Page 11 of Raising the Sun

I had never met someone so reluctant to bend me over and fuck me, and it was giving my ego the pounding that my arse craved. It had me debating whether the end result would even be worth the blow to my dignity, but I had to remain positive. I’d dug my heels in thus far, ‘committed to the bit’ as they said, and despite his difficult nature, I still wanted to ruin the stubborn creature, to see his mouth put to uses other than yapping himself in boring circles. Call me a glutton for punishment.

Besides, wasn’t it known that the reward was infinitely more thrilling after a chase?

“Since I can onlyassistin your success, and not supply instant luck or fortune, it may take time for my presence to yield its desired effect,” I explained. “The exact time frame alternates case by case.”

“Right.” For a beat, he fell silent, his gaze zeroing in on the far wall. I didn’t disturb him—he clearly thought the offerrequired a full analysis, so I distracted myself by studying his intricacies, greedily taking him in.

He was… attractive, in an angelic sort of way, and that was a joke at my expense if I’d ever heard one. With his perfect blond curls, bright blue eyes, and best of all, those flushed, cherubic cheeks. I couldn’t tell if it was a permanent blush or a result of his mild distress. Not that it mattered. I found it endearing, and I wagered it would only grow fiercer as I took him apart, deepening into a splotchy, tear-streaked mess while I brought him to heights he could never even dream of.

Involuntarily, my eyes traced the sharp points of his cupid’s bow, over the downward curve of those luscious, pouty lips that had never tasted true debauchery.Hades’ taint, but how enchanting they would look parted and spit-slicked, moaning in reverence as I rode his—

“Okay,” he announced, stealing my attention, “I’ve decided what I’m going to do.”

I clapped my hands once, smiling brightly. “Excellent news.”

With all the determination of Cerberus with a bone, he said, “I’m going to sleep on it, and tomorrow, I’m going back to that magic shop to get a refund.”

My grin faltered.

Fifteen minutes I had been in this realm, and I’d already been subjected to a level of disrespect I’d never known before. He had no reason to fear me, or the consequences of rejecting me, but it was clear that hedidn’t, and that was just plain rude. He was face to face with ademon, a powerful being of fire andash, and had barely regarded me with appropriate awe—not after his initial panic at my entrance, at least. I could have stripped the meat from his bones in mere seconds, but there he was, making decisions and talking of sleep as if he believed otherwise.

Either he had balls of steel or he was even more depressed than I’d originally thought.

Or had I lost my touch?

“You didn’t pay,” I finally said, and he smoothed his hands over the covers in his lap, getting comfortable.

“Well then, I’ll just have to offerhimmy firstborn.”

“You must really hate your child,” I replied absently, my eyes glued to him, trying to decide if his audacity deserved a death sentence or not.

“What? No, I don’t have—” He huffed and waved a hand. “Never mind. What matters is, I’m not going to take advantage of you, and I don’t fancy having a posh-as-fuck demon haunting my flat until I die. No offence.” He gave me a look, and I nodded—he had acknowledged my elegance, so that was a point in his favour.

“So, I’m going to send you home, or try to, but in the meantime, there’s a room down the hall if you want to sleep. Don’t steal anything, but do help yourself to whatever food’s in the fridge.Ifyou’re real and I’m not hallucinating, I’ll see you in the morning.”

With that, he snatched the floral-print quilt and boldly dragged it over his head, effectively ending the conversation.

I had made my decision.

He could live.

For now.

“As you wish,” I said, clasping my hands behind my back. “Out of curiosity, will you be freeing me? Or am I to stand here all evening?”

“What?” he mumbled from under his blanket fort before peeking out the top to ask, “How do I do that?”

“Break the circle.” I was powerful, yes, but not so much that I could free myself from a summoning circle of this calibre—a weakness that I wouldn’t be admitting out loud.

With only minimal grumbling, he threw the covers aside and crawled towards the end of the bed, but before proceeding further, he peered down at the ash, then back to me.

He bit his lip as he hesitated.

“You won’t hurt me, right?” he asked.

Ah, finally, some self-preservation.It was better late than never, I supposed.

“Only if you beg for it.”

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