Hellbound With You

This chapter is dedicated to @edi_o! Thank you so much for the supergift!

Boldly, Alicia grabbed onto his collar. Her eyes now gleaming with determination, not to be stopped by anything or anyone. Especially not Ezekiel himself. "Listen here, Ezekiel. I no longer plan to spend my remaining days hating you or fighting with you. I have decided to do whatever I want… without any reservations. So don't waste your time – or mine – trying to distract me or scare me. All those tactics, they won't be working on me anymore." She told him off directly, knowing that he would find some ways to detract her from carrying out her plans.

Hearing what she said, his whole person went very still. His expression did not change much, but his eyes sharpened at what she had said. It was as though he was a predator, stilled and poised in its position, just waiting for the right moment to attack.

Then his hand was on her chin again, pinching it gently. "Whoever said that I was trying to distract and scare you? I am just trying to make you stop being stubborn and take my words seriously, Alicia. I told you, I always end up breaking my rules when it comes to you… and you should know what that means by now. That means there's no more rules that can bind me from doing whatever I want with you." His voice pitched lower with much meaning, causing Alicia's heart to stutter and skip a couple of beats.

"And whoever said that I am not taking your words seriously, Ezekiel?" she shot back, unyielding, not wanting to lose ground to him as well. "I know that you are being very serious right now, but I also know what kind of man you are. I've never met or known anyone with the kind of crazy self-control that you have and are capable of. You've already proven that to me time and time again. I know that you'll always end up being fully in control of yourself like you always do… and that's why I am not even hesitating to offer up my blood to you." Alicia countered him smoothly as she saw one of his brows raised at her comeback.

A disbelieving smile curved at his lips. And for a moment there, she saw such a beautiful gleam flashed across his eyes. It was just too bad because the smile and that look in his eyes were extremely quick to disappear – just like quicksilver – and got immediately replaced with his usual seriousness. Alicia sighed and thought to herself on when it will be next before she could appreciate that beautiful view again.

"You're overestimating me, Alicia." he uttered in a low but absolutely certain voice. "I'm telling you again, with you… I'm not the same. Don't put me up on some kind of imaginary pedestal." His grip on her chin tightened before his thumb swiped to part her lips.

Then he moved his face close to hers. So close that his moist breaths were now caressing her lips so tantalisingly. "I'm telling you this for the first and the last time, Alicia. So it would do you good to listen well… you don't have the slightest idea how you make me feel a serious fear for your life while you're with me. You don't know what I truly want to do with you now." There was a dark promise that coated his voice that caused Alicia to feel as though there was something stuck in her throat.

She felt the need to swallow so badly, but she managed to stop herself. "Oh, I do, Ezekiel. You've already told me, remember? You'd wanted to f*ck me brainless and until all I can scream out is your name – for nine days straight." She had to taunt him while phrasing her words as provocatively as possible.

His wicked smile reappeared, shaking his head as he bit on his lower lip and released them slowly. "That's true, I did say that wanted that… but that was previously. Now… now my desires are nowhere near what I wanted before. Not even close." His breathing became a bit more laboured as he backed her up against the counter and pinned her there with his large body. Then he bent and whispered provocatively in her ear. "I wanted to kidnap you and damn you to hell with me so I can f*ck you there for eternity. That way, I can do every sinful and uncivilized thing to you for as long as I wish to!"

Alicia suddenly forgot how to breathe. She completely lost her power of speech. Her mind was scorched into oblivion, and it had even refused to fully process what he had just said. His voice, his words… they just continued echoing in her head, turning her brain into mush.

"Breathe, Alicia." His voice shook her attention and she snapped back to reality with a gasp, pulling in lungfuls of sweet air.

She focused her still slightly dazed gaze on him as she panted for breath. She did not know how long she stopped breathing for. Oh, for freaking goodness sakes! The things that this man and his words do to her!

Before she could say anything else, she felt him lift her and carried her out of the kitchen. The areas where his palms cradled her felt scorching to the touch and it was as though he was trying to burn her to crisp. However, she was willingly accepting of everything that he would mete out to her – as long as it was from him.

Once he placed her down back onto the couch, she finally got some of her bearings back and trained her eyes on him. "Ezekiel…" she called out in a weak voice. "What you just –"

"Hush, Alicia." He stopped her with a little bump of his forehead on hers, and she immediately felt that he was wordlessly telling her that he did not want her to say anything further about it. "Sleep," he added as he gently guided her head to lie down on his lap, placing his large palm over her eyes.