Page 27 of No Sugar Coating It

For a second, my entire body tenses. I’m not sure how to react. No one has ever said that to me before, and here my submissive just told me he loves me while I’m gummy-balls deep inside of him. But the most frightening aspect of it all is that I think I feel the same way about him. No, we haven’t known each other for very long. But what’s two days when you literally live forever? What’s two days when your life is about to end in a handful of hours, anyway?

Pressing my nose against his, I murmur, “I love you, too, Byron.”

His mouth crashes against mine, and then I feel a burst of wetness across my belly. He grunts low into my mouth as we continue to kiss, his own pleasure ripping through his body. Reluctantly, I withdraw from him and make the strap-on disappear back into the void. Byron doesn’t get up right away toclean himself. Instead, he envelopes me in his arms, hugging me, and brushes his lips against my temple.

“That was… that was incredible,” he breathes. “And a workout. Won’t have to hit the gym later for my cardio, that’s for sure.”

I chuckle against the bare skin of his chest and smile. This is the first time I’ve ever truly felt peace. Never thought it possible.

“I’m glad you enjoyed that. Now you know you enjoy having things in your ass,” I say as I draw an imaginary circle across his chest with one of my claws.

He kisses the top of my head. “Not just ‘things,’ Faith. You. I enjoy having you in my ass. I wouldn’t let just anyone up in there.”

My heart twists again, reminding me that this was a one-time thing. A moment frozen in time. After today, Byron would have to go back to being himself. Fucking other women, probably. Women who aren’t me. A pang of jealousy sweeps through me, which is confusing because I have never once been jealous of a man. Over other demons and their promotions? Absolutely. But never because I didn’t want to share a mark. Forget about my poor monthly quotas. This possessiveness over a human would get me fired on the spot if they ever found out.

After an hour of cuddling in bed, I finally sit up and notice through the blinds that the sun is setting on the horizon. A tremor like a drumbeat stirs in my body. I’m being summoned after all. Our time together is finally at an end.

Exhaustion settles into my bones. A few thousand years ago, I would have fought my fate, perhaps gone down screaming. I would have clawed tooth and nail to stay on Earth. But I don’t think I have it in me anymore. Byron is worth fighting for, of course, but he doesn’t deserve a demon for a girlfriend. He deserves a fair chance at redemption, and it’s going to be harder for him if he’s attached to someone like me. I could let bitternessconsume me, or I could try to send Byron off as positively as possible. He snores gently behind me, his nose twitching every so often. I can’t help but smile. Adorable. My sub. My Byron.

When I run my claws through his hair, his eyes blink open and he grins up at me.

“Hey, you,” he rasps. “Morning already?”

“Evening, I’m afraid,” I say. “It’s time to say goodbye.”

He bolts upright in the bed, his sleepy eyes wide with panic.

“N-No. This can’t be the end.” Byron throws the sheets aside and clumsily puts his clothing back on. I watch him, agony rending my heart with each article of clothing he puts back on. Though my heart is splitting, I know I need to make this easier on him somehow. I get up from the bed and move to his side and cup his cheeks in my palms as he struggles to button his shirt.

“Byron, listen to me. We made tremendous progress here, you and I. You learned much about yourself. Please promise me you won’t forget any of it after I leave,” I say. “Your soul isn’t squeaky clean like I hoped it would be, but it’s a lot better than it was. Don’t fuck it up, okay?”

His eyes well with unshed tears. “Don’t say that. Please, don’t say that…”

“Byron. Sweetheart. We always knew our time together was limited,” I say. “But what you learned about yourself? That’s not a fleeting thing. Hold on to it. And babe? Please go to therapy.” I pat his cheek lovingly, and he takes my hands into his. His thumbs caress the back of my hands, and after what feels like an eternity, he finally nods.

“I won’t forget,” he chokes out. “I’ll never forget what you taught me. Or you.”

17

BYRON

After trying to bargain with Faith for another hour, she left in a black vortex of her own making and disappeared from my life. Like she’d never even existed. The candy shop disappeared as soon as she left, too, leaving me standing in front of Fletcher & Sons in a state of confusion and grief. How am I supposed to go on living my life normally now?

The answer to that was simple: I wasn’t going to.

A crimson demon with the most incredible set of legs and pair of breasts I’d ever laid eyes on had waltzed into my life and turned it upside down. I should have been terrified, and at first I guess I was. But then terror turned to lust, which turned to genuine affection. Which turned to…

Tears streak my cheeks. I didn’t even realize I was crying, and when I lift my fingers to my face, I blink at the wetness. I never cry. The last time I cried was when my mother left me that fateful day in the rain, abandoning me to the foster care system. For most of my life, I was convinced that women were the enemy; that they only ever wanted two things from a man. That they weren’t interested in a genuine connection, only money. How wrong I was.

I shake my head and run my fingers through my hair, letting some strands fall back in my eyes.

Well, what’s done is done, I guess. But Faith was right. I probably should see a therapist as soon as possible. Still, the gnawing ache in my heart over her fate makes me want to do anything but go back to the office. Back to my boring, shitty life where I’m desperately trying to fill the gaping black hole where love should be.

No. No, I’m not going to take this lying down. I’m not going to just sit around and accept that the woman I’ve fallen for is being sent to some God-awful pit in Hell where she’ll suffer for the rest of eternity. She doesn’t deserve that. No one does. Dense clouds overhead block out the sunlight, and suddenly, it starts to rain. People on the streets hurry to get indoors, but I allow the rain to soak through my shirt until finally the head of our security team pops his head out.

“Mr. Waits. Are you all right, sir?” he asks in his gruff, friendly voice.

I don’t say anything at first and allow the frigid droplets of water to pelt me in the face.

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