Stalking to the side table where a red candle rested, I scooped up the lighter beside it and lit the wick. The flame burned bright, hurting the backs of my eyes.

Carrying my prize back to the chaise, Tess’s gaze locked onto the flickering fire. Tears gushed down her cheeks, tracking over her white skin in a river of grief.

I wanted sympathy, horror—some emotion that reminded me of my humanness. But I’d lost it the moment Tess gave me permission to cave. Nothing else mattered than doing what I wanted. And I wanted to burn her.

Grabbing her wrist, I plucked her upright, dragging her to the small table at the back of the couch.

“Q—please…don’t.”

I laughed, placing the candle on the edge of the wood. Picking her up, I laid her onto the piece of furniture. She winced as her flayed ass stuck to the varnish.

Pressing her sternum until she lay flat, I said, “You had the choice to say no.” Taking the candle, I smiled at the small puddle of melted wax. “You no longer have that choice.”

Holding her down with one hand, I poured a little of the wax directly onto the swell of her right breast.

She screamed, her fists clenching at the onslaught of heat. The liquid quickly hardened to solid. The slash of red looked like blood.

My c**k f**king begged to climb inside her. I needed to come. Hard. I needed to sink down as far as I could until she knew just who owned her.

Stop!

My c**k f**king wept. It was the monster. That piece of meat was the driving force of this whole nightmare.

Tipping the candle again, I let it splash over her left breast, licking my lips at her gasp of pain, the flash of terror in her eyes.

“God, I’m hard. So f**king hard hurting you.”

Tess turned her face away, tears flowing in a steady, uninterrupted stream. I leaned over her, licking at the delicious salt. I poured another dollop of wax right between her br**sts, a large seal of blood-red fire.

Tess bit her lip, moaning in agony. “Enough! Please enough.”

What the hell was that? “Nice try, Tess. I know you’re loving this, too. I’m used to your games. Your begs won’t stop me. You gave me this power! I’ll stop when I’m good and f**king ready.”

Tess cried loudly as I tipped another spritz of wax over a nipple.

Her tears looked genuine but I knew my little minx. I knew she wanted this, just like me. She wouldn’t have agreed if she didn’t.

The instant the wax hardened, I latched my mouth around the greasy residue, biting it off. My c**k lurched at the glowing burn mark left behind.

Not only did the wax look like blood but it branded her, too.

The pits of hell opened its gates at the morbid pleasure thrilling through me. Blowing out the candle, I put it down. With eager fingers, I picked at the hardened wax. Tess moaned as I peeled it from her irritated skin.

Depositing the pieces taken from her, I savoured the revealing of her burned flesh. Waves of blooming heat that I’d put there. Me. Her master.

The last piece, I dangled over Tess’s mouth. “Open.”

Her face blanched, her cheeks glistening with moisture. “You can’t be serious.”

Fuck, she was incredible. Her acting impeccable.

“Deadly. Eat it and I’ll let you up.”

Tess shook her head.

With cruel fingers, I twisted the nipple I’d burned. Her mouth opened in a silent scream. Placing the small piece of wax on her tongue, I glowered as she screwed up her face.

Raising an eyebrow, I let her make the decision of more punishment for disobeying or the end of torture by obeying.

It took a never-ending second before she grimaced and swallowed.

“Good girl.” In a fast move, I pulled her upright, before pushing her down onto all fours on the carpet. She sniffed, a small sob escaping her wracking body.

Can’t you see you’re f**king ruining her?

The sane thought came from nowhere, bringing the power of a migraine, shoving ice-picks into my temples.

Oh, f**k, what am I doing?

Pain compounded on pain. I cried out, clutching my head against the agony in my skull. I fell forward, collapsing onto one knee.

Tess tried to crawl away, the curtain of curls hiding her face but not the red punishment on her ass.

“Where are you going?” Grabbing her ankle, I pulled her backward. “I haven’t f**king finished.” Her legs splayed; my mouth watered at the sight of her pu**y.

I wanted to taste. I wanted to f**k.

Don’t do this!

Climbing over her, I pushed her onto her stomach. Locking a leg around hers, I kept her thighs completely open. Exposed.

My fingers slid up her thigh, aching to touch her.

The monster licked his lips at the thought of finally having satisfaction. Of finally taking her like I’d always wanted—rough, against her will—ruthless.

Every inch I travelled, she didn’t say a word. Not a peep or sound as she buried her face in the carpet.

The migraine made my mouth go dry; the sun became my worst f**king enemy. Too bright; digging into my eyes, ruining me further.

This is wrong!

I’m past caring.

It felt so good to finally let go. To drop my barriers. Tess wanted it. She’d encouraged me.

I couldn’t wait any longer. My fingers latched around my cock, guiding it to her pu**y.

“I’m going to take you. I’m going to come so deep inside you.”

I thrust against her, wanting to lodge myself inside with one impale.

She cried out, her back bowing with agony.

I rocked forward, unable to understand why I couldn’t enter her. Come on! I needed to be inside.

Reaching between us, my forefinger stroked her clit, dropping to where the head of my c**k pressed against her folds.

My world screeched to a f**king halt.

What—?

The beast froze, giving me one clear, untainted moment.

She wasn’t wet.

Not at all.

Fuck. This can’t…no…

A surge of agony hit me like a baseball bat. My migraine shoved the monster back into its cage. Beating it with hatred, yelling, cursing, threatening to murder everything awful inside.

What have I done?

I scrambled backward, dry-retching with horror. “No. No. Fuck, no.”

Tess was the driest I’d ever felt. She isn’t wet. Everything I’d let my foggy f**ked-up brain conclude had been a lie. She was drier than the Sahara.

Low moans sounded as Tess panted hard. She hadn’t moved, lying unprotestingly and ready—ready for me to f**king rape her.