Page 17 of Married to the Devil

I inhale with a nod. One last surge of tenderness gets through my tattered control. “Thank you for answering my call.”

“Stella,” Ben places a hand to my lower back, the most respectful place that clothing covers for him to touch me. “I’ll always come for you.”

It’s the act of teleporting that makes my insides sing, definitely not his promise.

6

BEN

“You’re covetingsomething that doesn’t belong to you, demon.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I lie. Even now I don’t look away from the bathroom door that Stella closed behind her. It would be wiser to keep watch of the angry gargoyle beside me.

A point that is proven when in a flash of movement, his body is against mine, his hand gripping my throat.

I’m able to work through the initial panic of the situation quickly. This is only a threat. He doesn’t squeeze.

I can easily get away from him. I could make good on my mental threat and take him to Antarctica if I want, but that won’t resolve this.

I’m a demon of solutions. Though, this situation is messier than I’ve ever dealt with before.

There’s a height difference between us that forces me to tilt my face up to meet his gaze. His hands are larger than mine as well. Nearly fulling wrapping around my neck. I may be able to teleport him to a land of snow, but he could probably snap my neck just as quick.

Stoneheart’s eyes are a light gray that reminds me of icy clouds. His expression is blank, but he’s not usually someone who lets his emotions free. His energies rest against my skin, a subtle threat.

“I understand coveting.” His voice is a measured calm that I hate. “She’s a prize, but she’s my prize. Remember that”

The skin of my face burns in a quick anger. “She’s more than a prize.”

He flexes the grip on my throat, but I still don’t vanish into the shadows. I refuse to abandon her now.

“Yes. She is a queen,” he says as if lost in thought. “She has power and influence all her own. Which makes her even more valuable. Do not try and steal my queen.”

Does he really believe I can? “Stella can make her own decisions.”

“That she can,” he breathes.

He eases his grip, and the brush of his sharp talon and callused thumb over the sensitive skin of my throat stirs an unexpected sensation. The heat of anger in my face turns into something else, and I quickly try to remove any evidence from my expression.

It doesn’t work.

Stoneheart’s eyes darken in calculation. “You can touch her through her clothing to take her to the penthouse.”

His words are so unexpected that it takes until he’s speaking again for me to catch up to the topic shift.

“Any more than that will come with a cost,” he says.

I open my mouth to rage at the idea that Stella’s affection is something he can leverage but freeze when the dark energy that mixed with Stella’s now flows over my skin with a similar taste. One of desire. The cost will not be a monetary one.

My confusion is quick, but I stuff it down mercilessly.

“I understand.” I don’t. If this gargoyle were anyone else, I’d think he just propositioned me.

Impossible.

He releases me and takes a couple steps away as if the interaction never happened. Maybe it didn’t. Maybe I’m losing my mind along with the bit of my heart that Stella owns.

“She’s not especially fond of flying.” His mouth twitches as if he’s suppressing a smile. “She will find your way of transportation much more comfortable.”

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