Page 18 of The Devil's Pair

“Thanks,” she said, then gingerly stood up and did a small side-bend. The tattoo on her back was almost done: this was the last of four sessions, and Elle fought down the wild urge to catch a peek at it in the parlour mirror. She resisted, though, because she wanted to see it in all its glory, done and vibrant, all traces of that horrible, disgusting word that Gideon had marked into her skin gone.

She knew that that repulsive slur was still there, of course, under Zoe’s gorgeous design. It wouldalwaysbe there, but Ellealsoknew that she could take something ugly and make it beautiful. She was determined to build a whole new life on the rubble of her old one, and this tattoo was a big step forward in doing that.

“So.” Viking ambled over to the women, carrying his six-foot-seven frame with rangy grace.“How much longer, Zee?”

Zoe took a sip of water, squinted at Elle’s back. “Twenty minutes, I figure. I just want to go over the small petals one last time, really solidify their outlines.”

“Got it,” Viking said, then smiled at Elle. “Here you go, baby. Drink that down. You’re doing great, and you’ve made it to the home stretch now.”

Elle Turner looked up at Viking as he handed her the water, and as she always did, she sighed at his undeniable charisma and presence. Her man was skyscraper-tall and -broad with flaming red hair and sparkling blue eyes, a lush red beard and full lips. He looked like a ferocious Nordic viking, and she always,alwaysresponded to that unabashedly primal and primitive part of him fiercely.

For about the thousandth time it occurred to her just how completely this man had saved her life, and she meant that in every way possible: literally and physically and emotionally and spiritually. Not only had Viking shown her grace and gentleness right after she’d fled Gideon’s fucked-up nightmare of a cult, but he’d also shown her what real sexual pleasure was. This man had shown her what her body could do, and he’d made her truly understand and believe thatshehad total and final say over that body. Who saw it naked, who touched it, who loved it. He’d taken her body, used it for his own pleasure, claimed it and owned it – but never disrespected it. Not once.

That was when Elle knew that it was finally time to tell him how she really felt.

“What’s up, baby?” he asked her, catching the look in her eyes and mistaking the hazy lust for something else. “You OK? Feeling dizzy?”

“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head, gave him a smile. “I’m fine.”

“You look weird.” He tilted his head at her, clearly seconds away from starting to talk her into calling the tattoo session to a halt for a few days. “Kind of far away.”

“Iamweird,” Elle said airily. “But I was just thinking about something.”

“What?”

“I was thinking that I love you.”

Viking stared down at her, utterly stunned and thrilled in equal measure. Good Christ, he loved this woman more than he ever thought it possible to love a human being, and he’d been toying with the idea of telling her exactly that. He’d held back, though, mostly because he knew what she’d been through at the hands of that fucked-up fuck Gideon, and he’d worked damn hard to make Elle feel safe.

Over the past few months, Viking had watched in delight and pride as his girl had reclaimed everything that the cult had taken away from her: her voice, her identity, her name, her body. He’d worked hard to help Elle take ownership of her life, and he’d staunchly stood by every decision she’d made, supported every ‘yes’ and ‘no’ that she’d uttered, cheered every victory. He admired her and wanted her in his arms all the time; he thought she was the most beautiful, miraculous little thing that he’d ever seen, ever held, ever known.

He loved her. Wildly and utterly and deeply.

He’d wanted to tell her that every day for weeks now, but he hadn’t wanted to push Elle. She was never going to be pushed again, not ever.Certainlynot by him.

And now here she was, standing there clutching a towel in front of her perfect breasts, her dusky purple eyes gazing up at him, her pouty rosebud lips saying the best, most magical words he’d ever heard… and Zoe was standing right there.

So Viking couldn’t pick Elle up and wrap her legs around him; couldn’t carry her over to the wall, tearing off her jeans as he went. He couldn’t push her up against it, fuck her up against it, lowering her onto his cock over and over until she whimpered and cried out and came all over him, all around him. He couldn’t sink his teeth into that beautiful throat, physically mark her ashis, growl that heloved her, loved her, loved heras he came hard and strong in her tiny body.

No, all of that was for later when her tattoo had healed up. For now, he did what he could, which was to carefully take her in his arms, avoiding her back. He lowered his mouth to hers, took her sweet mouth, and whispered: “I love you too, baby. So much.”

Elle smiled up at him. “Sorry that I dropped it on you like this. I just couldn’t wait one second longer to tell you.”

“I don’t mind,” he said, gently running a large hand over her shining hair. “I’ve been bursting to tell you myself. I’d probably have cracked by tonight.”

“Wait, wait,wait,” Zoe said; she’d been watching all of this in obvious delight, just enjoying the love and light and lust. “Is this thefirst timethat you guys have told each other this?”

“Yep,” Viking said. “And you got a front-row seat.”

“Oh, wow,” Zoe said, strangely touched. “That’s incredible.”

Elle laughed. “Sorry, Zoe. I can’t help myself around this man, I swear.”

Just then, the parlour door opened and in walked a huge man with sky-blue eyes in a scarred, rugged face. He smiled at all of them, but those incredible eyes zeroed in on Zoe, stripping her naked where she stood, took her breath straight out of her lungs from twenty paces.

“Oh, girl,” Zoe said to Elle. “I know a thing or two about not being able to help myself around a man,believeme.”

“Hey, baby,” the man said in that voice that always made Zoe feel dark, desperate need, deep in her pussy and her heart. “How’s it going in here?”

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