Page 21 of The Demon Prince's Accidental Mate
Belial reared backward. “WhatIdid toyou? You’re the one who got us into this mess, Lilith Rowe. Not me.”
“Nobody calls me Lilith,” I said hotly. “And me? I didn’t do this! You showed up out of nowhere with your stupid contract.”
“You signed it,” he countered, coming farther into the bakery.
“You forced me to,” I shot back, crossing my arms, cookie dough completely forgotten by that point.
“You bled on it.”
“Your paper cut me.”
Belial snorted, taking another step closer. “This all started with you trying to control me with that spell you cast. I didn’t know you existed until then. So, we’re back to you starting it.”
His anger rose as I shook my head at him. My own surged to match it, fueled by the knowledge that he wasn’t the least bit remorseful.
“And I apologized for it. It’s not my fault you can’t accept that people make mistakes. No damage was done.”
“No damage to you, perhaps,” he said. “But you don’t know that about me.”
I tapped my head. “Thanks to your stupid contract, I do. Now, can you cancel it?”
“No.” He stepped around the edge of the long prep table. “Not until the contract is fulfilled can it be canceled.”
I glared at him. He wasn’t sweating. I was. He was clean. I was covered in flour. He wore a dark gray shirt with sleeves that went to mid-forearm and a V-neck that showed off his powerful neck muscles. He’d swapped the dark pants for mid-wash jeans. They fit too perfectly, showing off his thick thighs, and as he stepped fully around the table, I saw they fit his ass as well.
He looked good. Damn good. And he knew every time I thought that. I could see it in how one side of his face turned up. Cocky. Arrogant. Angry. Masculine.
“So, you’re sticking around?” I said, trying to glare.
“Yes. You forced me to.” His temper was genuine. Not forced. He didn’t like it.
“I didn’t do it,” I hissed, pointing a finger at him. “You were the one who produced a magical contract. It was your fault.”
“This isyour fault,” he growled.
“For once in your life, take some responsibility!” I shouted, my frustration boiling over. “Accept that you did it. That you share some of the blame.”
“That’s rich,” he retorted hotly. “Coming from someone trying to make sure she takes none of it. You know what they say about those in glasses houses,Lilith.”
“My name is Lily, damn you!” I snapped, my head tilting back as he stepped right up to me.
“I’m already damned,” he said. “Being bound to you was just the icing on top.”
“Wow, that’s fucking rude. Maybe if you weren’t such a dick, you’d be able to find forgiveness.”
“Maybe if you weren’t so uptight, you wouldn’t be alone.”
My jaw dropped open. “Get out.”
“Absolutely not. We have a deal,” he said.
“Leave. Now!”
He shook his head, grinning at me.
I snatched the rolling pin from the table at my side and swung it at his head.
He grabbed my wrist, stepped around to pin me against the table, and, using my momentum and his, lifted me onto the table.
