Page 117 of In Between Death and the Devil

Nodding, I closed my eyes, a blissful smile tugging at my mouth. I winced when he pulled out but didn’t move.

“I’ll be right back.” His weight disappeared from the bed. A few minutes later the mattress dipped, and his hand was on my leg. He cleaned me with a warm wet cloth and then managed to maneuver us both under the covers until we lay together, my head on his chest, his arms around me.

I relaxed into his hold, warm and sleepy.

“Was I too rough?” He sounded anxious.

“No. It was perfect.” I smiled into his chest.

“Good. I never want to hurt you, Maeve.”

“What if I want you to?” The pleasure I’d felt when he spanked me had startled me, but it was undeniable. I didn’t want him to hold back next time or stop.

“I have no problem spanking you, but we’ll need to be careful to stay within your limits. We can talk about it later, when we’re more clearheaded.” He stroked a hand up and down my back.

I snuggled into him, more satisfied than I’d ever been. My encounters with Colt had never made me feel this good. I’d been so focused on pleasing him I’d neglected my own pleasure. We’d been young and inexperienced. Fen was not. He’d put my pleasure first, finding his own within it.

A familiar swooping sensation in my stomach made me open my eyes. I’d felt it with Colt, too, though not nearly as strong. I’d fallen for Fen. Not because of the sex. I’d fallen for him before that, but I’d been too scared to admit it. Here in the quiet, in the comfort of his arms, I realized I’d already passed the point of no return. As I stared into the fire, all I could do was pray I could trust him with my heart.

CHAPTER 31

“You’ve completed the first trial.” My shoulders slumped a little at the Guardian’s declaration.

I’d woken up this morning feeling jittery and made Fen shadow-step me to the Guardian’s cave, needing confirmation that I’d made the right choice.

“For the second trial—trust what is.” The silence after that statement pressed in on me.

“Where will it take place?” I asked when it was clear they weren’t going to say anything more.

“It will come when you are ready.”

I pressed my lips together, debating whether or not they would tolerate another question.

“Your thinking is loud,” the Guardian said in their emotionless voice. “Out with it.”

“Will it be obvious it’s a trial?”

“You will know.” Their sightless gaze pierced me, as if imprinting the knowledge on my brain, and then with a flash of light they were gone, lying on their dais like a statue once more.

“Do you think they like being enigmatic or do they have to be vague?” I grumbled when Fen had shadow-stepped us back to his office.

He huffed a laugh. “Hard to imagine them enjoying anything, so maybe it’s part of the challenge.” He walked to his desk and shuffled through the papers on top. His agitation swirled in our bond, making me frown.

I hadn’t noticed it before, too distracted by my own worries. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

Why was he lying? We both knew he wasn’t. I thought we’d gotten past this. Unless he was regretting what had happened between us last night. Or keeping more secrets. Taking a deep breath, I tried to rein in my anxiety and doubt. He wasn’t always going to tell me everything; if he didn’t want to talk about it, I needed to respect that.

“I’m sorry,” he said after a moment. “It’s a reflex. Daphne doesn’t believe me when I say it either.” He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m worried about a soul in the Dungeon. They are a particularly difficult case, so I’m overseeing them myself.”

My relief at having an explanation was almost comical. I walked around his desk to be closer to him. “You’ll get through to them.”

He pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my neck. “Your confidence in me is very sexy.” His nose traced the shape of my jaw, making me giggle.

“Sir, is this the best place for this? Anyone could walk in.” It wasn’t that I was against messing around in here, but I didn’t want an audience.

Lust spiked in our bond, and Fen groaned. “Call me ‘sir’ again.”