Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Gasping in shock, she pushed away from me and almost fell off the bed.
Grabbing her wrist, I jerked her close. “Easy.”
Her eyebrows knitted together as she glanced at where I held her. “I...” Licking her lips, her gaze flew around the luxurious cabin—skating over a large TV, a semi-melted bucket of ice holding a bottle of unopened champagne, and the circular windows that blocked the blinding sun thanks to tightly drawn shades.
Her fingers strayed automatically to her necklace as if she’d sensed me playing with it.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the way her skin flushed pink as it rested against her sternum. I swore condensation appeared before vanishing like an illusion.
My hackles rose, reminding me of all the questions and doubts I still had about her.
I could forgive her for not telling me things back in Cinderkeep because I hadn’t exactly asked but...if I asked now and she lied to me. If she ever intentionally withheld things from me.
Well...I’d killed more women than men at this point.
I can kill another.
I scowled as my soul vehemently denied that possibility, all while I bared my teeth and asked, “Are you awake enough to be coherent?”
She yawned and scrubbed her face. “Why? Are you planning on giving me another orgasm, because if you are, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself from returning the favour this time.”
I forgot how to swallow. “What favour was that exactly?”
I knew exactly what favour...
Her eyes hooded as her stare dropped between my legs. “It’s not fair...” She blushed. “That was a first for me with you...giving me pleasure with your mouth and...” Her cheeks almost caught fire as she looked away and mumbled, “Now I’m curious about what it would feel like to do the same to you.”
My heart fucking smoked.
Just the thought of her sucking me off almost made me cremate the bed, let alone how I’d actually survive her tongue—
“I need to ask you a few questions.” I crossed my arms and sat stiffly against the headboard, doing my best to control myself.
“What questions?” Her shoulders came up. “Why do you suddenly sound angry with me? Did I do something wrong in my sleep?” She wiped at her chin. “Did I drool on you? Is that why you’re mad?”
“I’m not mad.”
“Well, you’re certainly not happy.”
“You’re right. I’m not.”
“Then...”
“I’m tired.” My voice came out low and lethal and far colder than I’d intended. “I’m fucking exhausted, actually.”
“Then take a nap—”
“It’s not that kind of tired.” My heart warmed to unbearable levels again. “I’m tired of having to be on my guard around you all the time. I’m exhausted because I can’t figure out why you soothe me so much. I’m becoming reliant on you. It’s getting to the point where I can’t stand the thought of being away from you because the fire is burning me alive and you’re the only one that can stop it but...how am I supposed to trade one prison for another?”
She drew back. “You’re saying I’m a prison?”
“I’m saying I’m finally free, yet I somehow feel just as trapped as I did when I was being bled every three days.” I laughed icily, glancing at the bandages around my wrists that’d replaced the port cuffs. “If you didn’t affect me the way you do, I wouldn’t care if you did end up betraying me. I’d just use you the way I’ve been doing and not give a damn. But...” I rolled my eyes, cursing my luck that I was falling so hard for this girl and utterly unable to stop myself. “It seems the more time I spend with you, the more it hurts to think of you betraying me, so...tell me. Once and for all. Tell me who the hell you are, Elara Rook Snowflake Snowdon and what the hell do you want from me?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
THE AGONY BEHIND HIS WORDS NEARLY broke me.
He still doubted me...after everything.
I thought he’d accepted me.
The moment he’d slipped between my legs and licked me into the best orgasm of my life...I thought we’d stepped onto a new path that only led to good things.
But...he was merely using me to calm the furnace in his blood and that made me so, so worried. I had suspicions of my own that were rapidly growing out of control the more he burned and smoked and did things that weren’t human.
What if everything that was happening to him was my fault?
What if the fact my blood held the same odd enzyme that his did—the R gene if Marcus could be trusted—meant all of this had been preordained and—
“Well?” Lucien cut into my spiralling thoughts. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
I shivered and hugged myself, trying to figure out how to say what needed to be said, all while absolutely petrified he’d kill me.