Page 97 of Cursed Evermore
The audacity and arrogance of his words should have disgusted me. But Gods help me, hadn’t I thought about that when I first saw him at the tavern—him breaking me.
Some dark part of me still wanted to know what that would feel like. It still stirred deep inside, desperate to know the taste of surrender.
“You’re wrong,” I stuttered, hoping he wouldn’t see through my lie.
I stepped back to give myself some space. But he followed.
The book floated out of his hands and slipped itself back onto the shelf, obediently taking its leave as if it wanted no part of what was happening between us.
There wasn’t much room for us to do our war dance, so all I got was another step before I was up against the wall and the devil had me caged in.
He dropped his finger to my nose; the mere contact rooted my feet to the spot. Then he traced my skin down to my jaw and lingered by the hollow of my neck. There he looped a lock of myhair around his finger and placed his hand by the side of my head. Once again, he was far too close for my liking.
As those eyes held me in place the room seemed to shrink, narrowing until
there was nothing left but this moment between him and me—the predator and prey.
Wolfe looked at me as if he was going to kiss me or kill me. He was certainly close enough to try.
“What are you doing?” I rasped, dread rising in my throat in a ball of fear that threatened to seal the air from my lungs.
Wolfe exhaled slowly, charging the air between us with forbidden desire. “Observing you, Ziyka.”
“Why?”
“It’s entertaining to watch you pretend you don’t want me.” His voice dropped to a sinful whisper. “That you don’t want a dark soul like me to break your innocent, untouched body with my unhallowed hands.”
“I’m not pretending.”More lies. And my breathy voice made it clear I was desperately trying to save what remained of my dignity.
The haughtiness in his eyes told me he knew. “How about we agree not to lie to each other, Ziyka. Lies are so fickle and foolish.”
“Of course they are.”
“Glad you agree. Now you can stop pretending you haven’t thought about all the filthy things you wanted me to do to you.” Every smile he’d given me had felt like a dare, but this one was pure sin, wicked and coaxing, the kind that would make a Veiled-maiden drop her robes and beg to be ruined. And his teeth…
The canines had lengthened slightly. I was sure they had. They didn’t look like that a moment ago.
I swallowed hard and breathed past the constriction in my throat.
Forget his teeth and his crass words. I had to get myself together or this man would be the death of me.
“This can’t be what you summoned me to talk about.” I hardened my gaze and tried to focus. It would have been far easier if he weren’t so damn close.
“The subject ofusneeds to be addressed.”
“Why?”
“Because…” He inched closer, his breath ghosting over my lips. “I can’t go there with you, Ziyka.”
“Can’t go… where?”
His smile widened. “I can’t fuck you.”
My stomach dropped and wild, unwanted heat licked up my spine. Each word branded into my mind. Filthy, final, and terrifyingly honest. Wolfe wasn’t taunting me this time. He meant every damn word.
“As your captor, I’m sure I don’t need to explain the unfavorable ethics of crossing such a line.”
I steeled my spine despite the war raging in my soul. “No, of course not.”
