Page 76 of A Kingdom of Shadows

He looks genuinely hurt as his jaw tenses. "Not once have you ever been that to me?"

"Then what have I been to you?" I begin breathing harshly through my nose.

His silence enrages me.

"Someone to pass the time with?"

Our eyes lock, and anger cracks across his face like a damn whip.

"What is it you really want, Darius?" I ask, wanting to explode with every feeling I have. "To have fun?" I push him slightly. "I mean, that is all you ever cared about before, so what is it?" Another push that does nothing to move his tall frame. "Tell me!"

"I want you!" The words stun me as he closes in, seizing both my wrists. "In every lifetime and in any universe, if the sun and moon will allow it. And if that means I have to sacrifice something in order to get it, so be it because it is you, Nara. You are all I want in my life."

I can feel my lower lip tremble and my temper crumble in defeat. "Don't do that," I whisper. "Don't tell me these things and then not mean it."

"Do you think I'm lying?" He is not asking but challenging me because he knows it's a weak argument.

Everything within me flames as I stare back at him with similar yearning, and instead of responding, I rise to my toes, crashing my lips on his. He seizes control instantly, releasing my wrists and diving his hands into my hair as we stumble back against the hedges.

The moan I let out against his mouth pushes him over the edge. We're both frantically devouring each other, allowing our irritation and wrath to get the best of us. As his kiss intensifies, he threads his fingers through my hair and pulls it back.

I want him to ruin me, in all the best ways, through the good and bad.

"Do you have any idea what it is like having you so near me all the time?" Desire coats his voice. "What it does to me?" He grabs my waist and drags his lips down the side of my neck. As I grind my hips over him, I'm lost in a fog of want and hunger. All I can think about is fisting his hair and messing it up.

"You say one thing, but then your body tells me something else." When his hand reaches my inner thigh, all my sensitive regions clench. I don't care how he notices it. I am past that, too aroused to say otherwise, as my lips part on a gasp, and I tip my head back.

I try not to squeak or make a sound as his fingers curl around the skin of my thigh, nearing my arousal until—

He stops, and his hands leave my body altogether.

Why is he stopping?

My head lulls forward as I look at him, panting. "What are you doing?"

Taunting delight flares across his face, and he whispers, "Punishing you."

Punishing you.

Scorching anger rumbles throughout my body.

I let out a dry laugh, and I am about to push him off me when he beats me to it and takes a step back. "You are such an ass."

"And you enjoy it."

I do.

And I hate that I do.

"You're the worst person there is, Darius Halen," I hiss, crossing my arms over my chest as I drag myself forward.

His laugh is deep and tinged with sarcasm. "Is this the first time you have said my full name? It sounds exotic coming from your lips."

I glare. "You know, this is as much punishment for you as it is for me." My eyes dip to the tightening of his pants, and I raise a brow, doing my best to rein in how my body naturally reacts to him. "Have fun getting that to go down without me."

All the amusement he had gotten from playing with me vanishes from his face like smoke.

I smirk, shouldering past him when he grabs my arm and spins me around. Our gazes meet for one split moment before his lips smash against mine, and his tongue dominates mine in a thirst for power. I shove him, and he stumbles back. We both breathe heavily as we hold each other's stare like we are this close to bringing one another to our knees.

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