As though I didn’t know that already, she had already proven herself to me as stubborn and headstrong. If she wasn’t willing to relinquish the smallest amount of control with me, how far would she go to avenge someone she loved? To the ends of the earth and until her last breath, I imagined she wouldn’t stop searching.
I had to help if only to ease her mind so she could move on.
But I couldn’t tell her what I knew. I’d had to find some other way to help.
Maybe if I could solve itforher.
“Aha!”
I was snapped back to reality as Nikki straightened, holding the handcuffs I had planted under the coffee table. She strolled to the bedroom and came back with the key, and I held my breath as she pressed the key into the cuff and sighed as it clicked and released.
A universal key.
Or specific by police station, perhaps.
Either way, I’d gotten away with it.
Barely.
“So what happens now?” I asked, leaning against the back of the couch.
She glanced at the cheap plastic clock on the wall. “Tomorrow I’ll go drop them at the station, and then… sit on my ass for four weeks.”
My demon stirred. “You could sit on my face if you prefer.”
Nikki’s skin flushed, and her mouth dropped open at my words. I couldn’t help it. Despite the conflicting emotions that stirred in me, I’d had her now, and I knew I’d never get enough of her. My guilt was easy to quash when faced with her so long as I didn’t look too deeply into her eyes and the pain that was constantly there—pain which she blamed herself for. She wasn’t responsible for the person her father was. He met his death because of his own doing, I was certain of it. Nikki was too loyal for her own good.
But all of this I could push to the side because she was fucking incredible, and her touch burned against me like no other had before. I loved her defiance, her humor, and simply her company. I’d had her body once, and it would never be enough now.
Already my length was straining against my pants, and I stalked toward her, backing her against the stone of the fireplace and leaning in until my lips were next to her neck, breathing inthe scent of her. Nikki shuddered, and the scent of her arousal flooded the air between us, settling around me like embers ready to ignite me again, and my senses spiked.
“Got any plans tonight?” I whispered.
I shouldn’t do this. I should stay far away from Nikki, help her, and then let her move on with her life. As it were, I was a constant threat, not only because of my demon but because I’d forever be watching what I say and do, not wanting to let slip any of the secrets I knew about her family.
Not to mention the secret about whatIwas.
But she was intoxicating in the best of ways, and the guilt combined with how I felt in her presence was creating a storm that raged within me. No matter how hard I fucked her, I couldn’t fuck away the guilt.
Her lips found mine as she placed her palm on my cheek, and I opened my mouth to let her tongue dance against mine, moaning into the sensation of her taste—sweet and salty perfection. I wanted her to be rough. Ineededher to treat me like a one-night stand and demand that this could never be anything more than that. But her touch was soft and delicate, her tongue massaging mine, exploring my mouth as she hummed with contentment, all previous aggravation and defiance forgotten—for now, at least. I’d be challenging her unwillingness to let go of control soon enough.
“No plans,” she said, pulling away from the kiss barely enough to answer.
My instinct and body were winning, and I was losing the will to fight the battle against this desire.
Because whatever I was, however much I didn’t fit in with the other demons or how much I learned on Earth and changed the longer I was here, I was still a demon, and my demon still controlled me as much as I did it.
Why should I fight it? Why couldn’t I have what I wanted?Her world and mine were filled with examples of beings taking what they wanted without regard for anything else. Why couldn’t I be one of them?
And it was her—all I wanted washer.
A growl emanated deep in my throat, and I grabbed her ass, instinctively grinding against her as she wrapped a leg around my thigh.
“You have plans now,” I muttered, and she chuckled.
The mood changed, and it was with desperation that she kissed me, grabbing my face and winding one arm around my neck, pulling me against her as I gripped her ass harder, moving my hand only enough to shove it down under the elastic of her waistband to feel flesh against my palm. I’m sure the reminder of her dad’s case was playing on her mind as much as it was mine.
Would there ever be a right time to tell her what I was?
