Page 50 of Villainous Greed

My body kept heating, so I pushed him away. The man was like a cat. He didn’t stumble as he stood and pinned me with his entire heated focus. “What were you doing?” I asked.

My eyes widened and followed his hand as he adjusted a massive bulge in his pants.

“Don’t freak out.” His words implied I was the problem, not him.

“Unbelievable!” I jumped to my feet and crossed my arms.

“It’s not unbelievable. You’re my mate and naturally, I’m attracted to you like you are me.”

“I don’t have those kinds of thoughts.”

“You don’t have to fear having a natural response to me.” August’s eyes blackened completely. “I could smell your desire for a moment, and it’s okay. After everything you’ve witnessed, you’ve taught yourself to fear sex. But it’s not supposed to be like you witnessed in Derrick’s camp. Sofia told me some things you guys saw.”

At the mention of Sofia, all I could think about was his harem and the fact that Sofia stayed with him, too. I was not fearful because of what I saw in the past. I was afraid of the twist inside my gut every time I imagined the women he had at his disposal.

“I don’t think you’re like those demons and anyone I’ve seen since, but you are someone with a harem. You have so many women when you’re meant for one! I’m frustrated because you assumed I was dead and took advantage of the situation. And I don’t know why I’m so furious because I’ve never wanted a man to touch me. I swore I wouldn’t want sex, and I still don’t. Yet, I’m still mad because I immediately thought of those women as soon as I saw—”

My gaze fell to his crotch, and it was like someone set fire to my soul and my body. The floor shook beneath my feet, and everything in the room floated.

“Nova… I need you to take a deep breath for me before my mom kicks us out for destroying the castle.”

“I’m not doing it on purpose,” I said as the chaos ceased.

“Melinda was right.” August cocked his head.

I frowned. “Right about what?”

He extended his mechanical arm toward me. “Can I touch your hand at least?”

“Why?”

“Because it feels good.”

The weird tingle between my legs happened again, but August hadn’t touched me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, lifting his hand to my cheek. The coolness felt nice on my heated skin.

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

I was experiencing too many new things that day.

“Come on, my little star.” August grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the hall. “Before I head out, I want to show you some finer things in life.”

Chapter Twenty

Nova

“Where are we going?” I asked as the door creaked open.

Rather than answer, August led me inside the dark space and flipped a switch on the wall.

When the lights came on, I saw the toilet and an enormous tub to the right. It was a washroom. I always cleaned myself in the creeks instead of using Derrick’s bath. And with Harvest, I never had been near water until he pulled me out of the cell. Sometimes, I was lucky to find a stream to rinse off, but nothing more.

“You’re not going anywhere,” said August, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’m going to hunt down Derrick, and you’re going to wait here until I return.”

“Wait here and do what? I can’t stay here, not after everything that’s happened.”

“You had no grudge against my family, and your hatred for me was misguided. My family realizes something has changed, but they won’t hold your past against you. You saved them when you didn’t have to. You’ve earned some points.” August pulledme into the bathroom with him. “Besides, to go against you, they’d have to go against me.”

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