep from saying any more than he already has.

As I study the drawing of myself, I start to think maybe I can be the woman he sees in me, like how a broken bone grows stronger once it heals.

"C’mon," he coaxes as his lips grow bolder. "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."

The kiss is unlike any other I’ve had in my life. I’d never known such a delicate touch could come from such a big, brutal man.

The hot, wet heat of him that is more explicit than anything I’ve ever seen or done before. It lights me from the inside out, turning everything molten and loose.

He whispers, “They could walk in at any second and see just what a dirty girl you are.” He emphasizes his words with a slow thrust of his hips.

His hold on my wrist gentles and I can feel his breath on my jaw. “Tell me.” “You were right.” “Good girl.” He nearly groans it.

“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.”

I know how hard it was to get him out.

It wasnt hard at all

Being the person on the other side of Gracin’s homicidal rage may be scary, but being the reason why he’s seeking revenge makes my twisted little insides melt just a little bit.