Page 70 of King of Storms and Feathers

Slowly, his breathing settled. He smiled down at me, an unnamed emotion glittering in his eyes.

He ran his thumb over my lips, and I opened my mouth, panting for more. He slid it in, and I sucked hard before he dragged it out with a popping sound.

“Time for your punishment,” he said, running his wet thumb over my chin, his gaze filled with wicked promise.

Good. The sooner he freed me of this ache the better.

“What will you do to me?” I asked, waiting to hear the lewd act described in his deep, rumbling voice.

He gave me a crooked grin as he tucked himself back into his pants, then prowled along the bridge toward the living room.

When he returned, a towel hit my chest. I said nothing as I took it and cleaned the mess from my body. Metal clinked as Arrow threw another chain on the ground, thumping down a flagon of wine beside it.

“I’ll fix these chains to your wrists and your other ankle, splay your limbs wide so you can’t press your thighs together and soothe away the ache.”

My heart leaped. “What? No. That’s not fair…” I let my words trail away as he moved my limbs like I was a rag doll. He quickly pinned cuffs in place, chaining me to them, then spreading me out like a five-pointed star… like the fucking fool I was.

Every teasing brush of his fingers caused shock waves to ripple through me, my core clenching. The urge to have his body pressed against me, pushing into me, was an agonizing, visceral need.

“Arrow,” I said when he stood up and stretched his powerful frame above me. “Don’t leave me like this. Don’t let your Sayeeda see me this way in the morning. I know how much you care for her. I once saw you breathe her scent from a piece of clothing like it was the last drops of a life-saving elixir.”

The wine flagon stilled halfway to his mouth. “Ari’s clothing? When did I do such a thing?”

“After she fixed your cloak in the kitchen that night you and Raiden visited.”

His deep laugh echoed through the night, the sound rippling over my body like a breeze across the surface of a river. “You’re mistaken. It was your scent I wanted from the cloak, Leaf. You had been wearing it. Remember? I specifically asked her not to wash it.”

I stared up at him in astonishment.

“You’ve a dirty mind.” He smirked. “I’ve never touched Ari in the way that you imagine.”

Another gulp of wine, then he straddled my bare body and bent and sucked my nipples, giving both equal, fervid attention, the tickle of his long hair lighting flames along my skin. Bumps prickled over me, and heat surged through my blood like poison, my stomach twisting in knots of frustration.

“Are you doing this because you’re too drunk to continue?”

By the bulge in his pants, I knew this wasn’t the case. But I’d never seen him so intoxicated before, and I was curious to know what sorrow he was intent on drowning.

“Shhh, stop talking. You’ll only make things worse for yourself. I must check my work.” He plunged two fingers inside me, and I ached for three or four. “So wet for me,” he rasped.

Feverish, I writhed against them. Once. Twice. Squeezing my muscles around him, desperate for relief. Then ever so slowly he withdrew his fingers and stood up, grinning.

He made a noise of disapproval, stepping away from me. “You’ve been a very bad girl. And tonight, you’re finally being punished for your transgressions.”

“Arrow!” I thrashed against my restraints. “Fuck you!”

He breathed a laugh through his nose. “You wish.”

“If you let me go,” I said, all my pride dissolving, “I’ll do anything, kiss every inch of your body all night long if you want.”

A winged brow lifted. “A tempting offer.” He took another long drink from the flagon, then raised it in the air as if making a toast. “Which is why I need to drink a whole flagon of this cock-numbing rubbish—in order to say no to you. Because tonight, Leaf, you must suffer.” His gaze raked my body. “Don’t worry. You will take your pleasure another day, when I allow it. And after you’ve begged hard enough and long enough.”

“I hate you.”

“I know,” he replied.

“I’ll always hate you,” I insisted, thwarted lust making me reckless. I wanted to inflame him, make him change his mind and ruin me completely.

“So be it,” he said, dousing the spark.

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