I shook my head at her. “And here I thought you liked to watch while you prod and dissect, you vicious thing.”
“I’m afraid that if I do, it may turn out to be some sort of dream,” she said.
“Well.” I pulled her closer by her waist, her skin tingling against mine from the flash of excitement. “Is it all that you hoped for?” I whispered in her ear.
She leaned close, angling the blade sharply upward, enough to make my lip twitch into a sneer before collecting myself. “Not as good as it would be if you were dead.”
Just the sound of her voice made me hold on to her tighter, a subtle clicking chitter rising in my throat and reverberating down to my chest. “There it is. I’ve looked forward to hearing the venom in your voice once more.”
A crease in her brow as she restrained herself from what she really wanted to say.
“Could you find it in you to put aside your anger?” I grazed my bottom lip against her ear as I spoke. Close enough to bite, but I refrained.
“I want nothing to do with you.”
“That’s a lie, I know you missed this.”
“I am happy without you.”
“Liar.”
“I do not need you; men are plentiful.”
“I am no man.”
“Creaturesare just as plentiful.” She smirked.
“Have you found the company of many creatures, then?” I raised a scrutinous brow, studying her, undressing her in my mind already.
“It is none of your business who I have.”
“Foolish of you to think such a thing, but I will forgive you.”
“Youare the one who should be seekingforgiveness.”
“Should I? Will you make me?”
“You know I could.”
“Then do it.” My voice dropped lower as I hovered my lips over hers.
Alina was different. I would not call it maturity, but more like a fermentation of whatever she had been before. Her audacity was fascinating. Though she had never been truly afraid to begin with.
“No,” she breathed, “I want nothing from you, not even remorse. I can have any man I want in this room, this city, and all the populations surrounding.I don’t need you.”
“I do not care how many men have been inside you,” I spoke through a clenched jaw, tangling my fingers in her hair low at the back of her head and forcing it back. “It only matters that your body knows who it truly belongs to.”
“Using me like you always do?” she bit out.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Using? No, I amremindingyou.”
“Was there something worth remembering?”
“So stubborn.” I tilted my head at her, but I admit I was salivating at the thought of putting her in her place.
I tightened my grip on her hair, and her hands flew to my chest to keep whatever distance she could.
Her pulse beat against my lips when they met her neck. Self-control was something I practiced often, but she made me forget every practice of such.
