Page 18 of Payne's Envy

“Empty,” I finished for her. “So did I.”

“Where are your brothers?” Mom spun around and headed for the door. “I want them to go check out the human world if they aren’t already there.”

A wave of desire washed over me, and I sucked in a breath. I pulled my shirt away from my sweaty skin as Mom and Maureen left. They mentioned it, and I realized my shirt was drenched and clinging to me. Was I really as hot as they said?

Did that mean I couldn’t go search for Payne after all?

I didn’t have to go looking for him. The second my door clicked shut, Payne ported into my room, glancing behind me as if to make sure no one was going to return. Almost like he had waited until they were gone… They couldn’t be right. More than that, my heart was doing somersaults against my ribcage. Payne was there. Why? Did I really care?

When he faced me, it was like ten shots of ecstasy rushed through me. My pussy throbbed, and a gush of liquid soaked my panties. His scent invaded my senses next. His nostrils flared, and my knees went weak.

I swayed and caught myself.

His jaw tightened as he stated, “You are unwell.”

“I am very unwell,” I murmured, pushing my cloak open further.

He stiffened. “Joy.”

“Are you going to leave me to suffer?”

He hissed as I slid my hand between the valley of my breasts.

“What is wrong with you?” There was a gruffness to his voice. He rubbed his forehead, as if trying to keep himself from staring, but his eyes kept going back to my movements. “Explain to me what’s wrong? Are you… Burning?” The way he drawled out the last word, was he in agony, too?

“So much heat inside me. I need to let it out.”

“Joy,” he warned. “Don’t do this right now. I need to know you’re okay.Please.”

I didn’t like the tremor in his voice. I didn’t enjoy being the one to upset him, but couldn’t he see? Hades, I needed relief.

“I can tell you’re hurting. I think you need medical attention.”

“No,” I murmured. “I need you. Hades, can’t you see? Don’t you feel it?” I dematerialized my shirt and pants.

“Don’t fucking do that.” Payne growled as I untied my cloak. When I didn’t listen, he stalked forward.

My heart sped up, excitement coursing through my veins as my stomach spasmed. The garment pooled around my feet.

He bent down and scooped it up, placing it around my shoulders. He grabbed my arms and pulled me closer with a bruising grip. Our noses were an inch apart when he inhaled sharply. “Why do you do this to me, Joy? Why? Do you know how fucking bad it hurts? How badly I—”

The heat of him, the breath of him sizzled across my skin, electrifying me. If I was burning, then Payne was surely the flame. He was way warmer than me. I loved it. I needed it.

But he was also making me furious. I shoved him, but his iron hold on my skin never loosened, and he never moved. I hated that I loved that he didn’t budge. It made little sense to push him away, anyway. Even when he pissed me off, I still adored him.

I stepped closer, wedged my leg between his, and stilled. My desire was more like magnetic energy. When my thigh grazed the hardness trapped within his jeans, every part of me wanted to glue myself to the massive man hiding his erection beneath his cloak. My clit throbbed, and I let out a breathy sigh. God, I wanted to feel more, so I rubbed my thigh against him again. Hades, it was like a steel pipe. Payne groaned, and the sound caused delightful tingles to erupt in my stomach. He dared to deny us when he was like me, too?

Payne pulled away, eyes closed as he breathed deeply, but his hands never left my arms.

“What are you waiting for?” I muttered as the fury climbed within. It might have come with that strange heat, but it was built off years and years of Payne doing exactly as he always did. Push and run anytime I showed interest.

“You don’t understand.” His head drooped.

My skin tingled with a blend of madness and need. I panted. “You know I can dematerialize your cloak, too.”

His head raised and something swirled in his eyes that caught me off guard. They changed from brown to a golden glow of diamond-like shapes. Even though the sight startled me, to see those browns I’d fantasized about so many years become new, I felt a sense of wonder. Of rightness.

The brown returned as he asked, “Do you want to destroy me? Wreck me to the point of no return? Because hurting youkillsmy soul, and you make me do it over and over.”

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