Consumed by Deception (Deception Trilogy #3) by Rina Kent

Adrian has the ability to turn me into a mess with a mere touch. It’s insane how much he turns my body against me, then makes me enjoy his depravity.

Crave it, even.

“When did you start your affair, Lia?”

“I didn’t…there was no affair…ahhh…” My voice ends on a cry when his belt meets my stomach.

“Let’s try again. When?”

“I never…never…”

Slap!

I arch off the bed, my eyes filled with tears until my vision is blurry, but I meet his gaze head-on. “You can whip me to death, but I won’t tell a lie…I never looked at any man but you.”

“Never looked at any man but me?” Slap! “Then who was the man you were kissing, Lia?” Slap! “Who the fuck was he?”

I’m wailing and bawling by the time he finishes. Any sound I make is broken by the force of my sobs. My thighs are shaking, my nipples are throbbing, and a bizarre state of painful arousal takes hold of my entire being.

“Adrian…please…stop…”

“You’re the only one who can make this stop by giving me what I want. Stop fucking protecting him.”

“I’m…I’m not protecting him.”

“Is that why you refuse to tell me who he is?”

“It’s because he’s dangerous …I…I don’t want you hurt.”

He laughs, the sound harsh, humorless, and tugs on my heartstrings. “You’ve already done that plenty, Lenochka.”

“You hurt me, too…” I whimper between my sniffles. “You crushed me when I learned you only married me to use me against my father.”

His belt pauses at the valley of my legs. “Did I ever use you?”

“You could have. I was living in damn anxiety expecting you to do it at any time.”

“Answer the question. Did I fucking use you, Lia?”

“No…”

“No, I didn’t. I wouldn’t. If I’d planned to, I wouldn’t have married you. In fact, I got rid of every fucking member of the Rozettis who knew about your existence and then hid you from your father. Including the bastard you saw me kill that first day in your apartment’s parking garage. He was following you and I finished him.”

My jaw falls open and even though it’s hard to focus on his words with the amount of pain and constant arousal plaguing my body, I let them filter into my conscious.

“You…you were following me?”

“For a few months before I met you, yes. So if I’d wanted to use you to get close to Lazlo, I would’ve done so around that time.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because you became fucking mine.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that when I first confronted you? Why did you have to hurt me until I had to hurt you back?”

“Someone from the outside helped you and you said he was your lover.”

“He’s not…”

His belt comes down on my pussy and I gasp, my mouth remaining open.

“Don’t lie to me, Lia.”

“He’s not!”

Slap!

“Ahhh…please…I believe what you said just now. I trust that you didn’t intend to use me, I really do. Now you have to believe me…please…please…”

Because if he doesn’t, we’ll be caught in a vicious, toxic cycle that will destroy us both.

“Why should I? You insisted on cheating, remember?”

“Adrian…take it as if I’m begging you. Don’t do this to us.”

“Do what?”

“Kill us again.”

Hard lines etch his features and I can tell he’s on the edge of something—what, I don’t know.

He glides the belt between my legs, across the sensitive flesh of my thigh, but he doesn’t whip me. If anything, his touch is soothing, taking away the pain and replacing it with carnal bliss. One that beats beneath my skin and connects with my bones.

I pull on the bindings at my wrists and ankles, but that only tightens them around my tender flesh.

“Give me something, Lia.”

“S-something about what?”

“About him. If he’s not your lover, then you shouldn’t be protecting him.”

I suck in a sharp breath as his belt glides up and down the wetness of my pussy. Luca has never helped me since I got involved with Adrian. In fact, he used me and I turned a blind eye to it because he reminded me of Grandma and my childhood.

If it were up to me, I would’ve kept him and Adrian as far away from each other as possible. But knowing my husband’s closed off nature, he’ll continue to torture me and himself until he gets the answers he needs.

Since he’s going to get them, anyway, why should I deny him?

“Luca,” I whisper. “His name is Luca and he was my childhood friend. We lived in the same neighborhood when Grandma was alive and went to the same school.”

If he appreciates the information, he doesn’t show it. His expression is as blank as his demeanor. “Why did you have to meet him in secret?”

“Because he runs with the wrong crowd.”

“What crowd?”

“I don’t know. I kept away from his life because it’s dangerous.”