Page 33 of Lust

“Do you want a medal?” I retort with a touch of sarcasm. “A gleaming, brand-new medal to display proudly, showcasing how exceptionally great you are?”

“Quinn, please,” he implores. “I’m dying here. I thought you’d understand.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling sick to my stomach. “This is all just too much.”

I don’t know what makes him think I’d understand. “How did you resist?” I finally ask, genuinely curious now. Dade had almost gone insane with lust, as had I. And that was without the added threat of someone trying to seduce us. Neither time had we been willing partners. I’m pretty sure if Dade had given the slightest hint of wanting me in the first round, I’d have jumped his bones so quickly he wouldn’t have seen it coming.

“I closed my eyes and pictured the nights we spent together. It was a bittersweet agony all of itself. And then it was over, but now I’m left with this to remember it by.” He gestures downwards.

I let out a sigh and open the door fully to let him in. “Go and have a cold shower in my bathroom. Sort yourself out. I’m not going to help you, nor am I going to be in there with you, but you are very welcome to cool off before you go back to your room.”

I’m half regretting it as I close the door behind him, but it’s too late now.

“Thank you, Quinn.” He kisses my cheek softly before running off into the shower. The sound of water cascading down reminds me once again of the first challenge and how Dade stepped up and helped me in this exact same position. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t turned on, except when I picture Remy naked in my shower, the image swiftly turns to that of Dade and I can’t help but wonder if he’s thinking of me.

Even though I didn’t hear the music in the last trial, the general ambiance of this place has me keyed up pretty much all the time and after watching Dade, then hearing that Remy wants me and is currently jerking off to me in the shower has my blood pumping and heat pooling between my legs. I pick up the Hell Cell and walk around the room in an attempt to keep myself from following Remy’s lead, or worse still, joining him in the shower. I have enough problems without adding Remy to them. I’m hoping for messages from my friends, but for a change, neither Juliette and Rowena are replying to my messages. As I’m looking at the screen the Hell Cell beeps. It’s a group message from Noémi.

WELL DONE EVERYONE. I HAVE DECIDED THAT AS YOU WERE ALL SO ENTERTAINING IN THE FIRST ROUNDS THAT YOU WILL STICK WITH THE SAME PARTNER FOR THE SECOND ROUND

I stare at the phone, my mind blank. I can’t seem to grasp any emotion. I feel numb. I’m going to have to do this all again with Dade. It’s a shock to my system and yet I feel absolutely nothing. After the day I’ve had, the less I feel the better. The emotions will come, but for now, I just need to get trough today without losing it. I take a deep breath and type off another quick message to Twila. Just like the first, it remains unread. I try to fixate on what that might mean, but the shower has stopped. I can’t find any position to sit or stand in that doesn’t make me feel self conscious, so I drop my Hell Cell on the bed and perch next to it. As the door opens, I plaster an uninterested look on my face in the hopes he’ll see that I’m not bothered by his presence and just leave. My mouth falls open when he comes out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist. I’d forgotten how utterly delectable he was under his clothes. Rivulets of water run down over his bare pecs and chiseled abs. I follow one droplet down until it comes to a rest, soaking in the white towel just where the top of his pubic hair is peeking out. I swallow, then bring my eyes back upward quickly. So much for not looking bothered. I can already feel the heat creeping up to my cheeks.

“No clothes,” he explains. “Mine are all sweaty.”

I clench my thighs together and try to clear my head. “You can borrow something of mine. I think I have some sweat pants in the closet behind all the designer dresses and ball gowns. They might be a bit small, but they’ll get you up to your room.”

He nods and heads to my closet. I let out a long breath as he closes the door behind him. I’m nervous as much as I’m turned on and I don’t know why. The turned on part is obvious. The demons that run this place pump all kinds of magical aphrodisiac crap into the air conditioning system to keep everyone in a permanent state of arousal for their own fun. I pick up the Hell Cell and idly begin to play a game on it.

“I couldn’t find any underwear that fit, so I’m going commando. I hope that’s okay?”

I glance up from my game and my composure drops in an instant. He’s picked a pair of leggings which look ridiculous on him, but shows off his thick muscular thighs to perfection. I fasten my lips together as I take in the bulge in the top of them. He’s no longer erect, which is a small mercy. The leggings leave nothing to the imagination at all. He may as well be naked in front of me. I avert my gaze from him, bringing it back down to the game, which I’m now losing. I know if I look up again, I’m going to lose it entirely.

“Maybe you’d have been better in one of the dresses after all,” I joke.

“You don’t think these suit me?”

I look up again to find him wiggling his hips in a comical manner.

I bite back a laugh. “At least go find a t-shirt. Preferably a very long one.”

If I thought covering him up with a t-shirt would help, I was wrong. He pulls one of the few t-shirts I own over his head. It’s so tight it looks like it might rip and it’s doing a woeful job of hiding his body.

“I think you should go out the back way or it won’t be just Candice you have to worry about,” I say, ushering him to the back door. As he walks past me, I’m treated to a view of his perfect ass. If only my clothes made me look at good as he does in them.

I think I can finally breathe when he turns at the door. “I never did apologize to you for bringing Candice in here with me.”

“Actually you did,” I admit. “Multiple times. I just didn’t want to hear it.”

He shakes his head, a look of contrition on his face. “Not properly. Listen. I fucked up. I know I did. I was scared, and it was like a minute to go and I panicked. I’m sorry.”

I shrug. It doesn’t matter now, anyway. “It’s fine.”

I try to brush him off, but he’s relentless. “It’s not fine. I have to see you go into these trials with that murderer, and every time, I pray that you’ll come out of it unscathed. Just tell me one thing. Did he hurt you in there?”

I don’t want to talk about Dade with Remy. I honestly don’t want to think about them both at the same time at all. They are both in my life but may as well travel in different stratospheres.

“He didn’t touch me,” I mumble.

Remy nods thoughtfully and I think I see relief in his eyes. “Look. Why don’t you let me make it up to you? There’s a restaurant in the very back part of the entertainment level that I’ve not tried before. I hear they flame grill the food right in front of you. It’s called Unholy. How about I meet you there at seven tomorrow night and we can chat?”

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