Page 79 of Hell Hath No Fury

She nods, indecision crossing her features. Then she nods. “Yes, exactly that.”

“What is this about, Lil?” I ask clearly, moving back so the only place we’re touching is where she’s still gripping my shirt.

Again, she shrugs, but the look on her face doesn’t match that shrug as she replies, “It doesn’t matter what it’s about. Would you do it?”

Trepidation runs down my spine, instantly battling with those dark demons who are always happy for a chase, even if it’s definitely a bad idea. “That is entirely up to you, Lil.”

She glances away, brow furrowed. “How so?”

“You’d have to promise to use your safe word.”

Her eyes meet mine, her frown deepening. “Of course, we’d have a safe word.”

I touch my fingertips to her chin, forcing her to meet and hold my gaze. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. You know I will do anything you want me to, anything you need me to, but in agreeing to this, I’m entrusting you to follow the rules and not intentionally sabotage a situation where you feel fucked up. This means you have to promise to use your safe word if you reach the limit.”

“I promise,” she responds without hesitation.

So, I repeat, “I’m serious, Lil. If you’ve ever made a promise to anyone before, let it be now.”

She watches me for a moment as if she’s thinking it over for real, but then she nods, her hands releasing my shirt and flattening against my chest. “I promise. I swear it.”

Relief runs through me, only to instantly evaporate when her eyes narrow, that quintessential Lilith persona rising to the service. She tilts her head, her eyes scanning down my body and back up again, a dark smile on her lips that has my cock hardening in my pants.

“I don’t think you’ve got it in you anyway,” she says evenly, rolling her eyes in what appears to be disgust that has mebristling. “Even if you agreed to it, the first sign of distress would have you giving up, quitting.”

“Is that so?”

“Yup. You’re too scared, too worried it will backfire.”

“Is that so?” I repeat through gritted teeth, knowing she’s goading me and unable not to take the bait.

Lilith nods, her mouth curving into a cruel smirk. “Or worse. Terrified you’ll find out you’re the exact monster your father always accused you of being.”

White-hot fury rushes over me, and my hand snakes out before she’s even finished speaking, locking around her neck. Baring my teeth at her, a low rumble erupts from my chest, and, for a moment, she appears worried, even fearful, but then that challenging glint is back in her eyes, the stubborn tilt of her head and twist of her lips.

My hands squeeze her throat, and my heart pounds in my chest, her scratching fingers on my wrists only increasing my urgency as I whisper, “The only word you need to remember right now isred.”

Slowly, she stops fighting, her hands moving to grip my wrists firmly. Eyes searching mine, a low sob escapes, and I ease up on her throat, my fingertips stroking along her neck gently. I raise my brows at her in question, and after a moment, she nods, at first slightly and then with certainty, so I release her and step back.

She straightens, her eyes focused on my face. Her hands move to her neck, rubbing the reddening skin before dropping to her sides.

I take a deep breath, exhaling it slowly as we stare each other down, the question in her eyes slowly shifting to awareness. I take another step back, motioning toward the door with a low growling chuckle, that has her eyes widening in surprise.

“Run.”

35

The Thing About Power

Lilith

Okay,somaybeIwas bluffing.

But in my defense, we are fucked up, and everything is fucked, and my brain has no idea how to manage the overload of fucked up it’s currently trying to process.

That is why it takes me a few seconds to comprehend that he told me to run. Then, another few seconds to get my feet to move.

I take off toward the door, thinking maybe I’ve pushed him too far, and my best bet is to literally escape. Not that there’s anywhere to escape to, considering I’m in a foreign country, in an unfamiliar residence, and everyone I know here would give me up to him for a pack of sour gummies.

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