I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. “This isn’t 1907. Women aren’t property. We can’t be owned and controlled, despite whatever backwoods mentality you still possess from being locked up in this asylum for so long. Women have opinions. I have a voice.”

“This wouldn’t be half as fun if you didn’t have a voice.” Felix lifted one hand off the doorframe, brushing a rogue strand of hair away from my cheek. The gentle touch was unexpected, and my brain went into overdrive trying to process it.

“Wha…what the he–” I was cut off by Felix’s lips against my own, bruisingly hard as they moved against me. I was too shocked to do anything besides kiss him back, leaning into his desperate touch. His fingers tangled in my hair, twisting a handful back until we separated, forcing me to look up at him. The smirk was gone, something unidentifiable drifting behind his dark eyes. I came back to reality, slamming my palms down on his chest. “What the hell was that? What happened to no fucking fraternizing?”

“I make the rules.” He snatched my wrists, holding them still before I could wind up to do it again. Maybe next time I’d aim for that perfect face of his. How fucking dare he be so presumptuous. “Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy my kiss, Savannah.”

“I didn’t.” But my brain and my body were obviously operating on two different circuits. My brain rationalized exactly how much this man annoyed me, thinking he was in charge and knew what was best for me. My body cried out for more, wanting to run my hands down his chest. I wanted to explore how deep the darkness behind his eyes went. Did it poison every cell in his body, leaching into his very core? Or was it only surface deep, an act for everyone else to see?

“You did,” he corrected, offering me a crooked smile on his full lips. It seemed less cruel this time, if only fractionally. “You might hate me. I might piss you off with the way I do things. But you want me. There’s not a single shred of doubt in my mind, darling.”

What an absolute fucking prick. A correct prick. But I’d never let him know. I opened my mouth to contradict whatever bullshit he was planning on spouting next but was stopped once more by his kiss. This time I had a choice. I could push him away, yell and scream. Or I could admit my darkest cravings and give into the kiss.

I gave in. Felix stopped kissing me for a moment, his lips curling into a smile against mine. “There’s a good girl,” he cooed.