Page 152 of House of Pain
“What do you think you’re doing?” Alecto demanded, trying to adjust her cape. “You’ve been acting like a fucking asshole. I mean, like an evenbiggerasshole than you usually are—”
Blaze didn’t let her finish her sentence. He pushed her back against the stone wall of the tower, his hand wrapping around her throat.
Alecto gasped, her eyes widening, but it wasn’t from the intensity of his grip.
No, Blaze didn’t tighten his grip enough to cut off her air supply.
Only having his hand resting against her throat was enough to send her heart thundering.
Part of it was probably fear.
But another part, and not so little he believed, was excitement and desire.
Blaze brought his mouth over hers and whispered, “I’m tired of waiting.”
“Tired of waiting,” Alecto breathed out the words, “for what?”
“For you.”
“Then you’re free to fuck right off.”
Blaze slammed a fist on the wall next to her head, bringing their foreheads together.
“You misunderstand me,” he said. “I’m tired of waiting foryouto come to your senses and give me what I want.”
A breath hitched in her throat, her pulse hammering under his fingers.
“So, I’m going to take it myself.”
Without giving her a moment to say anything, Blaze dragged her to the door to the tower.
They stopped. Two pairs of forest-green eyes lazily opened, and then the mouth in the door croaked, “It starts withSand ends withN, and most who meet her won’t get to live to tell the tale.”
“A siren,” Blaze answered.
With a chuckle, the door swung open, and Blaze swooped inside, dragging Alecto after him.
Before taking the long spiral staircase up to the very top of the tower, Blaze pulled Alecto into his embrace, and carried her up the stairs.
To his surprise—or not really—she stayed silent until he reached the top of the stairs, where a small room was, narrow windows perched on all four walls overlooking the forest and the town stretching in all directions.
Blaze walked Alecto over to the only chaise by one of the four walls, laying her down on her back.
He remained standing over her. “Are you going to beg for mercy?”
Alecto shook her head, staring at him defiantly.
Blaze inhaled a sharp breath, relieved and satisfied at the same time.
He had been waiting for this moment for so long, it was hard to believe he was standing here with her.
His fingers found the clasp of the cloak under her chin, opening it and letting the cape slide away from her, leaving her in the daring red dress.
As his fingers trailed the line of her shoulders, Alecto suddenly sat up.
“This doesn’t mean anything you think it does,” she said, lifting her chin.
Blaze moved his hand to caress her jaw, his thumb brushing those lips that drove him mad for so many different reasons.
