He searches my eyes. “Promise?”

It’s a child’s word on a man’s lips, a man who lost everything for so long. Who was never taught love or kindness. We are learning together. Words might not always be loving, no, sometimes they are downright venomous. Poison on our lips like fire pouring from our souls, but they are always true. “Promise,” I whisper.

He groans, closing his eyes for a moment. “I fucking love you, Roxxane, even when you’re being a brat.”

I can’t help but laugh at that. “Don’t worry, I still hate you.”

He grins, his eyes flaring open as he circles my neck with his hand, those long, elegant, scarred fingers anchoring me to him. “Is that right?” he murmurs, his gaze flashing dangerously, and it’s a testament to how fucked up I am that my pussy clenches at that one look. “I bet I can make you scream ‘I love you’ for everyone to hear.”

“Doubt it, buddy.” I snort, even as I lean into him, ripping my hand down his shirt. The buttons pop off, leaving his chest bare for my hungry gaze, his collage of tattoos almost blinding me. He’s a work of art, and he fucking knows it.

A goddamn painting in motion. His soul is as dark as his ink, and his eyes are as cold as the society he swims in, yet I crave him. His brand of pain and love. I ache whenever I look at him. He’s too fucking much, yet he’s all mine.

He can be cruel and callous. His hands and tongue a weapon. He can take me down, break me and destroy me as easily as he can have me screaming in pleasure. It’s a double-edged sword with each of the Viper boys. They love as deeply as they hate.

They hurt as much as they breathe, and I am in the middle of all of that, with all of their eyes and attention on me. If I’m not careful, they could kill me as easily as they love me. I stole their hearts, and they stole mine.

They keep it safe in their blood-soaked palms, and when Ryder strokes his hands down to my arse and squeezes, I moan wantonly. Such pain, such death they leave in their paths. These hands belong to killers.

Sinners.

Vipers.

But I want them all the same. I want their bite, I want their particular brand of venom coursing through my veins, remaking me into their girl. Every touch, every look is a balm into the soul of a girl who was never loved properly.

One day, it might consume us all and we might explode. But what a beautiful death it would be.

“Ry,” I beg, dragging my nails down his chest, cutting his skin and leaving my mark, giving as good as I get. They love me because of this, because I am capable of the same blood and destruction, hate and torment, because they live in the shadows and so do I.

“Scared, love?” he murmurs, almost pressing his lips to mine. His breath is minty with a hint of scotch, wafting over me as I wiggle on his lap, feeling his cock harden against me.

“Of you? Never. Of not getting an orgasm any time soon? Abso-fucking-lutely,” I deadpan.

“Well, we can’t have that, can we?” He grins and stands, holding me against him before dropping me onto the glass table. His hands grab my thighs and shove them open before he twists his hand in the front of the shirt and tugs, snapping the buttons until it falls open and I’m bare before him.

His eyes run down my body, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. “Every fucking time I forget how beautiful you are.” His hands drift up my thighs, his knuckles catching on the edge of my pussy, making me groan. “Every goddamn time, love, you take my breath away.”

“Prove it,” I demand, spreading my legs farther. His eyes drop to my pussy, and he groans as he falls to his knees.

Having the great Ryder, the lead fucking Viper on his knees looking so hungry, like he could devour me whole, is heady. The power makes me smirk as I reach down and grab his head as he trails his tongue along my thighs, teasing me, punishing me.

“I might get Garrett to tattoo ‘Ryder’s Property’ above this pussy.”

“Not fucking likely, unless I get to tattoo ‘Roxy’s Property’ on your cock,” I snap, making him chuckle and blow warm air over my needy pussy. I shiver. “Enough talking.”

“Do you give the orders here, love?” he challenges, nipping my thigh in punishment. “Because I can easily fuck this tight little pussy, fill you with my cum, and leave you behind, needy as hell without release.”

“You bastard,” I hiss.

“That’s right, love, and I’m your bastard, so lay the fuck on your back and let me stare at my property for as long as I goddamn please. You will get my cock when I tell you, you get my cock,” he growls, digging his teeth into my skin. I jolt as I drop my head to the glass and close my eyes in pain.

I’m so wet, it’s embarrassing, needing him inside me, my empty pussy pulsing and clamping on air. Feeling his dark, hungry gaze on my pussy isn’t helping. I actually jump when his fingers touch me, parting my lips before his tongue touches my clit, circling it, then tracing it down my center and dipping inside me, lapping at my cream hungrily. My hands tighten in his hair as I push myself against his face, grinding onto his tongue as my eyes flutter closed. My heart pounds and body slicks with sweat.

“Ry, God, please,” I implore, as he removes his tongue and lifts his head, those dark eyes meeting mine as he licks his lips.

“You taste like fucking heaven.” He groans before his head drops back to my pussy and he stops teasing.

His eyes roll up to meet mine over my body as he wraps his lips around my piercing and sucks, making me come off the table with a moan. Releasing it, he laps at my pussy like it’s his favourite fucking dessert. His fingers circle my hole playfully before dipping in and out barely an inch. I cant my hips, trying to get more friction, needing to come so badly it’s my only goal.

I’m mindless, aching for pleasure as I press closer. Words leave my lips, threats, promises, all making him laugh and tease me more until I finally stop and just relax, letting him do whatever he wants to me.

Then he shows me just how much he was teasing.

His fingers slip into my pussy, stretching me, my breathing loud in the silent room as he plays my body like a fucking violin. His hands skate up my stomach and grab my breasts, hard, squeezing them as he licks and flicks my piercing, tugging it. The pain and pleasure mix together. His wet fingers circle my nipples before tracing back down my body and slipping inside me.

They scissor, rubbing my inner walls as he focuses all his attention on my clit. Each flick of his tongue and glide of his fingers has me rocking into his mouth. “Ryder!” I scream, as his teeth clamp down on my clit.

It throws me over the edge, ecstasy washing through me as I jerk beneath him, my orgasm taking me by surprise and making me cry out. He licks me through it before crawling up my body and lapping my cream from my nipples. Panting heavily, I open my eyes to meet his dark ones. His chin and lips are coated in my release, and he looks fucking feral. I love it.

“That was just a start, love,” he murmurs, his teeth catching on my nipple as I shiver beneath him. “I just wanted you to realise that you belong to me, and only when you behave, do you get what you need.”

I can’t speak, my mouth is dry and my tongue is too numb to move, and he chuckles, the rat bastard. He flips me over and drags me to the edge of the table, stripping my shirt until I’m naked. His hands trace down my back before his mouth follows the path, his teeth digging into my ass cheek, making me groan.