Page 94 of The Demon Crown

“No,” she moaned, her hips already moving against his chair.

“No, what?”

Another snap of the flogger, another gasp that echoed out of her mouth and turned into a moan. “I won’t run from you any more.”

“No more lies.” Again he struck. “No more hiding from me.” Again.

She dripped down the inside of her thigh and he had to pause and just stare at her. This woman who met him no matter what he asked. He took, she gave, and then she took it all back from him. He... by the gods, he could love her. So easily.

But love was dangerous. Love made a man do foolish things, like drop to his knees and worship the goddess spread out in front of him when this was supposed to be about punishment. Not reward.

“Do you hear me, Varya?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “Or are all these answers just more pretty lies?”

“I’m not lying.”

He dropped the flogger to the floor with a hard thunk. He cut through the laces of his pants with a long claw, then lined himself up with her. Rubbing himself into her wetness, dragging the tip of his cock over her clit. Not hard enough to give her the pleasure she sought, just enough to tease and torment.

“I don’t believe you,” he snarled, leaning over her again. She could only see, feel, taste, and smell him. Only him. He was her world right now and she would never fucking forget that. “But soon enough it will be the truth. This isn’t pleasure, Varya. This is punishment. I won’t be sweet. I will be quick and hard and you will like it. Do you hear me?”

He sank into her, just like he’d said he would. A quick thrust, burying himself until their hips were pressed against each other. Core to core. And instead of the grunt he’d expected, or the little whine in the back of her throat that he’d heard before, she moaned as though he had given her everything she’d wanted.

And fuck, he felt the same. He was lost in her. Lost in knowing that he’d gotten her back, that she was alive, that she was well, that he had made it in time.

Greed pounded those emotions into her. His relief. His love.

Ach, even in this, it was only with love.

No claws scratched her skin. No part of her hurt more than she wanted because even as he had her bent over in front of him, he couldn’t be too rough. Not with her.

When he was close, he reached between them and pressed where she needed him. Circling and giving her the pressure she’d been seeking. Buried as deep as he could go, he came with her. Together.

Exactly where they were supposed to be.

ChapterThirty-Three

She wasn’t supposed to be here. Varya knew that there were other places for her to be right now. She could be out there, finding more artifacts. Hunting down beasts with Altan and his men. Getting water to the towns that needed it most. There were so many places for her to be right now, that needed her help, that needed someone.

And yet, she couldn’t drag herself out of the comfort of Greed’s bed. She stared up at the ceiling, watching the sunlight play through the fronds over her head. Every muscle in her body was so relaxed, so comfortable, so at ease. And she just couldn’t make herself get up.

Besides, she’d promised him. No more running. No more trying to hide who she was or what she wanted from him. And he’d so deliciously convinced her of that.

Still, there was a part of her that held back. She didn’t want to fall in love with him. But she had. Every inch of her wanted every inch of him, in whatever way she could get it. That didn’t mean it was right.

Her heart hurt even thinking about him. Because all he’d done, time and time again, was prove that he only thought about himself. Maybe about her now as well, but was that enough?

No. It wasn’t. Of course it wasn’t. She wanted him to care about this kingdom and the people in it. She wanted him to see that there were so many people he could help, and then she wanted him to choose to do that.

Of course, all of that was hard to see through the haze of pleasure he yanked over her head every time he touched her. And that was fine, too. She didn’t mind waking up like this, with her muscles feeling slightly overstretched and tender.

Still. There had to be some way for her to convince him that there was more than this. More out there. More that he could...

The door to the bedroom opened. Ivo stepped inside, a gown draped over his arm that was as yellow as a daffodil, then faded into the pink and lovely violets of a sunset at the hem. It was a beautiful dress, but it was the last thing she wanted to wear.

Without looking at her, he placed the dress over the back of a chair and then laid out the other pieces he’d brought with him. A necklace that had enough jewels to make a kingdom rich, earrings that looked so heavy they’d make her ears ache, and ten bangles that would decorate her wrists.

Too much. It was all too much.

Sighing, she sat up, clutching the emerald blankets to her chest as she looked over the offering Greed thought he had given her. “What is all this, then?”

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