Page 19 of Sin and Salvation

If I was unlucky, Maxime might have his bodyguard hold my head underwater before he pushed inside me. But Zane didn’t need to know that.

I shook my head, shaking off the shudder that wanted to run down my spine. “My family was disappointed when I decided I no longer wanted to work for him. That’s why I came to this side of Concordia… they’re not the type to come here, even for me, but they’ll miss the money.”

That was true enough, too. My own brother had sold me to Maxime.

And now that I was gone, Maxime probably had him in a dark room beneath Giraud Tower, alone with his bodyguard.

I would feel worse about it if Rastus had ever shown he gave a single damn about me.

“Hmm.” I hadn’t noticed Zane take a step closer to me, but he was suddenly so close I felt his body heat. On the other hand, I wore next to nothing, so maybe it was just my general state of nudity making me hyper-aware… “A wealthy assistant, slumming it up…”

He pushed a strand of hair out of my face, his fingers trailing down over my jaw and throat.

“Here in the club, we have a code,” he said, his voice gruff. “Loyalty is all.”

I didn’t hold back this shiver, letting it trail deliciously over me as Zane’s fingertips found my collar bone. “You took me in when you didn’t have to. I’d rather be loyal to those who help me, than those who harm me.”

“Those who harm you…” He gripped my chin, almost hard enough to hurt, and forced me to look up at him. “What else did Giraud do?”

The hard tone of his words made it clear he knew perfectly well I was lying by omission.

But I didn’t owe him a comprehensive backstory of the shit Maxime had put me through. Especially when the three of them had left me sadly orgasm-less after their punishment.

“That’s for me to know,” I said quietly, keeping my eyes glued to his. “It’s my story, and I’ll tell youifI feel like it.”

Zane’s full lips tightened with displeasure.

“But you haven’t harmed me,” I added. “Which means I’m already more loyal to your club than to him.”

“The oath only applies to those who have sworn into the Black Hearts, but we keep a close eye on our employees,” Zane warned. “Such as Brody. Your every move will be watched until we’ve decided we can trust you.”

I nodded, which was hard to do with his fingers on my chin, and his entire body so close to mine I could lean forward an inch and be pressed against him from chest to thigh.

“Well…” Wow, why had my voice gotten so husky? “You can watch me as much as you want.”

Without meaning to, I leaned into his touch, captivated by the scarlet flecks in his eyes that burned like embers. His smell filled my nose, a heady mix of mint and sandalwood, and I breathed in deeply, practicallyfeelingmy pupils dilate.

Zane’s lips curled in a smile, and his grip gentled as he slid his hand lower, encircling my throat. Despite the softness of his grip, I felt the power behind it—this demon could easily destroy me.

He opened his mouth, his thumb tracing the line of my neck—

And the door slammed open onto us.

“Zane, are you in—fuck.” Aeron’s tall form filled the doorway, and his eyes immediately landed on Zane’s hand around my throat. “Ah. Finishing up her punishment, are you? Naughty bastard.”

ChapterNine

Before I could say anything, Aeron stepped into the room with a smirk, closed the door… and locked it.

Zane arched an eyebrow at him. “What makes you think we were finishing it?”

“Because you’re here… and so am I.” Aeron’s black leather jacket creaked as he leaned against the door, arms crossed over his chest. “Likely with the exact same dirty thoughts in your head.”

The Greed demon’s hand tightened a little, and I wondered if he’d kept his suspicions about me being Maxime’s spy to himself. He definitely hadn’t had any dirty thoughts when he came in here, all but accusing me of passing their secrets back to my previous owner.

If Zane hadn’t told him, I wasn’t going to be the one to disillusion him. It was hard enough to keep my secrets buried when only one of them was questioning me.

“We weren’t finishing anything,” I said, suddenly remembering that I was completely topless, and my nipples could cut diamonds thanks to Zane’s gentle grip. “I was… getting dressed, and Zane was going to ensure I didn’t take above my cut.”

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