Page 7 of Clarity

“Adorable enough for you to give me my necklace back and leave?” I quipped, even though I already knew what the answer to that would be.

Indeed, he smirked, leaning in so his face was right in line with mine. “Now why would I do that, Larivye?” he asked, holding it up in front of me.

I reached for it and he immediately demanded, “Hands off.”

I whimpered as my hands, through no will of my own, dropped to my sides.

“Good girl,” he whispered, his lips dangerously close to mine.

Torturously close.

“What do you want?” I hissed, frustrated by my powerlessness against his demands, and the unreasonable, aching lust it seemed to incite.

“What do you think?”

Of course I already knew the answer, knew what he’d come for.

But if there wasanychance…

“I’d rather not guess,” I managed to whisper, fighting the manipulated impulse to spill everything in my head. It was getting harder and harder to do both, keep up the wallandmaintain even the tiniest shred of control over myself.

Whatever he was putting off, I was starting to get drunk on it.

He was towering over me now, his gaze boring into me as my head throbbed.

“Sexy little witch,” he murmured, his hand slipping around my throat again. “Answer the fucking question.”

“To make sure I’m not a threat to Celeste or Ambrosia,” I whimpered, offering the first lie that popped in my head while I could still do so. Well… notcompletelya lie, since Ihadwondered if something like this might happen.

Before the grimoire.

Now I knew for sure that I was damned.

Parris’s grip tightened as he glared. “If I thought you were a threat to my brothers’ brides, you’d already be drained,” he said, then let me go.

Completely.

I felt the wait of having my actions compelled lift, felt him exit my head so abruptly that I slumped to the floor.

The lust… remained.

Shit.

Did that mean it wasn’t somethinghewas doing? It was actually coming from my own head, my own thoughts and desires?

“If you want me to fuck you, just say so.” He grinned, leaning against my counter. The necklace was in his hands again, amulet swinging as he threaded the chain between his fingers, playing with it.

Teasing me.

“Stay out of my head,” I demanded, realizing I’d dropped my guard.

But… he shook his head, letting out a low chuckle that hit me in the same placeeverythingabout him had been hitting me.

Right between the legs.

“I’m not in your head anymore. It’s all over your face, Riv.”

I shook my head. “The only thing on my face is disgust over the fact that you broke into my property and stole from me.”

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