Page 4 of The Demons We Hide

“Choose.” Just as her lips brush mine, she says the word and I pause.

I draw my head back. “What?”

Her eyes remain on mine, no hint of softness, and a sinking pit opens up in my abdomen. “Choose,” she repeats. “Me … or them?”

Just like that, the pit becomes an abyss. “Who … isthem?” Please, don’t be who I think.

“You know who.” She stares at me. “If you want me—I’m yours. All you have to do is choose. Me or the Scorpion Kings?”

2

LEX

Ice blue eyes as deep as the ocean stare up at me, wanting, needing,hurting.

Juliet’s hands clench on my chest as she fists the fabric of the t-shirt I wear. Her lips part, but nothing that comes out of her mouth next is going to force me to make the verbal choice that I don’t want. No matter what answer I give her, both would be a lie.

So, I do the only thing I can. I kiss her.

My mouth slants over hers, shoving her lips apart and taking anything else she might say. Smelling of smoke and rain, Juliet stiffens at first, but when I dig my fingers into her hips, she seems to give in and sink further into me. My heart hammers against my ribcage as I pull her closer, licking at the seam of her lips, tasting her.

I draw her away from the door, my eyes opening and latching on to the locks behind her. Keeping her against me and letting her take over the kiss when she pushes to, I reach up with one hand. Without both free, I can’t redo all the locks, but I can certainly slip the chain back into place and flip a few of the deadbolts.

With that done, I nudge her around and back towards my bedroom. We only manage to make it to the mouth of the hallway when her hands delve into my hair and she scratches at my scalp. The sharp sensation lights up all my nerve endings. My hands creep down her sides. She gyrates against me, grinding herself against the cock straining at the front of my pants.

Unable to resist the urge any longer, I reach down and heft her upwards. Juliet’s legs part and she wraps them around my hips. Soft little noises of wanton desire escape her throat. Her cloth-covered cunt drives right up against my cock, and stars burst in the back of my head.

Fuckkkkkkkkk.The word comes out on a long, drawn-out internal groan. Bliss and everything devious crawls out of the woodworks and takes over my thoughts. If I thought having her ride me to a penetration-less orgasm in the back of my SUV was the extent of torment, then I was wrong. This is infinitely worse. Because I know that this time will be different. This time, I won’t stop until she’s coming around the base of my cock and I’m filling her with my cum.

I carry Juliet down the hall, trying my hardest not to stumble or slam either of us into the walls. The way she drags her mouth away from mine, gasping for oxygen only to come back down for more makes me insane with lust. I kiss her harder, letting her tongue roll against my own until finally we make it into the back bedroom—the only bedroom in the entire refurbished carriage house.

Thank fuck I changed the sheets. The last woman I’d had on my bed had been one of the sluts fromThe Veil. Juliet doesn’t deserve sweaty sheets. I’ll have to burn the old ones.

“Lex.” The sound of my name on her lips makes my cock twitch. I want to hear her scream it. I want to hear all the noises she made that night in my SUV. Only this time, I don’t want her to stop.

I release her from my grip, and her legs slowly drop down to the floor. Her chest rises and falls with each gasping breath. Her eyes meet mine, glittering in the dim lighting. As much as I want to see all of her, I didn’t flip the switch when we came in, and I’m not willing to go back now and interrupt the tension between us.

“Get on the bed.” My voice comes out in a low growl.

Juliet backs up a step and then another and another until her legs come up against the mattress. Her eyes never leave mine.

“Is that all you want?” she asks. Her hands come up, skimming the hem of her shirt.

“No.” I want her naked and spread eagle on that bed. I want her panting, sweating, begging for release as I lick all of the cream between her legs. I want her whispering words of love and affection to me like she had all those years ago.

What I want is so much more than she will ever be willing to give me. I want hereverything.

At five years old, I wanted to marry Juliet Donovan. At nearly nineteen, I’d slit the throat of anyone who thinks to take her away from me.

“Get.” I take a step towards her. “On.” Her eyes harden on mine. “The.” Another step brings me against her, my chest rubbing against hers. “Bed.”

Full, pouty lips curve upward, and I know she’s going to make this a fight. Something set her off tonight. She came here to drive a wedge between me and my brothers. The reason is uncertain, but the truth is clear. She’s angry and she wants to hurt us to make herself feel better. Though it makes me a bastard, I’m grateful that she ended up here, with me, tonight.

Juliet juts up her chin at me. “Make me.”

No sooner has her challenge been issued than my hand is wrapped around her throat. I slam her back onto the bed, her spine meeting the mattress as I crawl atop her and hold her down with my weight. She strains upward, eyes widened in surprise. Her hands snap out, gripping at my forearm as I squeeze, cutting off a little of her blood flow. Not too much—can’t have her passing out before we get to the fun stuff—but just enough to drive home to her how serious I am.

Her blunt nails dig into my skin, the bites of pain not serving to quell the rising need within me even the slightest. I want her. Any way I can have her.

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