I WAS LEFT TO MY own devices most of that next day. Then the second day. The third. Fourth. Hours and days blended together chiming my life away and gonging my doom every day. Kade's warning was like a time bomb hanging on top of my head.

When he came home, sometimes in the middle of the night and other times in the early morning, he'd walked past me and spent an hour in the shower. After he was done, he'd pulled me against him and buried his face in my neck before placing a soft kiss on my forehead. And all the time, I willed my body to be still and unresponsive as much as I could but I know it will only be a matter of time before I finally succumbed to his touch.

The longer I stayed, the more I doubted I could keep my resolve to escape, and that was dangerous. I was torn, constantly, between emotions that continued to fight each other.

It was evening on my fifth day and the news was on in the home bar when I walked in. Kade had returned a couple of hours earlier, and now sat at one of the bar stool, pouring himself a glass of liquor.

He glanced up at me, and I felt a chill pass through me. "That dress suits you well." He stated as his gaze traveled down and up my body. Heat immediately rose up my cheeks.

I took the first thing I saw from the stack of designer clothes he had for me and it was a yellow midi dress that has slit on one thigh. Ignoring his remark, I move pass him and make my way to the library but the voice of the news anchor stop me in my tracks.

"Breaking news today. Derek Collins, son of prominent businessman Robert Collins and his wife, Barbara, was found dead. The police issued a statement not long ago that he was last seen in a club in Overland Park where he went to meet some of his colleagues. This evening, in a secluded cabin a few miles outside Ravenwood, the lifeless body of the young man was found by a local hiker. As more details are released, we'll be updating you with the latest."

I was frozen, barely breathing as the words played in my head over and over.

Derek. Derek was dead. Oh my God.

As if on instinct, my head turn to him and my eyes collided with his. His entire attention is on me as if he's been waiting for me to look at him. The clouds of his eyes are gleaming with both triumph and a darkness so pitch black, it knots my stomach.

"That was fast." He says with a smirk as he raises his glass in a mock toast and sips.

I shook my head, fully panicked now. I gasped out, "What did you do, Kade?"

When he smiled, I blinked back tears. I already knew.

"You killed him." I rasped out.

He watches me. He doesn't speak. Doesn't deny it. Doesn't defend himself. I look away from him because I can't hold his gaze. It's too much. He's too much. I hated Derek. But it doesn't mean I would wish his death because of what he did.

"No one was going to take you from me."

I keep my eyes on the floor as I manage the tide of emotion. I scrambled over and grab the glass of water on top of the counter to calm my nerves then set it down.

"How?" I asked quietly. As my resolves goes down each day, I needed to be reminded how dangerous he is so I can continue hating him.

He was quiet and when I look up, he was staring down at me. "Do you really want to know?"

"How?" I grits out. My heart was hammering with fearful suspense.

"Meth," he finally answered and my body tenses up. "I gave him the highest quality."

I watch him motionless, my entire body ridden by paralyzing fear.

"Who's next?" I utter, my voice so low that it's barely audible.

He doesn't react to my question at first, his focus remaining on his glass as he slowly rolled it in his hands. My eyes are locked on to him with tense anticipation as I watch him glance at his watch before meeting my gaze.

"The Chief Justice should be hanging on his ceiling as we speak." He answered casually.

My breath hikes. "W-What?"

He shrugged. And in that moment, another news came in.

"Now to another tragedy in New York, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Neil Harrington was found dead in his home in Rochester this evening and authorities say it may have been suicide. A few days ago, a total of fifteen judges and magistrates have been accused of accepting bribes and it has become the biggest scandal in history of judiciary. Harrington denied the allegations but later on resigned from his position after a leaked sex video of him had gone viral. Authorities awaits autopsy results..."

The screen turn black as Kade switch it off. This new information, coupled with what happened to Derek, had me grabbing the table for support. Nausea rose up, my stomach churning and twisting.

"Did you know how long it took him to reach verdict?" Kade asked, his voice low and gruff as he close the distance between us.

A cold gust accompanies his words. I'm not sure if it's that or his words that turn my blood to ice. When he faces me, the look in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine.

"Twenty minutes," he stood and closes the distance between us. He lifts a hand to grab a tendrils of my hair and I draw out slowly, my body stiff and tense. "He took the money that your parents offered and he ruled it suicide in a blink of an eye."

My chest shudders with a deep breath and my heart constricts at his words. I could see it now. Nothing, not even God himself could stop him from getting revenge. There would be blood. It would rain blood until justice was met. "I'm sorry, Kade..."

And I truly am. I could feel it, and despite my best intentions to stay away, to protect myself, it stirred something in me. My heart pounds as I watch the play of emotions across his face. Again, they last a moment but it's enough to give me a glimpse into this man who wants to appear as if he's made of steel. He's not.

But then his mouth settles into a hard line and his eyes narrow, their laser-like glare on me. I've hit on something. And I'm about to pay for it. He cups the back of my head, then grips a handful of hair and tugs forcing me to look up at him. I immediately reached out to grasp his arm.

"I don't fucking want your pity, so keep it." He tightens his hold and I wince.

"You're hurting me."

"Should I take you here now, huh?" he said gruffly.

"Let go."

"Or what? What will you do, Butterfly?" I don't answer his taunt. What can I say? There's nothing I can do. If I scream no one will come.

For the briefest of seconds, his arms set me free. My body swayed, as if I had forgotten how to support myself without the help of his firm grip. His hands are fists at his sides, and I see his chest move as he drags in a long breath, exhales as slowly. His next word made me froze. "Strip."

I scooted away from him, the edge of the bar digging behind my back. I look around the room, trying to marshal my thoughts. "You're not serious?"

"I don't do humor, Butterfly."

"But rape is beneath you," I countered. "I know that." I hoped that.

I barely managed to control my quavering thighs when he suddenly leaned over and placed his mouth on my right breasts, tracing my nipple through my dress with his lips, and I let out a gasp when I felt a line of heat connecting my tits to my core.

"I won't do anything that you don't want me to do," Kade said finally. "But so far you haven't stopped me. Now why is that?"

I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath. "I haven't stopped you because I don't want you to hurt me." I put my hands on his chest and try to push him but he didn't even budge.

Amusement dance in his eyes. "You used to have all the time in the world for me. Remember those days?"

Pre-betrayal and never again. "No. I already forgot it. It was a mistake."

"Bull-fucking-shit." His mouth twisted into a vicious smirk. Before I could do anything else, he bent in half and lifted me of off my feet and sat me on top of the bar counter, grabbed my legs, pulled me to the edge.

I cried out in surprise as my hand flew out to grip the marble surface to keep myself steady. "What are you doing?!"

He brings his face closer, inhales deeply like he's some animal and can scent me. My legs clenched together in fear and...anticipation. "I just need a taste."

In one fluid motion, Kade lunges at me like a madman. He reach underneath my dress, pulled my panties to the side, and before I can protest, his tongue swipes from the bottom of my slit to the top.

Oh. God.

My head rolls back and my back arches off the counter. He does it again. And again. I cry out at the intrusive, enthralling sensation. He fucks me with his tongue like he's worshipping me and punishing me at the same time. His pace is relentless, unapologetic, and so out of freaking control. There's nothing predictable about what he'll do next or how far he'll go.

Stars shoot behind my eyelids. Pleasure bleeds through me. My hands come to his head, gripping his hair, as I hold on for dear life. "Oh my god..." I moan.

Desire and pleasure rushed through me. I was feverish for him. I held on, urging him to do more. My hips began to move in rhythm with his tongue.

"Tell me you're mine..." he hisses against my folds. "Tell me I can do whatever I want to you..."

I press my lips together, refusing to say it.

Then he grew more demanding as his finger continued their onslaught. "Say it."

I shake my head, eyes closed, mouth clamped shut. It was building and building. I felt it nearing.

I want to say it. I want to give in.

A low growl wrung from him, then his thumb and forefinger flick my clit and all the building comes crashing down. I fall apart with a wordless scream. My body trembled as the waves washed over me. Kade held me up. I had gone limp in his arms. He pressed a tender kiss to my temple and breathed me in. I should be repelled by his touch. But like the last time I find myself gasping for air. Find my hands not pressing him away but clinging to him, wrapping around his shoulders.

This was hell...and heaven at the same time.