Page 124 of The Female

“When will you be ready to bond with me?” Shay asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

I shrug, frowning.

“I will not be touching you until Silas and Gray have agreed.”

Gray groans and slams Charlie’s office door shut. I reach out to him through the bond, wanting to know if he’s okay, but he pushes me away and stomps toward the kitchen.

“Don’t let her near my human,” he grumbles as he walks past my open door.

Silas says something from the library, but he’s too quiet for me to make out the words. Shay frowns and shifts uncomfortably in her seat, anger and envy mixing heavily into her scent.

Shay’s as much of a threat to Charlie as Charlie unknowingly is to her. I observe Shay as she sucks in a deep breath and cracks her neck. Despite her promises to leave the human alone and wait for her to die of old age, I know she won’t pass on an opportunity to end Charlie sooner.

“I want you to stay in Envy until Charlie’s reached her time,” I state.

Shay doesn’t immediately respond. I’m sure she’s thinking hard about her following words, trying to find the ones that will keep her here. Unless Gray or Silas change their minds and ask her to stick around, I don’t see the point in her living with us.

She’s a threat to Charlie and my relationship with Gray, and it’d be best for her to lie low. Silas and Gray have had feelings for Shay in the past, taking her to their beds and parading her around Wrath, and I’m sure they’ll find those emotions again in the future.

I’ve never been lucky enough to feel that way toward her, but I’m more than willing to give up my need for true female companionship if it means the other two will be happy.

Besides, I’m sure attraction will grow after bonding with her. That’s how it worked with Gray. If it weren’t for him tying us together, I never would’ve looked twice at him. Even if he is the son of Asmod, he was too unpredictable and loud for me to find interest.

“I don’t understand. Don’t you want to get to know me?” Shay finally asks.

I stare into her eyes as I listen to Silas walk down the hall and turn into his office. He’s taken the responsibility of watching over Charlie while Gray’s trying to cool down. I’ve told the incubus I won’t let Shay hurt his female, and I’m annoyed he doesn’t seem to believe me.

“I do know you,” I say, my eyes narrowing as Shay stands and approaches. “We’ve crossed paths many times, and you’ve spent ample time at this house during your relationships with my men.”

Shay walks around my desk and climbs on my lap. Instinct tells me to push her off, but I remain still. What’s she planning? She’s not stupid enough to think she can seduce me into bonding with her.

“Sex isn’t the only form of intimacy.” She grabs my hand and places it on her thigh. “You might care for me more if you put in the effort.”

I resist the urge to sigh. I’ve never been interested in pleasuring a female, Charlie excluded, both because I don’t want to tempt myself and because I’ve never found the thought appealing. I felt arousal at the sight of females before my bond with Gray, but that urge has faded with time.

Wraths are monogamous, and I struggle finding interest now that my body recognizes Gray. I’ll have to take a female if I want to further my line, and when I finally accepted Gray and I would have to share, Silas decided to throw himself in the mix and demand he be included, too.

“No.” I remove my hand from Shay’s thigh and gesture for her to get off.

She doesn’t, and I clench my hands into fists as I fight the urge to shove her onto the floor. I can’t hurt her if she’s to be my bonded. It may be all I want to do now, but I’ll regret it someday.

“You touched the human,” she snaps.

I don’t know where she got that information, but I don’t deny it as I turn away and gesture once more for her to get off. She tries grabbing my hand again, but I remain firm and keep it by my side.

“You can pretend I’m her. Your males don’t take me seriously becauseyoudon’t take me seriously. If you touched me, they’d know this is real,” she hisses, her nails digging into my wrist as she tries to yank my hand back onto her thigh. “Touch me as you did her, and I’ll leave.”

I bark out a laugh before I can stop myself, finding her desperation funny. I shouldn’t expect anything less from an Envy.

“That’s what this is all about? You’re upset I touched her and not you? Will you also demand the same from Gray and Silas? They’ve had thousands of lovers, so it may take a while. Or is this request reserved solely for me?” I tease.

Shay frowns, finally scampering off my lap. “What is wrong with you? You should be thankful I’m considering your bond,” she snaps, raising her voice. “Most women are terrified of being stuck with you.” She laughs and points an accusatory finger in my direction. “No high-bred woman wants to bond with the horrid, infamous Aziel. Silas and Gray are the only good things about you, and women only want them to warm their bed while you scamper off in the pits like the fucking monster you are.”

I hum, my smile growing as I hear Silas walk to the wall separating our rooms. Nosy little fate.

Shay takes a step back as I stand and approach her, her eyes full of fear as I back her into a corner.

“Be careful, Shay. You’re letting your envy show, and I only have so much patience. We both know every demon woman is salivating over the thought of having me. I’m happy to choose one of them instead.” I wince as my wrath urges me to grab her neck and rip.

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