Prologue
~Dedication~
For those who never chose the game – and those who learned to play it anyway, this is for you.
The moment the words escaped my mouth, I regretted them.
His eyes, cold and merciless, snapped to mine. Fury ignited in their green depths, wild and uncontained. His jaw clenched so tight I swore I could hear the grind of his teeth. My breath caught in my throat, and in that second, I knew I had made a terrible mistake.
Before I could blink, he was on me.
His fingers tangled in my hair with brutal force, yanking my head back until a sharp gasp tore from my lips. Pain bloomed across my scalp, my eyes stinging with tears as he dragged me closer. My heart thundered wildly against my ribs, panic clawing at my chest.
“I’ve been too good to you, Georgia. Far too good.” His voice was a snarl, low and deadly.
Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall — until he forced me down to my knees with a savage tug of my hair. My legs folded beneath me, helpless against his strength. A sob escaped before I could swallow it back.
His hand released my hair only to grip my chin, harsh and possessive, forcing my gaze to meet his. His thumb brushed away a tear, not with tenderness, but with mocking cruelty.
My lips trembled. His hold on my chin tightened, bruising, keeping me prisoner to his gaze.
He shook his head slowly, dark amusement glinting in his eyes. "Now you’ll see what kind of monster I really am.”
His free hand moved to his belt. He unbuckled it slowly, deliberately, eyes never leaving mine, feeding off my fear and defiance tangled together. The leather hissed as it slid free, but it wasn’t the belt that made my breath catch in my throat.
It was the way his hand went to his zipper next.
My chest heaved with ragged breaths, my body trembling as I stared at his cock, my lips trembling as dread coiled tight in my stomach. His eyes — his eyes left me no choice.
His monster had been hiding in the shadows until now.
And tonight, he had set it free.
ii