Page 19 of The Syphon King

“Why else does revenge happen? You did an injustice to me, and you have to pay for it. I’m just a little girl next to you, all I have are my big mean words and you have your big mean...self,” she said, shooting her little hand at him, her dramatics bringing little sharp teeth to the lightening in his neurons.

“All the things you ask me for are not safe. If I sleep with you, I will surely fulfil all that is in my mindand if Ikissedyou, I would...”

He stood with his plate, focusing on making it to the kitchen.

“You’d what?” she cried as he went, like he’d ended a good story with a most despised cliffhanger.

He braced his palms on the counter as the charges in his body demanded release. He paced at the sink then paused. “This woman,” he marveled as she stormed in.

“Then I’ll take a foot massage.” She set her dish on the counter using both hands. “Can you handle that?”

He followed her out in disbelief. “Where is the shy, sweet, obedient girl I laid in my bed an hour ago?”

She sat herself roughly on the couch, crossing her arms and staring, her pretty face set with determination. She placed her feet on the table and pulled up the dress to her knees. “It was a yes or no question.”

He stared at the dainty feet, his hunger siphoning the sense from him as the storm brewed.

He didn’t have to look at her for that. And touch wasn’t the most potent mode for his gift.

What lies was he weaving? This had little to do with hisgiftand all to do with the taste of her desire still boiling in him. But answeringherneeds was far less of a riskthan her answering his. He’d have more control ifhedid it.

More weaved lies. Two percent more control. If that.

Find a way.

Seer’s wise words dropped into the spiraling dark pit in his mind. It was either a ladder of hope or one of doom. The absolute barbaric need to touch her voted hope.

He walked over and straddled her legs as he sat on the table, lifting one of her feet by the ankle. He stared at how his large hand wrapped it then carefully stroked his fingers along the sole, getting a hard jerk and squeal.

“That tickles!”

“Too soft?” he wondered, using his nails instead.

She squeaked louder and tried to yank her foot free, but he held it tight. He was thoroughly lost to the immediate, odd turn in the road with her. “Massage, nottickle!”

He slid his thumbs firmly over the soles of her feet, getting a gasp then, “Yessss. Look at you, so smart!”

“You’re still calling me stupid, I see.”

“Oh my world,” she barely said, flopping herhands on the couch with her eyes closed. “I definitely want to get one of thesedailyfor my gift.”

He laughed at her games. “That would be more than one gift, Zeen.”

“No, it’s one gift broken into pieces,” she lightly begged, the silky words making him ravenous.

“Shouldn’t I be the one receiving gifts?”

She gave a sharp gasp. “He has abrainafter all! Name your price and unlike you I won’t limit you toif I can give it,” she mocked in his deep voice, bringing his chuckle while he focused on feeling her.

What could he possibly have from her that wouldn’t kill him or her?

“Are you thinking?”

“Yes,” he said.

“I can tell. Your touch is getting a little contemplative. Not the least seductive.”

What a delicious game she was playing with him. He had absolutely no experience with a woman but all the dark residue in his mind came with a high-definition road map to everything he never knew but wanted to know where she was concerned. And these visions he had of her were enough to incinerate every moral code he possessed.

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