Free Tempt Me (Tease Me Book 2) by Emily Goodwin Page B

someone first, like them for more than the holes between their legs. Ellie was just that. My fuck doll. I had nothing else to do with her, other than let her stay at the house. And it would have been a waste not to sleep with someone as sexy and beautiful as her.
    Who was I trying to fool? Myself…it wasn’t working. Whatever had happened last night made me feel close to Ellie, and I’d never felt close to anyone before. It unnerved me in the best way possible. She was under my skin, in my head, and in my heart—even though I didn’t want to admit it.
    Why? She was just a woman, a woman with a pathetic life who was desperate for an escape. I felt a fleeting flutter of panic at the thought of her using me for that escape. What. The. Fuck. I needed to snap out of it and bury my feelings for Ellie deep inside, locked away to never surface again.
    I leaned over the sink and splashed water onto my face, washing away the blood. I grabbed a towel, drying my skin, and sighed. I looked back at my reflection. I wasn’t a good person. I didn’t try to do the right thing. I did what was easy, what was best for me and no one else. Ellie was too innocent to be with someone like me. She was better off living her old life, the one she thought was boring and unrewarding. It was better than being dead.
    I put the towel down, making no attempt to wipe the blood from my white button-up shirt. With full composure, I walked out of the warehouse bathroom. Tonight was a busy night, as everyone was prepping a large shipment to go out tomorrow. My men stepped aside, letting me through.  
    “Night, señor ,” Diego said, nodding his head down.
    “Night,” I replied and walked to the door. I stopped, turning to Diego. “Don’t fuck up,” I said.
    Diego laughed, playing it off as a joke, but I was serious. His face hardened when he saw my glare. “I won’t, señor ,” he said.
    “You better not.” I let the unspoken threat hang in the air. I entered the code to leave the warehouse and went outside. I stopped to talk to one of the hired guns, making sure he knew to check on my payment tomorrow. If I didn’t have my money in twenty-four hours, I took fingers. I always started with the little finger, the one not really needed. If another twelve hours passed and I still didn’t have money, another finger was cut off. I worked my way in, until there was nothing left. I’d only had to cut off three thumbs over the years. Somehow, losing two fingers seemed to be what it took for people to get me my money.  

    I walked into the house to find Ellie sitting in the kitchen. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Her hair fell in loose curls around her face, and her eyes were lined with black. I momentarily missed her messy hair and makeup-free face. I blinked. Her eyes were even more captivating outlined in black.
    “Alejandro,” she said with a smile and stood.
    “Ellie,” I replied.
    She went around the table and stopped, looking at me as if she wasn’t sure what to do. Suddenly, I felt too vulnerable. She knew too much about me. I had shared secrets with her that I hadn’t told anyone, that I hadn’t even wanted to admit to myself. I wanted to pull her close and never let go just as much as I wanted to push her away.
    Her face fell, and she wrapped her arms around herself. “Everything okay?” she asked shyly.
    I realized I was scowling at her. “Yes, chica ,” I said and let out a breath. “Did you get the roses?”
    That brought an instant smile back to her face. “I did. I loved them.”
    “Good,” I said and strode through the kitchen. “Come upstairs,” I instructed. Ellie grabbed the book she had been reading and followed me up the stairs. As soon as we were in my room, I grabbed her and threw her onto the bed, set on ripping her clothes off and fucking her hard.
    Then I noticed the book in her hand. I picked it up and laughed. “You’re reading fairytales?” The book was worn, with faded pictures and tattered