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Just as I began to lose myself in the moment, he pulled off and braced over me, and all at once I was struck again by how stunning he was. His waistcoat hung open now, unlaced at some point, and the thin chains around his neck swung forward, skimming my chest. His wings blotted out the world, so there was nothing else in this moment, just him and me.

“Your lust is so bright, Adam, I can’t see around it. You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever fucked.”

“Erm . . . So are you.”

He swallowed, and his face came over all pained. “I don’t . . . We don’t have to do this. Your lust is enough. We can stop right now, if you want, if you think that would be best for our business relationship?”

I flung my arms around his shoulders, locking him in place. “Now who is overthinking?”

“I just . . . I don’t doubt, I don’t second-guess, but you . . . you’re special to me.”

“And I’m hard and hungry, and so are you, and I need this right now, need you. Please.” I wasn’t above begging, and to stop now would have been cruel, for the both of us.

A growl rumbled up from his depths. He tore from my arms, grabbed a pillow and shoved it under my hips, tipping my ass up, then spread my cheeks, and after some brief fumbling, he pushed in, widening and filling me. And there was a whole lot of him to adjust around.

My eyes rolled. Pressure built, then eased with the stroke of his cock. He had hold of my thighs, captured in both arms, holding on as his hips pumped a powerful rhythm. And that would have been enough. But his tail came around, encircled my dick, and jerked me off in time with his thrusts.

Zee tipped his head back. His chains rattled, clanging against his chest. His wings pulsed behind him, veins beginning to glow. His whole body gleamed, muscles in motion. It was beautiful, he was beautiful, we were beautiful—and my glamor wobbled.

Zee gasped, jolting. His eyes flew open, and it was only from the shock on his face that I realized my mistake.

I hastily, mentally rebuilt the wall between the truth and lies, but it was too late, he’d gotten a taste of the real me. He slumped forward, coming close, chest to chest, face to face, and that question was in his blazing eyes—the same question everyone asked when they saw too much. The question that got them killed. What are you? But then he was rocking, filling me, climbing toward ecstasy, our bodies moving as one, locked together in lovemaking, his breaths sawing at my neck.

“I can’t—” He reared up, clutched my thighs and hammered my hole, skin slapping skin. His eyes were wild, his tail pumped, his cock plunged deep, and by the stars, I was going to unravel altogether. Then the cresting wave smashed over me, and I came hard with a shout, spilling warm cum over my abs, until each drop was wrung out by his tail.

Zee shuddered, flung his head back, wings stretched out as far as their tips would reach, and he came, buried so deep I felt every tremor and pulse as though they were my own. “Fuck.” He slumped forward, braced over me, breathing hard, eyes shining in the shadows of his wings. “You might be the best fuck of my life, and I’ve fucked a great many and varied things.”

I snorted, still buzzing, coming down from the high.

He withdrew, wringing a hiss from me, then dealt with a condom I hadn’t seen him slip on, wiped the cum from my belly, and flopped onto the bed alongside me. “I haven’t felt this good since my first time.” He blinked, eyes peering up, and opened his mouth to ask that question.

I pressed a finger to his soft lips. “No.”

“You just saved my life, Adam,” he mumbled from behind my finger. “Again.”

I snuggled against him, draped an arm over his chest and a leg over his thigh, and breathed him in, enjoying the after-sex glow. I didn’t want to talk, or answer any questions, or admit this was anything more than what we’d both needed in the moment.

Because one thing was very clear, it could never happen again.

CHAPTER 14

The next few days passed in a blur of damage control. Claymore still wasn’t back, and since Gideon hadn’t gloated about kidnapping my head of security and handyman gargoyle, I began to assume he’d wandered off somewhere, and would show up eventually. In the meantime, I had a hotel to run.

Detective Somers came snooping around, unconvinced we were all as innocent as we claimed to be. He was right, but he didn’t have proof. Noreen wrote a story about the Chaos Unleashed at SOS Hotel. Zee learned his attic space now belonged to our newest monosyllabic resident, Shadow, but was otherwise back to his typically flamboyant self. He’d also gained tens of thousands of new followers on his socials, but hated how they’d come via Reynard.

I hadn’t seen Reynard since he’d left me with a very sick Zee. But he still had his room paid for, so I assumed he’d be back.

“Have you seen this?” Zee asked, thrusting his phone under my nose in the bar. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking at, other than a pretty young woman talking to the camera about how her mind was blown. “Hashtag Reyzee, that’s what they’re calling it. Like we’re a couple. Lord Fuck-Hard and moi?” He gave a dismissive snort. “Can you believe it? I have standards, and I don’t do suckers. They’re bad for business.”

“Reyzee?”

“Our names smooshed together.” He plonked his ass on the barstool beside mine and flicked his tail out. “My name should be first, and there is no way I’d put my priceless dick anywhere near Reynard’s hard ass.”

“Like . . . Zeenard?”

“Exactly.” He clicked his fingers and Tom appeared with a beer. “The internet thinks we’re a couple since he put out that cry for help looking all fucked-up and interesting. Still can’t believe that prick spoke up for me. He’s clearly up to something.”

“I couldn’t have saved you without him.” Reynard hadn’t been around for Zee to thank, but he deserved some credit. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to get close to Cain, wouldn’t even have known where Zee was to rescue him.