Page 112 of Sweet Venom

I hadn’t seen him. One moment, I was standing in the middle of the garden, my breath quick and shallow, and the next, I was pressed up against something solid and warm.

A chest.

A strong, hard chest. The unmistakable feeling of a man’s presence, broad and unyielding. My heart skipped many beats, and I froze, a gasp slipping from my lips as I realized who it was.

Azariel.

His large hands gripped my arms, steadying me as he leaned in, his breath warm against the back of my neck. The suddenness of his touch made my breath hitch. The scent of his cologne took over all my senses. Heat rushed to every part of my body.

“Are you afraid, little fox?” He rasped.

I was afraid. Not anymore. Not now that he’s here.

“You scared me. Why are you hiding in the dark, you big weirdo?” I joked, trying to settle my heart.

“You shouldn’t be alone in the dark,” his voice was low, smooth, commanding, though there was a softness there that he only reserved for me.

I turned around, my pulse racing, and looked up at him. His eyes held an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

I squinted my eyes trying to see him in the dark but it was almost impossible with how dark it was. The moonlight helped a little. Enough for me to see how gorgeous he looked in his usual black elegance.

But the one thing that made my stomach dip and my heart flip was the way he looked down at me as if I was the only thing in the world that mattered to him.

“I—” My words faltered, my mind racing. “I thought I was alone here. Why were you hiding? What’s going on, Azariel? Why is it so… quiet? Why are the lights off? Where is everyone?” My nerves are slowly fading but now I have more questions.

Why is he hiding in the shadows? I don’t like that. I want to always be able to see him. Always.

Azariel didn’t immediately answer, his eyes still locked on mine as if he was debating something. My nerves left but I still felt a twinge of unease. He wasn’t acting like himself. He was always so composed, so in control. Unfeeling. Tonight, though, he felt... different. Darker. More unpredictable.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

It’s okay, heart. It’s him.

“It’s just us,” he began, his voice low, “It’ll always be just us.”

Just us…

The way he said it sent a rush of warmth through me, despite the lingering unease.

Just us felt right. More than right actually. It felt… perfect.

But before I could process what he was saying, before I could react, he stepped closer. His cold hand cupped my cheek gently, his thumb brushing over the skin, as if memorizing the feel of me under his touch.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. His presence was all-consuming, pulling me into him in a way I couldn’t escape. In a way I didn’t want to escape. His eyes flickered down to my lips, and for a brief moment, everything else around us—the blue roses, the shadows, the carousel, the statues, the emptiness of the manor—it all vanished. It was just us.

Then, before I could take another breath, his lips brushed mine, soft and tender at first. I felt his grip on me tighten slightly, his other hand wrapping around my waist, pulling me closer. I sucked in a rough breath and Azariel chuckled darkly into my mouth.

Oh, God.

His kiss deepened and it sent a wave of heat rushing to my pussy. It was soul shattering and passionate, filled with a yearning I couldn’t fight.

He tasted like heaven and cherries. An intoxicating combination for me.

The kiss went on until he pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, and for a moment, we were both just there, breathing each other in, the world outside us forgotten.

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