His hands trace a scorching line from my neck to my waist as he lowers himself to the ground. And the look he’s giving me—his eyes blazing up at me with a near-religious reverence?—
“Here it is, little witch. I’m begging. I am begging you not to go. Stay and let me fight for you. Stay and fightwithme. Stay and break me if that’s what you desire. But I am begging you. Stay.”
“You’re not playing fair.” His callouses glide down my leg as he lifts my heel onto his shoulder. My dress parts over my thigh, revealing a flash of moon-kissed flesh.
“I will play as dirty as I have to in order to keep you.” He presses his lips to my calf. “Tell me you ache for me the same way I ache for you.”
Oh god.
“I—” I’m confused. Why does his touch feel sogood? I struggle to maintain focus with his lips on my skin, with the sight of him, a mighty warrior on his knees, begging me. Wanting me.
His hands wander higher up my exposed leg, hooking around my upper thigh. My heart thunders loud enough to shake the tree behind me. I should stop this. I really need to stop this.
“Show me,” he whispers, nipping at my thigh with his teeth. His breath against the sensitive flesh there has my stomach curling. “I’ll give you everything. Just take what you want from me. Take what’s yours.”
What’s mine? That word triggers the faintest glimmer of reason in the back of my mind. My hands dart out to hold his face, stopping him from going further.
The sound of musical laughter shatters the moment. Our heads whirl toward the curtain of vines as it parts to reveal our friends drunkenly stumbling toward us. Their mirth dies when they see Jace on his knees before me. A bottle of wine slips from Zadyn’s hand as he goes completely rigid. His fists clench, knuckles bleaching white.
“Well, you two certainly wasted no time,” Cece remarks, breaking the heavy silence.
I can only imagine how this looks. Jace drops my leg, rising to his feet as I smooth my gown.
Golden curls fly over Cece’s shoulder as she turns and slides her palm up Zadyn’s chest. “See,I told you.”
I see red.
“Get your hands off him.”
Instead, she snakes that stupid hand up his neck. Her liquor-glazed eyes widen as I march over and rip it away myself.
“How dare you?—”
“What did you tell him? Please share it with the class.”
“Serena—” Zadyn starts, but I hold up a hand.
“I told him the truth.”
“What truth is that?”
“That you’re fickle as the wind and that the two of you will never stop salivating over one another.” She sneers, tossing a glance over my shoulder at Jace. “And that he shouldn’t waste his time on things that are beneath him.”
“Beneath him?” I laugh. “The only thing that’s beneath him is you.”
“Ihavebeen beneath him. More than once. And let me tell you”—she leans in so that her lips are pressed to my ear—“you’re missing out. Little tip? He has a sensitive spot two inches below his ear. He absolutely lost it when I?—”
My hand shoots out to grab a fistful of her hair. Her shriek is like music to my ears.
“Let go, you fucking animal!”
“Gladly.” I yank hard, and she falls back on her ass in the mushy sod.
The shock on her face is priceless. She’s on her feet in an instant, launching herself at me with bared fangs.
“I will flatten you,” I threaten as we grapple.
Cece is scrappy, using her long nails to latch onto me and gouge red lines into my arms. I can feel my power rising to the surface—begging to be unleashed. Its call is seductive.
