Before I can ask how she knows that, she glances pointedly at the windows, which are once again icing over. I clench my teeth and sit in my office chair, intending to get this conversation over with so I can regain some illusion of control.
But all ideas of getting myself under control fly out the window when Maven straddles my legs to face me.
My mouth goes dry. "W—what are you?—"
"I made a decision about our quintet. You're all mine, and I'll fight for you until the end. But if we're going to work out in the short amount of time we have, then I can't let this thing betweenus drag on. So I'm going to give you a very simple choice. Hold out your hand."
My heart is hammering hard, but I hold out my hand, looking away because I'm pretty sure staring at her this close will hypnotize me. My cock is torturously hard in my pants, the fucking turncoat.
But when the cold handle of a small dagger presses into my hand, I startle and look at her sharply. "Why are you making me hold this?"
Maven smirks and taps the end of the knife until it barely touches her shoulder. "If you hate me as much as you say you do, then hurt me. Should be easy."
My stomach lurches.Dear gods, no.
When I just stare at her in indignant alarm because there's no way she can be serious about this, Maven moves until the knife is pressing against the side of her neck. And when she leans into it?—
I drop the knife as fury flashes through me. It clatters to the ground.
"Stop it. I'm not going to fucking hurt you. That's never happening, Oakley."
“You hurt me in Pennsylvania.”
I flinch, my stomach churning at the memory. “I…I’m sorry,” I whisper. “You have no idea how sorry. I get it if you never want to forgive me for that, but I had to do it because…”
"Because you care about me, and you thought that was the best way to protect me. We both know it’s true, so stop feeling guilty.”
I clench my teeth, desperate. Do I have to find something genuinely horrible to say to her? Could I even manage to say something to hurt her again? This is absolute hell.
"No. It's just that you're my keeper,” I try to insist. “I don't even remotely like you, I just?—”
Maven leans forward and kisses me.
Oh, holy gods above.
Her lips are so fuckingwarm.
Suddenly, I can't seem to pull her close enough. Her fingers tangle in my hair, and I moan when I feel her slide closer, her chest pressing against mine. She's like a fucking heater compared to me, and it feels insanely good. I've never held someone like this, but I know I'll be panting after Maven's warmth for the rest of my godsdamned life.
I've never been so turned on. She can probably feel that my heart is crashing hard enough to bruise my insides, but I can't focus on anything except herfantasticmouth and the way her tongue drags gently against my lips until I part them. When she winds her arms around my neck and deepens the kiss, making a soft sound of pleasure, I get lightheaded.
But then her fucking perfect hips roll so she can grind against my throbbing erection?—
And I come in my pants.
Fuck. Oh, dear gods, no.
Kill me now. This day really is fucking cursed.
I pull away stiffly, my face burning a thousand degrees as I squeeze my eyes shut.
"Maven."
She must hear the strain in my voice because she starts to ask what happened…but when she inhales slightly, I know she can feel exactly what happened through my pants.
I'm begging you, Syntyche,I pray to the goddess of life reaping.Just take me now. Right now. Please.
I clear my throat hard and mutter, "Can you, um...could you get off for a moment? I'd like to throw myself out the window now."
