Page 77 of Chained to the Devil's Daughter

“Sure,” Devil cooed. I forced myself to meet his gaze. The mischief there made my skin crawl. “Besides, you’re a mortal. It would never work.”

“What do you know? Does it have to do with my real family?”

“Your real family doesn’t matter. They’re dead.” He spoke as though reading the weather forecast from the newspaper. “I am all you’ve got.”

“And what about you, old man?” Ash’ren growled. He gestured, and the ribbons of black squeezed tighter. Devil made little choking noises as hate spewed from his irises. “What would you gain from giving her everything?”

“You’ll—arrghh—never—aruughhh—know.”

I sighed. Whatever enigmatic emotion Devil was trying to evoke, it was swallowed by the dull emptiness of his earlier revelation. All I’d ever been was a plot point. A power play.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and waved noncommittally at the lump on the ground that I’d once seen as a father figure. “Take him to the tower.”

“You’re not going to kill me?”

“You’re not worth it.”

“I will escape.” Devil sounded incredulous. “Didn’t I raise you better, stupid girl?”

His question ended in a yelp as a fist collided with his face. I squatted before Devil’s bloodied face and snarled.

“Let me be totally clear,father. You are king of nothing. You own no one. You are nothing.” I waved between myself and Ash’ren. “We have all the power you crave, and guess what,father?”

He spat orange blood on the floor and remained silent.

“We’re going to give it all away.”

Devil’s brows slammed down, his snarl muffled as the mask of black flame engulfed his mouth, and eyes, wrapping around him completely. I stood slowly, smirking through the dull thumping of my chest cavity.

41

Searra

Ididn’t sleep well that night. No matter how tightly I clung to Ash’ren’s strength, how sweetly he soothed my insecurities from the inside out, how firmly we held one another with his knot locking us close.

A stronger woman would execute Devil. A stronger queen would recognize the threat. I was no queen. I was no princess. I certainly wasn’t strong. I was simply convenient. Weak. Soft-hearted.

“Let’s stay in bed,” I mumbled against Ash’ren’s chest as the first light of dawn pierced our safe little bubble. “Hell can rule itself for one day.”

“Mmm,” he murmured agreeably. “To Hell with all of them.”

“To Hell indeed.”

We did not move. I dared not even twitch.

There was a knock on the door. Fara’s voice called out in a hushed tone. “Your Majesties, the representative from Fyre has arrived.”

“Filly may stay in the fanciest guest suite, Fara, thank you.”

“Very well.” A brief silence. “Would you take breakfast in your rooms this morning?”

I sighed. “I’d better take it in the hall.”

“A strong front is wise.”

I grunted. Fara’s light footsteps disappeared. I finally leaned onto my elbow. Ash’ren objected by snatching my wrist. He slammed my thighs to either side of his body and rubbed his erection through my bare pussy. I moaned and fisted the fabric around his pillow.

“Once more,” I conceded.

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