Page 49 of Eternal

He wipes his thumb over my lips and shoves it in my mouth. And he doesn’t need to tell me what to do for me to close my lips around him and clean up what’s left of the mess.

I plant my hands on Declan’s knees and lift. The taste of him is still on my tongue as I climb onto his lap and straddle him. Through my pants, I can feel his cock already pulsing, even though he just came.

I shouldn’t want this, but I do.

Declan’s hands grip my hips, stroking the sides of my thighs, and he wakes up everything that’s been dormant.

I’ve felt nothing but irritation toward this man for years, and yet, my body reacts. I let my rage be the fuel for something else. Something burning so hot in my core it aches to get out. I settle my hands on his thick shoulders and stare into his eyes, rocking ever so slightly.

“This doesn’t change how I feel about you,” I tell him, even if there’s a crack in my voice as I say it.

My heart tries to argue with my tongue as it drums harder against my ribs. I might have accepted this deal, but it doesn’t mean I can let that bloody mess in my chest get involved.

He’s still Declan Pierce, a coldhearted bully.

And I’m Teal Donovan, slowly losing my mind, waiting for it all to catch up with me.

“Same,” Declan agrees.

His expression doesn’t change the slightest, and the disappointment that he doesn’t argue with me is worse than his hate. After all we’ve been through—years oftorture—I wish he’d fight me for a different reason in this moment.

I hate everything about him.

What he makes me do.

What he makes me feel.

That he makes mefeelat all.

The doctors solved that problem years ago. But now it’s back. The flutters beneath my ribs. The itch crawling my skin.

Declan’s touch makes every sensation more intense. And when he hurts me—like when he shoved his cock down my throat so hard I thought he might be splitting me open—I almost feltaliveagain.

“What now?” I ask when Declan’s yet to speak or move.

I don’t usually need direction, but at this moment, I crave his demands. The order he makes of my chaos puts me at ease.

Declan leans his head back on the chair, watching me. His hand drags over my thigh, trailing in until he’s rubbing his knuckles over my pussy. Through my pants, my core tickles with anticipation. A heavy weight settles, and I catch my breath.

“Just because you’re my girlfriend doesn’t mean I’ll be sweet with you.” His jaw tenses. “I can’t.”

I believe him.

Declan isn’t sweet. He hurts like hell.

“I don’t need sweet.” I rock in his lap, testing this line that’s sure to cause us both trouble. “And I don’t need gentle. You read my records, so you know that’s not whatI want.”

“I do.” The corner of his mouth lifts. “So then, what are you sitting in my lap asking me to do to you, Teal?”

I narrow my eyes. “You want me to say it?”

“Mm-hmm.” He grabs my jaw, pulling my face closer so he can brush his lips over mine. “No more hiding from us. I want you to hear it from your dirty little mouth.”

“Jerk.”

“I appreciate the attempt at foreplay, but if you want this, you’ll have to admit it.” He grins, pulling my face to the side so he can drag his mouth along my jaw.

My nails dig into his shoulders as he sinks his teeth into my neck. And when I gasp, my mouth falls open, but no sound escapes. The bite of his teeth on my flesh sends a flash of heat to my core.

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