I’m a limp mess by the time he’s decided I’ve had enough and pulls me back onto solid ground. I sag in his arms, knowing I should be furious, but instead, my lips hungrily seek out his. He holds me to him, deepening the kiss.
“Thank you for hitting me,” he breathes into my mouth before thrusting his tongue past my lips in search of mine.
“Th-thank you?” I echo, my voice coming out thick around histongue.
“Yes. It was the perfect excuse to give you the punishment of a lifetime. Well,” he adds after a moment, “the beginning of a lifetime.”
I can’t help but grin into his mouth. “You’re going to have to be creative if you want to top that one,” I say.
He returns my smile. “I’m up for the task.”
He sits on the ground, pulling me down on top of him so I’m straddling his lap. I groan as his hands once more reach toward my nether regions, my dress, still flipped up over my waist giving him easy access. I don’t know how I can handle another orgasm. I don’t know how I can handlenothaving another orgasm.
“If you ever hit me again,” he breathes in my ear, his dark voice sending shivers down my spine, “I won’t be so merciful.”
Somehow his threat only makes me wet. I nestle into his chest, breathing in his musky scent as his fingers find my still-soaked folds, while the other hand goes to knead my sore bottom.
He cups my mound, and I’m so needy I can’t help but grind into it. Then I freeze, hearing his chuckle in my ear. At any other time, I’d be angry, but the memory of the bruises I inflicted on his chest is strong. Instead, I hide my face in his chest as his teasing laughter gives way to ragged breath.
But just when I’m wondering where he’ll touch me next, he surprises me by abruptly pushing me off his lap and standing up.
“Have some work to do. Behave, pet.”
Before I’ve even had time to react, I hear the balcony door sliding shut behind him, and the click of a lock.
“Damien!” I cry, jumping up and trying to open the door. But he really has locked it, and I’m stuck outside on the balcony.
I take a few steps back, my mind trying to process the situation. Just a few moments ago I was feeling so connected to him, and now, he’s shut me out. Literally.
What the fuck.
Through the glass wall I see him take out his cell phone, sprawl on the bed, and begin to type out a message. He doesn’t look at me once. I’m reminded of the time he made me go to the corner in front of the other Devils, how embarrassing it was, how I seethed with quiet fury.
Now, there’s no one else, but I’m not just in the corner. I’m locked outside, watching helplessly as Damien ignores me.
I realize with a pang that this is it. The real punishment. And it’s not because I hit him. It’s because I refused to tell him about Lucy.
I should have known this wasn’t over.
If anyone is as determined as me, it’s Damien. This battle of wills is only getting started.
At first, I cling to the hope that he will return quickly. But he seems intent on typing out one message after another. He even puts his earpiece in and takes calls. My legs grow tired from standing, my knees locked, and after a while I let myself sink to the ground, still watching him, still hoping he’ll take pity on me.
But he never grants me one look. Anger begins to sink its claws in me again.How dare he? How dare he punish me like this?
I stand back up, walking around the balcony seething helplessly, growing all the more upset as I imagine him laughing at this display of anger—silly, babyish, I’m sure he would call it.
I’m two steps away from kicking in the door, but somehow even in this state of cold fury, I can’t bring myself to break anything.
The thought holding me back is that this balcony door belongs to us. Toourhouse.
Unexpectedly, those words are like a balm to my heart.Ourhouse. It’s the first time I’ve felt real ownership of anything. I own a house.
Though do I really own anything, if Damien owns me?
Suddenly, I can’t decide if I’m more angry or horny. The twowage a battle in my body until they’re both defeated. Defeated by boredom.
Time drags on, the sun growing lower in the sky, and I wonder if he’ll keep me out here until I tell him about Lucy.
