Page 88 of Crown of Lies

I can’t believeI kissed Nico. He freezes for a moment, like he can’t believe it, either.

Then, as if a switch has been flipped, he surges forward, his lips crashing against mine with a desperation that takes my breath away. His hands cup my face, tilting my head back as he deepens the kiss, his tongue sliding against mine.

Roughly, quickly, he pulls me to my feet without ever breaking contact. His arms wrap around me, with one hand splayed across my lower back while the other gets almost instantly tangled in my hair. He’s kissing me like he’s trying to devour me whole, like he’s starving and I’m the only thing that can satisfy his hunger.

I gasp for air as his mouth moves lower, but he isn’t letting up. His lips move to my neck, leaving a trail of fire everywhere they touch. He nips at my pulse point, then soothes the sting with his tongue. It’s as if he’s trying to mark me all over again, not with ink this time, but with his lips, his teeth, his touch.

There’s an urgency to his movements, a fear that if he stops, even for a second, I might disappear. His hands roam my body, tracing every curve, every scar, every line of every tattoo. Hepulls me closer, impossibly close, until I can feel his heartbeat thundering against my chest.

I lose myself in the sensation, in the heat of his body pressed against mine, in the taste of him on my tongue. For a moment, I forget about everything else—the danger, the betrayal, the uncertainty. There’s only Nico, his lips on mine, his hands on my skin, his body molded to mine like we were made to fit together.

The sounds of Killian and Atlas stir me from my trance. Their hungry gazes burn into us, their bodies taut with barely restrained desire. Nico seems to sense it too, because he turns me slowly, my back pressing against his chest.

His arm slides around my throat, his hand loosely curled there, his touch both possessive and protective. It should feel constricting, but it only fuels the heat and the need burning inside me. His other hand trails down my body, resting between my legs.

“Look at them, Quinn,” he whispers, his mouth close to my ear, his breath making me shiver and making it really, really hard to concentrate. “Look at what you’ve done to them.”

I glance over at the two men, their eyes glued to us, their faces flushed. They shift uncomfortably, as if they’re unable to tear their eyes away.

“I’ve known them for years,” Nico continues, his voice a low, steady growl. “They’re usually so controlled, so unaffected by anyone. But you… you’ve wrecked them. They’re hard and aching, and it’s all because of you.”

I swallow, my throat dry, as I take in their tortured expressions. “I have?”

“Fuck yeah, you have. You’ve left your mark on them, on us, just like we’ve marked you. They’re ruined now. Ruined for anyone else.”

Watching them, I know it’s true. I guess I’ve known it’s true for a while. But there’s a big difference between knowingsomething in my own head and hearing the words spoken out loud.

And damn, I love hearing those words.

Nico’s hand tightens on my throat, his voice dropping even more. “They want you, mia cara. Just like I do. They’re fighting the urge to come closer. To take what they want.”

I feel something powerful and primal well up inside me, a possessive hunger that matches the intensity in Nico’s voice. It’s like a wildfire, consuming every rational thought, leaving only raw desire in its wake.

“Good,” I growl, surprising myself with the ferocity in my tone.

Nico’s chest rumbles against my back as he chuckles deeply. His grip on my throat tightens just a fraction, sending a shiver down my spine.

“You’re playing with fire, mia cara,” he warns, but his words don’t scare me.

I lean back into him, pressing my body firmly against his.

“I don’t care,” I breathe, my voice steady and sure. I turn my head slightly, meeting his gaze. “I want this. I want you. All of you.”

Nico’s hand between my legs sends sparks of pleasure tearing through my body. His touch is firm and demanding, his fingers moving with purpose as he teases and strokes me over my tattered clothes. My breath is already coming in short gasps, and I know I won’t last long if he keeps this up.

“Do you have any idea how much I love feeling this?” he murmurs. “Knowing it’s me doing this to you?”

His fingers continue their relentless dance, and I moan, my head falling back against his shoulder.

“I know,” I gasp, my voice so damn needy that it sounds foreign to my own ears.

Nico’s other arm tightens around my throat, his hand curling possessively, sending a rush of heat through me.

“And you’re okay with that?” he demands. “You understand what this means, don’t you?”

I can barely think through the haze of pleasure, but his question cuts through the fog, sharp and clear. “What… what do you mean?”

“If you let them in, mia cara, if you take their cocks inside you and let them mark you up… you’re theirs. Ours.”

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