“Shemhazai. I thought we were past this. Tell me the truth. Why do you want to abandon this mission? We can’t just leave Hec stranded like this. She’s our friend.”
“Itoldyou, I’mbored,”I lied, and Gabriel snarled and fisted my hair, yanking my head back into the pillows.
“Do I have to fuck the truth out of you?” he snapped, and my temper flared.
I jerked my head out of his grip and wrapped my hand around his throat, squeezing hard enough that his face tinted a delicious shade of pink.
“I let you fuck meone time,and you suddenly think you’re in charge, little bird?” I growled, my voice low and quiet.
Gabe’s eyes flashed in a challenge, and abruptly, he had his own hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing me just as hard as I was squeezing him.
“I’m willing to follow you when the situation calls for it, but right now, you will listen to me, you infuriating little hellcat,” he growled softly. He pressed his throat into my hand like my grip didn’t even phase him, and his breath puffed across my lips in warm, frustrated bursts.
“Youwilltell me what’s wrong, or you won’t like the consequences.”
I smirked at him, loosening my grip on his throat slightly.
“Hmm. Something tells me I actuallywillquite like the consequences,” I purred, and he tightened his fingers around my throat for every one of my fingers that loosened on his.
Gabe raised an unamused eyebrow.
“If you want to enjoy it, you’re going to need to earn it,” he growled, hovering his lips over mine just close enough to drive me crazy.
I strained toward him, but he pinned me down, and I groaned, rolling my hips beneath him in agitation.
“Awe. You hard for me, baby?” he whispered, palming my cock over my pants with the hand that wasn’t crushing my windpipe.
“It’s not you. Violence just gets me hard. Anyone could have their hand around my throat, and my reaction would be the same,” I hissed haughtily, watching for the possessive, jealous version of Gabe to make an appearance.
Nothing turned me on more than a jealous Gabriel.
He cupped my balls so hard I gasped in pain, my eyes rolling back into my skull as he pinned me and squeezed me hard enough that nausea swirled in my gut.
“Enough, Shemhazai,” he snarled. “We’re not playing this game. Stop trying to push me away. I already told you I’m not going anywhere. You’re mine, and I am yours.”
I gasped and squirmed beneath him, allowing him to subdue me with his unforgiving fingers.
“This isn’t making me jealous. If you want me to choke you, I’ll do it. If you want someoneelseto choke you, I’ll help them hold you down. If you want to chokeme, I’ll let you. This little tactic of yours to get me to back off isn’t going to work.”
He squeezed harder, and my throat bobbed against his punishing grip.
If I wanted to, I could have fought him off. I could have called my hellcats and ripped him free of me in an instant.
But that wasn’t what I wanted.
I wanted him to take control because I hadn’t felt in control since I discovered Raziel was in this satan-forsaken town, and I needed some semblance of structure to feel safe.
“Now, you’re going to tell me what’s got you so fucked up so I can make it better,” Gabriel growled, rolling his fingers around my balls in threat.
He wasn’t beinggentle.
It fuckinghurt.
But still, I stayed silent. I just glared at him, daring him to keep pushing me.
He studied my face, and abruptly, his citrine gaze softened. He released his punishing grip on me and instead cupped my face, resting his forehead against mine.
“What are you afraid of, baby?” he whispered, ghosting his lips against mine. “I’ll destroy whatever it is that’s scaring you and bring you its head on a silver platter.”
