Sweet Surrender (King's Trace Antiheroes, #1)

by Sav R. Miller

“There are darknesses in life, and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.” BRAM STOKER, DRACULA

Glancing around the crowd, she locks her eyes on mine for a moment, widening when I refuse to look away. The dull fire burning there tells me all I need to know about her. She may look pure, but there’s dirt on her soul—a skeleton handcuffed to her wrist that she’s been forced to drag around for as long as she can remember.

And holy fucking hell, I want her. Want to break her body in half as I dive inside, filling her veins with my blood.

Stupid and defiant, I’d pulled on a light-pink dress that barely skims the tops of my thighs, relishing in the way my father’s eyes bugged out of his head. It takes a lot to shock Dominic Harrison: senator and bad dad extraordinaire.

Even though this party is casual, he stands there in a three-piece suit—all black, the way I imagine his soul. The top buttons of his undershirt are undone, revealing a light swatch of dark hair. My mouth dries up at the sight.

“Women have been lining up on my doorstep since word got around about my massive cock.” He says this so casually as if it’s supposed to impress me. It does, embarrassingly, but I don’t let him know that. “Besides, what’s wrong with my analogy? Not all fates are bad. Most aren’t even consequential.”

Parents have that ability; they create you, and in return, you spend your whole life craving their approval, even if they don’t deserve it.

Because it hurts that I have to give someone an opening. That no one has ever cared enough to barge in and force the truth from me. Because you turn your head and let it all happen.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, my mother leans in with watery eyes. Fuck, I could really use a cigarette. “Are you pregnant?”

Jerking back, I roll my eyes so hard I’m afraid they might fall into my brain. “Jesus, have you been talking to Juliet?” She waits, eyebrows raised. “Fuck, no, Mother. I’m not fucking pregnant.”

“Not yet, a...

He finally pulls away, allowing me a chance to drag breath back into my lungs as the depravity of this settles in. A soft smile graces the sharp contours of his face, and his hands drift down, pulling the shawl from my neck. I don’t have time to object, my head still trying to catch up with the blaze that kiss left. There’s a sharp intake of breath that snaps me back; Elia’s fierce gaze locks onto my neck, one hand coming up to shield me from our audience. He leans in, pressing his forehead against mine, and when I think he’s about to kiss me a second time, he exhales, closing his eyes, still as a statue.

“What the hell is that?” He speaks through clenched teeth like he’s having a hard time maintaining composure.

I swallow, trying to retreat, but his hand keeps me in...

“Don’t fucking li...

“Who did that to you?” Elia growls, reaching for me.

twist away, shooting him a nasty look. “Just drop it, okay?”

“Drop it? Where the fuck would you like me to pu...

My eyes flicker to the cameras behind us, taking the scene in for all of King’s Trace to see. “You really want to do this out here? Our first lovers’ quarrel, where everyone can listen and use our words against us?”

Her top lip curls over her teeth in disgust. “We are not lovers.”

“No? What would you call what we did at ...

I inhale, closing my eyes, trying to tamper the heat rising in my bones. This girl makes me insane. My dick stiffens, and I move forward into her, fitting it into her backside. “Careful, amore mio. Someone might hear and think you have ulterior motives for defying dear old Daddy.”

“Yeah? And what were your motives? Because if you think I’m one of your little whores who’ll do whatever you say, you have another thing coming.” She glares at me over her shoulder, fingers flexing against the rubber material on the inside curve of the car doorframe.

Her tight, plump ass feels soft against my groin, and I throb with desire. It flares in my feet and zings up my spine, flooding my vision. My hand comes down on one cheek, twisting the material of her white dr...

Even though we’re surrounded by a throng of people, strangers with fabricated investment in our lives, she has a glint in her eyes as she meets my gaze over her shoulder. A flame ignites, though I can’...

A guttural moan vibrates in my neck, my forehead dropping to her shoulder. “It’s the best thing about you, cara mia, but it’s about to get you in a lot...

“Just tell me who touched you.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Too damn bad.” My voice is sharp, the jagged edge of a broken glass shard, and she flinches. Swallowing, I try to force some of the tension fr...

“Caroline.” My voice softens, but I don’t want her to get comfortable with it. I lean over the seat and grip her chin in my hand, forcing her to look at me. Better she learns I’m a prick now rather than later. “I don’t tolerate secrets.”

“Well, that’s a shame, husband, because I have many.”

“Tell me what happened to you. The last time I saw you, your body was unharmed.”

“Wrong, Capo. My body hasn’t been unharmed since I was a kid.”

“What do you...

I’m not comfortable with how much she knows about my work, but I suppose that’s the curse of living in a small-ass town and being the daughter of a man deeply invested in the world. “Keep talking like that, and I’m going to throw you over my fucking knees, carina. I told you to watch your mouth.”

“And I told you, I’m not going to just do whatever you say.”

An invisible force draws me even closer, until our body heat mixes, and I can’t tell where I end and she begins. Warmth rises to my neck as her perfume envelops me, and I bring my hand to her throat, sweeping over her broken skin with my fingertips. She leans into my touch, her eyes drifting closed like she feels safe here. With me. When she absolutely shouldn’t. When all I can think about is fucking devouring her, crawling inside her skin and stitching myself into the walls of her being, grinding myself into dust and sprinkling it on her bones. All the ways I could destroy and leave my mark on her.

The way that makes me forget anyone else ever hurt me.