Chap 2

His hand moved from her hip, sliding to the front of her body, and then he cupped her through her thong. The heat of his palm sent a jolt of desire straight to her core.

"I bet you think that about all the men you rob," he murmured into her ear, his voice laced with sweetness.

Kathryn froze, her dance grinding to a halt as she tried to make sense of his words through the haze of lust clouding her mind.

Oh, no.

Before she could even attempt to escape, he grabbed her hair, pulling her head back roughly.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice what you were doing because you have a nice ass and perky breasts?"

His voice was like a whip, causing Kathryn to shiver at the dominant tone. She was far more aroused than she should have been, and considerably less frightened than she ought to be.

"I don't know what you mean," Kathryn lied, squirming uncomfortably as his grip on her hair tightened. Her movements caused his arousal to align with her center, and she bit her lip to suppress a moan. He was still hard. He was enjoying this. Almost as much as she was.

"The last woman who had the audacity to lie to my face ended up servicing me a few minutes later," he murmured, his hot tongue tracing a path up her neck.

Kathryn shivered, closing her eyes briefly to savor the sensation of his teeth grazing her pulse point. The downside of her unconventional desires was that instead of fearing him, she was filled with a perverse anticipation of his next move.

"Promises, promises," she retorted, confident that he wouldn't try anything here. She was under the protection. She was safe.

"You need to learn some manners, princess. And perhaps how to be a better pickpocket."

Her mouth fell open in indignation, both at the patronizing nickname and the insult.

"I'm a top-notch pick-"

His teeth sank into her neck, interrupting her retort. The moan that escaped Kathryn's lips was laden with a mix of pain and desire. He grunted as she moved against him, her body rubbing provocatively over his hardened arousal.

If he was game for this, she was too.

"Watch. Now." He extended his palm in front of her face, his other hand firmly gripping her short black hair until she acquiesced.

Kathryn slapped the watch into his hand, fully expecting him to release her hair and dismiss her. Surely, he wouldn't dare to cross any lines inside a strip club owned by the Saviour. They were the ones who enforced the rules in this city, not some affluent, handsome high-flyer.

"Get on your knees," he murmured, his teeth gnawing at her neck until she yelped. "And if I have to repeat myself, I'm going to mark your ass with my belt."

Kathryn complied with his directive unquestioningly, descending to her knees until her chest grazed his legs. He cradled her face tenderly, as a lover would, and tilted her head back until she was gazing into deep wells of sapphire. He looked like a sovereign reclining on his throne, comfortable in the dimly lit back room of a dubious nightclub while he held her captive. The subtle neon red glow behind him made him appear like a demon out to lure her spirit. Menacing and ruthless, and Kathryn wondered how she had failed to see it before.

"You look good on your knees, sweetheart."

Whatever timid, affluent lad persona he'd been projecting for her earlier evaporated in a flash, replaced by a mischievous grin that had Kathryn realizing she hadn't been manipulating him at all. Not for a single moment she'd been in here. He'd been controlling her from the get-go, and the arrogant look on his face was enough to make her blood seethe.

She balled her hands into fists at her sides, contemplating on bolting and yelling for Rain to come toss this jerk out, just so she could regain control.

But she remained where he'd instructed her to, her body pulsing with expectancy as his grip on her chin tightened. He halted just before his touch could be deemed truly agonizing, looking down at her as if unsure of his next move.

"I knew you could be a good girl for me, sweetheart. Look at you, sitting here so elegantly."

"Stop calling me that," she retorted, seizing his wrist and shoving his hand from her face. She released him before the heat of his skin could permeate hers. She detested that pet name more than anything she'd ever despised in her life. Well, nearly. It reminded her of memories she'd prefer never to recall. Of a life she wished never existed, and the betrayal that accompanied it.

He smirked, and damn him to hell, he was so alluring.

He gently held her jaw, before sliding his hand down to her throat. And then he squeezed, applying just enough pressure to make her quiver in desire when his fingers flexed over where he'd marked her.

Had he left a mark? She hoped so.

"Would you prefer being called a thief? Or perhaps you'd like me to address you as a little harlot instead of a sweetheart?"

Kathryn inhaled sharply before she could stop herself, his resonant voice stirring her in all the right ways.

"Ah, you would. I didn't expect you to enjoy being belittled," he murmured, more to himself than to her.

Her brow creased in puzzlement, but then he leaned forward, pushing her back until the heels of her provocative stilettos were pressing into her bare backside.

She grimaced at the burst of pain from the unyielding material. His free hand ventured between her thighs, his fingers slipping past her thong and caressing the crease of her waxed core, and that burst of pain dissolved into pleasure almost instantly.

Kathryn relished a touch of pain with intimacy, and this man was providing it in abundance without her even needing to ask. She didn't even comprehend what was transpiring- she'd just attempted to rob him so she'd anticipated his hostility and rage. Instead her body was throbbing with vitality and longing from his touch, and she was powerless but to yield to that exquisite pressure.

"You're already drenched," he observed, resting his forehead on hers. His thumb tantalized her sensitive spot, flicking her bundle of nerves until she moaned, grinding against his hand as her climax ignited.

God, how mortifying. He was barely touching her at all, and already she was on the brink of climaxing.

In her defense, she hadn't expected him to be like this. She thought he'd be dull, not nonchalantly satisfying all her carnal desires as if it was trivial. As if he had a manual covering all her needs and was exploiting it mercilessly against her.

"I told you I liked you," Kathryn responded, parting her legs a smidgen wider just to be accommodating. Rough fingers plunged into her core, curling slightly as he began to pleasure her.

The scent of his cologne enveloped her almost as snugly as his hand encased her neck, and she inhaled deeply. Their noses brushed as she let out a stifled moan when the pads of his fingers glided over her sweet spot.