Page 82 of Entranced By the Basilisks

I take a deep breath, trying to visualize that Ari is the size of an ant and I can easily crush him. My eyes burn and I glare at him again.

This time, he gasps and my heart stops. I didn’t actually hurt him, did I?

He grins. “Nicely done.”

The frustration returns with a healthy amount of relief.

“Not nice enough if you’re still talking,” I gripe.

“Oh, so testy. You know you don’t have to actually glare at me when you try to use your gaze, don’t you?”

I widen my eyes before I’m just regular glaring at him. “How could I know that if you didn’t tell me before? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I mean… It’s very cute.”

That’s. It.

I’ve hit my breaking point. My hand flies before I know what I’m doing. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t actually trying to punch him, but with the exasperation he inspires, there’s no knowing for sure.

Instead of hitting his chest, he snatches my fist in the air and brings us body to body. His arm around me and strength makes me unable to move, chest to chest, hit to hip.

“If you wanted to move to physical training, treasure, you only had to say the word,” Ari purrs in my ear.

“Fuck you,” I hiss, seething and surprised that I physically lashed out. I’m not a violent person, but Ari knows exactly how to push my buttons.

Ari drags his nose up my neck and I shiver in bliss. Angry bliss, but bliss all the same.

“Any day and time you want, but first breathe for me, Emilia.”

I do. The anger starts to flake away, and regret takes its place. Ari is only trying to help me.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“Shh, I’m doing all of this on purpose. You need to be able to function when angered. If I must play punching bag for it, then I’m happy to.” He snorts. “Not that you could land any hits unless I let you.”

I narrow my eyes at him, but let the frustration ebb away with the way our hearts beat in time.

“I must admit that I like inciting you,” Ari says. “The idea of wrestling you down to the ground is one that teases me and it’s taking a lot not to give in.”

Some details start to fall into place.

“You do that with Jasper, don’t you?” I whisper.

“Mm, yes. It’s something we both enjoy. I win one of our battles, and then I take my prize.” The arm wrapped around me tightens and I imagine I can feel the heat of his cock inside him. “I don’t dare do the same with you, your body is fragile, but this, holding you like this, makes me want to devour you.”

A sound escapes my lips.

“I think you like the idea of that as well,” he teases.

I swallow, trying to squirm away, but he doesn’t let me, and goddammit, he’s right. The restriction of his hold ignites something low in my gut.

“Let me go,” I whisper, and Ari instantly complies.

The space lets my body fully react to him, but that’s not what drives me. The thought of the dynamic between Jasper and Ari has me jealous and aroused at the same time. I want to see it, but mostly I want to feel a bit of it. To steal a tiny piece.

Ari can’t be as rough with me as he can with Jasper, but I crave it anyway. So much so that I can practically taste it.

I thread my fingers through Ari’s hair before pulling him down into a kiss. It’s not a polite kiss or a soft press of lips. It’s a kiss full of hot emotions and want.

---