Page 36 of Married to the Devil

Now I’m frowning. “Ben will never leave Kalos.”

Stoneheart shrugs. “That doesn’t mean I won’t try and give him a reason to.”

“And you want to what?” I ask, my disbelief on full display. “Use my pussy as bait? Just last night you didn’t want me to touch him?—”

“It wouldn’t be just you drawing him in,” he interjects coolly.

There’s a thud in my stomach. Like the world has just been turned on its head. Little details I’ve gathered align. The changes in the edginess between them. Ben’s secret.

“You want him?” I croak out. The possibility may have crossed my mind with how he just scented him, but with his earlier jealousy, I’d dismissed it.

“Is that something that you’d be opposed to?” Stoneheart asks like he’d never considered that possibility.

My husband wants the same demon I do.

And that means…

“You don’t want me?” My heartaches. He may be an asshole, but I’m his mate. Something that I upended my entire life to become. Did he ever want me? For him to want to replace me so quickly?—

Stoneheart stands and cuts through my mental spiral.

“Stella,” he growls with a warning. “Stop.”

“It’s not like this is a love match.” I force out of my tight throat. “You were clear about that last night.

“My desire for you is undeniable and always has been.”

Always has been.My mouth snaps shut at his words.

Stoneheart’s touch to my cheek is soft. Just this morning, I flinched away from him, but now the contact is a balm. He takes a moment to rub soothing circles down my jaw as if he’s enjoying the feel.

“I should be offended,” he says. “Do you want me any less just because you want him?”

I should deny wanting Ben at all or even Stoneheart with how he’s treated me, but I don’t want to lie. “No. You’re both different.”

Stoneheart appeals to my secret needs and dark fantasies. Ben…makes me feel safe and more myself even as everything changes around me. “But I thought it was impossible. You seemed like you were ready to kill him last night.”

He pulls away with a sigh and takes my hand instead. The gesture is chivalrous. “That was before I considered other options. Barnes could serve a purpose for us.”

“What purpose?”

“I’m not made for a regular relationship, wife. As you’ve already experienced. I won’t ever be your soft place to land.” His words are light even as they’re laden with regret, and he gently kisses the back of my hand. “But I won’t deprive you of thatcomfort. It would even be fair of you to demand it.”

“What changed?” I ask. “How do you go from wanting to kill a man to being okay with him fucking your wife?” For him to suddenly desire Ben.

Stoneheart leans back, considering his words before answering me. “I admit that I am a jealous beast, but I…sensethat we could all be compatible.”

Probably the same sense that informed him exactly how much I craved submission. The memory of that stings.

“If he’s here with my permission and direction, it’s different for me,” he clarifies. “I would prefer you both to abstain from fucking without me, but I wouldn’t deprive you shared moments of a less intense nature.”

It all sounds so analytical, but I’m grateful for the outline.

Stoneheart continues, “If you prefer to keep our marriage the way it is, I am mated to you. I want you to be happy. I thought this was a way to best allow for it.”

“We are either partners in this, or it doesn’t happen?” I echo the earlier sentiment.

And Stoneheart’s eyes light at that. “Exactly.”

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