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“I need to speak with you. Open up.”
When she doesn’t open, the whisperer hisses a harsh curse in my ear and I’m filled with loathing for the stupid, impatient spirit.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” I say. It comes out sterner than I meant it to.
After a long pause the door opens enough to show A
A
I grasp the edge of the door above her head and push it open, forcing A
I first cover her knife hand with mine and pry her fingers open. She gives a slight gasp as I relieve her of the weapon and slip it into my pocket. Then I reach for the other hand . . . a torch? Or, rather, flashlight to Americans. It’s hardly big enough to use as a weapon, but I suppose it’s better than her bare hand. I drop it to the floor and close the door behind me, still moving her forward until I have her against the wall. She glances toward the whisperer, then back to me. I have to ignore the hurt and fear in her eyes and get her to focus solely on me.
Her breathing goes a bit ragged as she stares up at me. I remind my body this is not for real, but it responds excitedly all the same. She puts her warm palms on the rise of my chest, and pushes me back with a fierce look in her eyes.
“Back off, son of Pharzuph.”
I feel a wicked smile spread across my face because she’s figured it out and she’s playing along. She’s the most sexy and spectacular creature on earth.
Let’s do this, A
“I’m only here as a precaution,” I tell her. “To be sure our little daughter of Belial is behaving properly.”
It’s vital that she knows what’s at stake and that she trusts me for what’s to come. A
“I heard you don’t even like Neph girls.”
I laugh and jerk my head to the side, flicking the hair from my eyes. Then I close the space between us. “I don’t. But I’m willing to make sacrifices for the greater evil.”
Don’t show i
“So, what are you saying?” she asks with attitude. “The Dukes don’t think I’m working? Is that why they’re sending every Neph to question me and fight me?”
Fight her? I was under the impression she hadn’t had any contact with the other Neph. Bloody hell.
“Just covering all the bases,” I tell her. “They know you’re pushing alcohol, but you weren’t exactly a well-rounded worker at that summit, yeah?”
Her eyes flash with indignant anger. “That was a year and a half ago. I’m very well rounded now.”
“Prove it.”
I press her hard against the wall and slant my mouth over hers. She lets out the tiniest yelp of pain, and I have to stop myself from backing off to see if she’s all right. I wasn’t being gentle, but I also hadn’t been rough enough to hurt her. I move past the awkward pause and focus again on her mouth. A
The side of my body chills like it’s been hit by a cold breeze, and a wet, bubbling sound of ecstasy fills my head. Fucking demon. A
“Bit of a turnoff when you do that,” I say through clenched teeth. “Mind shutting up?”
I hope it will back off long enough for us to give a decent show before I attempt to send it away. I take A
I can’t let myself feel for her right now.
I kiss her harder. She doesn’t melt into me like she usually does, but she’s not pushing me away, so I press on. Father’s whisperer is not going to want me to take my time with A
My shirt comes off first. I’m craving her touch all over my bare skin, but she’s acting sort of stu
C’mon, A
With a resigned expression, she raises her arms and I tug the shirt over her head, then our bodies are together again. Oh, God. No bra. She’s bare-chested. For the first time, I can feel the soft and taut parts of her touching my own skin. Her arms go around my neck, tight with tension. I release a series of curses in my mind. I want to look down. I know, I’m a pig, but I’m dying to see every bit of her. However, she’s as stiff as a board, so I pretend her naked chest is no big deal to me—not worth checking out.
It’s time to take this to the next level by removing more clothing. I continue to hope A
Just a bit longer, I want to tell her.
But the biggest part of this show hasn’t even happened yet.
I kiss down her neck to her shoulder and slide my hot hands down her back. My fingers easily push past the elastic of her sleeping shorts, and then her underwear, until I’m cupping her bare arse.
This is the most perfectly fucked-up moment of my life, because having her ass in my hands is heaven, and I should not feel that way right now. My body is so overcome I can’t move. She’s mine and I want her.
Then I remember that my most heavenly moment is being closely scrutinized by a demon.
Still overcome, I manage to say, “Take them off.”
A
“You don’t have to be such an ass!” she snaps.
That fiery voice is just what I need to hear. She is livid, but still playing along. A
A single sight catches my eye and puts the dark part of me to rest. There’s a bruise on her thigh, and as I pull her shorts the rest of the way off, I see a series of purple-greenish markings down her calves. I stop breathing. My sweet girl has been injured.
Badly.
Fury burns like heated coals under my skin. Who did this to her?
The whisperer gurgles and flies over us, excited. I can’t stop to demand answers. With great effort I force myself not to stare at her bruises, or her breasts, or . . . well, anywhere.
I move off the bed and stand at the end. She stares hard at me as I unclasp my belt and unbutton my shorts. I’m trying very hard not to look at her body. I want to, desperately, but not like this. However, I’m more than happy to let her see all of me.
It doesn’t happen. As soon as I’m nearly naked, her eyes shift and I’m quite proud to see the look of Neph nonchalance on her face. But I also know her well enough to notice the set of her jaw jutting out—a sign she’s trying not to cry. And behind that glazed expression I can see her hurt, her fear.
I’ve hurt her. I’m scaring her. Does she think I’m going to do this, for real? If she thinks that, I will stab my own damn self with her sword. She has to know I would never force myself on her. A