Chapter 14 Chapter 14
Benjamin's smile froze. After watching her for a moment, he offered a faint smile again. "Of course you can use it," he said. Then he turned his gaze back to Clarence with a light chuckle. "Ms. Hill's husband is coming back tomorrow. You'd better be careful."
He knew everything; he knew that Adrian would return tomorrow. That was why he'd come today. He'd left an opening on purpose, tempting her to gamble everything just to watch her sink deeper into hell because of her resistance—to toy with her like a cat playing with a mouse.
She wouldn't let him have his way. Never!
Only when cornered does a person unleash extraordinary courage, banishing all panic and cowardice to confront every torment head-on.
She withdrew her gaze and fixed her eyes on the corpulent man before her. A faint blush tinged her cheeks as if she were suppressing shyness. Softly, she pleaded, "How about we move somewhere else? I don't want them watching."
As she spoke, she gently bit her lower lip and whispered into the man's ear, "They're watching, but not paying."
The man froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. He scooped her up from the sofa and carried her upstairs.
She nestled in his embrace and peered over his shoulder at Benjamin by the window. He was watching her, too. A faint smile played on his lips as he slowly raised his glass in her direction.
She sneered at him, telling herself that if she could just endure this, all suffering would eventually pass.
Endure it. No matter what she faced, she would persevere, waiting for the moment his guard slipped. Then she would defeat him and send him back to hell.
As the night deepened and darkness swallowed all filth and ugliness, the revelry continued.
Grace burst from the room and lunged at the sink. She rinsed her mouth repeatedly and scrubbed her lips fiercely, but the nauseating taste refused to fade.
She retched uncontrollably. Having eaten nothing all evening, her body convulsed with the effort, but no water came up—only tears streaming down her face.
When she lifted her head, she saw Benjamin in the mirror.
He leaned against the wall, mocking her. "What? Did you use your mouth this time? How unexpected. Ms. Hill is quite the all-rounder." He slowly scanned her relatively intact clothing with his gaze, then sighed. "Escaping unscathed from a sadist's clutches... Ms. Hill, you are really something.”
She stared at his reflection, slowly straightening her back. Wiping away her tears and the droplets at her mouth with the back of her hand, she hardened her expression to match his coldness. “Benjamin, murder is only a step away.”
He nodded slowly. “Yes, that's why I won't kill you. That would be too easy.”
She fixed him with a wolfish glint in her eyes. After a long moment, she turned back and stepped deliberately toward him. Under his gaze, she reached out and grabbed his collar. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “Benjamin, four years ago, you were lying dead in front of my car. I stopped to save you out of kindness, yet you tried to kill me. I killed your brother only to save my own life. I owe you nothing.”
He raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked, "Are you talking to me about God?"
“No, I have nothing to say to the devil. I just want to tell you..."
She scoffed and tiptoed closer to him in a provocative manner. The moment his brow furrowed slightly, she suddenly pressed her lips against his.
This turn of events came without warning. He had never imagined she would make such a move, leaving him momentarily stunned. Only after several seconds did he remember to grab her.
Her hands clutched his tie tightly, and her other arm was wrapped around his neck. Her body was pressed so close that it felt like chewing gum—impossible to peel away.
She kissed him wildly, forcefully pushing her tongue past his teeth and swirling it inside his mouth.
Flustered, he gripped her slender shoulders and pulled her away. He shoved her back, demanding angrily, "Are you out of your mind?"
"No." Her eyes narrowed as she leaned against the sink. She ran her tongue over her lips slowly and deliberately, as if savoring some exquisite delicacy.
This bewitching display was utterly seductive, making even him, usually cool and composed, feel a surge of heat below his waist. Rarely irritable, he sneered. "What? Trying to seduce me?”
“Seduce you? Oh, no. I'd rather seduce a dog." She curved her lips, mocking him as she spoke each syllable deliberately. "I just want you to taste that man, too. He's forty years old, three hundred pounds, and black. How about it? How does he taste?"
Benjamin froze, finally grasping her meaning. Murderous intent flared in his eyes. Before she could react, the barrel of a gun was pressed against her forehead.
"Want to die, huh?" he growled, his face darkening.
Though the gun forced her head back slightly, her expression showed no fear. "Shoot me, Benjamin. If you've got any courage left, just put me down."
Rage brewed in his eyes like a storm as he stared at her, slowly sliding the safety off.
Just as she thought he would blow her brains out, his emotions unexpectedly cooled. The rage slowly faded from his eyes and was replaced by indifference. He suddenly smiled and asked, "You want to provoke me into killing you to end it all, don't you?"
A fleeting glimpse of disappointment betrayed her thoughts, but she refused to show weakness. Gritting her teeth, she sneered, "You still haven't told me what it tastes like. If I'd known you were waiting here, I would've kept his semen in my mouth for you."
He wasn't provoked by her words. A dangerous, cold smile played on his lips. He watched her in silence for a moment, then suddenly grabbed her hair and dragged her into the hallway. He kicked open a random door and threw her inside. Inside, a half-naked couple was rolling on the bed. The man, who was just about to enter, was abruptly interrupted, and his pent-up desire boiled over. He was about to curse when he saw Benjamin standing in the doorway and froze. "Mr. Norman?"
"Get out." Benjamin pointed his gun toward the door.
Terrified by the gun, the couple scrambled out in a panic. Benjamin kicked the door shut, then turned and dragged Grace to the bedside. He lightly tapped her forehead with the muzzle. "Want to die, huh? I'll see just how fearless you are!" He released the safety and coldly commanded, "Kneel!"