Page 50 of Lies Like Love

He smirks, bringing his mouth right over mine and brushing his lips barely across them, but not kissing me. “You and I are inevitable, Fel. Always have been. Whatever illusion you’ve held onto as to why I haven’t claimed you yet is wrong.”

“Then why?”

It’s the wrong question, I know it the moment the words leave my lips. But it doesn’t mean I don’t need to hear it.

“Because you’re better than all of this.” I almost think there’s sadness in his eyes as he says it. “Better than anything I’d do to you.”

“What if I’m not anymore?”

Jude stares at me so hard and deep I see through all the green in his eyes, and it’s only his dark soul staring back at me. A soul that sees the parts of mine I don’t show anyone. A soul that calls out to the deepest parts of my own.

“Then you need to be reminded.” He pushes off the bed and sits back on his heels between my legs. “I’m ready to claim my prize now.”

15

Fel

Imighthavestartedthis little game, but he should have waved a white flag. And I’m not sure if I’m relieved or nervous that he hasn’t. Because as he sits over me on the bed, his knees forcing my legs to stay spread for him, I want to cross every line I told myself for years we shouldn’t.

“What do you want, Jude?” I tip my legs open the slightest bit more, and he doesn’t miss it, planting his hands on my thighs to stop me.

His fingers tighten on the soft flesh of my inner leg, making me flinch. It stings a little, but I need more. I want to feel everything I’ve never allowed myself. Things that hurt before they feel good.

Like him.

“I want to see how perfect you are. Since you seem to forget it.” His gaze moves down to the apex between my legs. “I want you to touch yourself for me.”

“How is thatyourprize?”

He looks me in the eyes and his grip on my thighs tightens. “Because, Red. You’re going to finger your pussy until you’re screaming my name. You’re going to prove to me that you’ve always wanted this, no matter how much your prissy little mouth denied it. And I’m going to enjoy every second.”

Control.

Everything about Jude is him keeping the upper hand, and this is just another way he’s chosen to do it. It should make me stop and question what I’m doing. But I can’t help that my heartbeat feeds on his words like a shock to the system. I can’t help that he makes me want to submit to him.

Jude releases my thighs and plants his hands on his own legs. He sits back and silently waits like a dare.

Outside, the chaos of LA rages. But in here, all I smell is him. All I feel is him. And it calms me to sit in the center of his storm.

Slowly, I trail my fingers down, gripping the hem of the T-shirt and slowly peeling it up over my hips.

“Farther,” he says when I pause with the bottom hem of the shirt at my waist.

Nervously, I keep going, waiting for him to stop me as I go higher, higher until I’m revealing my breasts.

He takes me in with appreciation that makes me ache between my legs. So I continue and pull the shirt overhead until I’m lying on his bed in front of him in nothing but my thin scrap of underwear.

“Felicity…” Jude slides his tattooed hands from his thighs to my own, slowly dragging upward. Over my hips and up my stomach, stopping with his fingers wrapped around my ribs just beneath my breasts. “You’re my downfall.”

Ishouldcare that his confession sounds like I’m as toxic for him as he is for me, but I’ve never felt more power over Jude Carlisle than I do in this moment. So instead of responding with words, I trail my fingers down and push my panties to the side, widening my legs.

My body shivers under his touch as I stroke myself up and down, sliding my fingers through my wetness desperate to relieve the ache. But just as I’m about to slip my fingers into where I need them, Jude catches my wrist and pulls my hand up between us.

“Not yet.” He draws my fingers into his mouth and sucks on them, and the sight alone is almost enough to send me over the edge.

His tongue rolls over my fingers—his piercing flicks between them—and I want to beg for him to lick me until I’m screaming. Excitement plays in Jude’s eyes, hinting he knows every dirty thought as he rolls the metal between them again, only releasing me once they’re thoroughly wet.

“Finger your pussy for me, Red.” He presses my palm between my legs. “Just because I can’t touch you doesn’t mean you aren’t mine. Let me hear how pretty you moan wishing it was me inside you.”

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