Severed Ties: A Dark Stalker Romance (Tainted Love Book 1)
Severed Ties: Chapter 52

Each day we spend together, Clara becomes a little less guarded. I don’t know if she realizes that’s what’s happening or not, but I’m relishing the little ways she gives in to me.

“Panties,” I remind her, my hand held out in the space between us.

She only hesitates for a second before taking a step back and, as modestly as she can manage, reaches up her skirt. She shimmies her hips until the black lace hits the soft carpet below her feet, pooling around her stilettos. Fuck. When she came out of the bathroom this morning wearing those shoes, I thought my heart was going to stop when all the things I wanted to do to her in them flooded my mind. But I knew I had to let her out of the apartment, so I managed to tamp down the demons enough to let her out the front door.

She bends and picks up the scrap of lace, placing it in my outstretched hand. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you only packed lace.”

I chuckle and shove her panties into the pocket of my dark jeans. “You noticed that, huh?” I smirk.

All that I packed for her were outfits I’d seen her in that made me almost break my promise to myself to stay away. Plus a few things I’ve noticed when I’ve been in her apartment at night, items I know she doesn’t think she’ll look good in but will make my cock so fucking hard.

She takes a seat, carefully crossing one leg over the other to make sure no one can see there’s nothing covering her pretty pussy. Her dark hair cascades down over her shoulders and her eyes sparkle with something I haven’t seen a lot of since I started following her. Happiness. The idea that a man like me, a murderer, a sinner, the devil himself, could make this angel look so fucking happy has the organ that beats in my chest, squeezing impossibly tighter.

I take my seat and lean back, watching her thoughtfully. Her eyes flutter over the menu, a small smile tipping up the corners of her pouty lips. I have plans for them tonight, plans I need to make happen before I get back to the two men I have tied up in the tunnels. Storm was more than happy to put a few extra guards outside the cell I have them in until I can get back. He wants Clara’s father dealt with, especially because his allies are people we do not want in our city.

Her cheeks heat and she slowly brings her deep-brown eyes up to meet mine. “Have you been here before?” she asks, not mentioning that she could feel me staring at her. She should be used to it by now. I’ve been doing it for so long she should only notice when my eyes aren’t on her.

“A few times.”

“On dates?” she asks casually, but no woman has ever asked that question without it being loaded. She wants to know if my bringing her here is special.

I chuckle and shake my head slowly. “Little fawn, do I detect some jealousy in your tone?”

“No, of course not.”

I hold her gaze, watching as the heat spreads across her cheeks and down her neck. “Liar.”

“I’m not lying,” she snaps. “I’m just trying to make conversation.”

“To answer your question, no, I’ve never brought a date here. Do you know why, Clara?”

She shakes her head and reaches for the water already poured in front of her, taking several heavy sips, but it’s not enough to stop her hands from shaking under my gaze. The sick part of me likes making her nervous, craves her fear and anxiety, just as long as I’m the only one causing it.

“Because this is my first date,” I admit with a shrug. “I’ve never seen the point in it because I never gave enough of a fuck about a woman to organize a date. You’re the only woman I’ve felt the need to do something like this for. The only woman I’ve cared about more than just a quick fuck or two.”

Her breath stutters, her eyes shooting back up to meet mine at my admission. She looks so innocent when she’s surprised, and it makes me want to throw nothing but surprises at her for the rest of our fucking lives.

“Now that that’s sorted, it’s time to take care of your punishment.”

“Punishment?” Her voice shakes.

“Yes, punishment, little fawn. You didn’t eat lunch today, which is not acceptable.”

“That’s not a rule,” she whispers.

I chuckle. “You’re right. It wasn’t. But it is now.”

“You can’t punish me for something that wasn’t a rule, Tommy. That’s not fair.”

But her argument is weak at best. She doesn’t hate the idea of being punished, though she likes to make me think she does.

I lean forward and drag her chair toward mine, not stopping until her knees are snug between my own.

“By not eating, you were not taking care of yourself, which is against the rules. You may think it’s just a skipped meal, but it’s more than that, and a punishment will mean you won’t forget to eat lunch again.”

She opens her mouth to respond but snaps it shut again, thinking better of arguing with me. Probably a good move. I’ve never been known for being reasonable, so she’d be wasting her breath anyway. She looks around, her eyes scanning the space again, dragging over the deep maroon walls until they lock with the black door we came through.

“You can’t spank me here,” she whisper-shouts at me.

I chuckle, capturing her chin between my fingers and dragging her face forward until it’s so close to mine I can taste her every breath. “Who said anything about spanking, little fawn?”