Page 26 of Sweet Violence
I moved closer to Dev's throne—and close enough to Taj that I could see the individual links on the golden bracelets scrolling up both arms, the peaks and valleys of muscle on his bronze stomach, and the black depths of hate in his brown eyes.
"Not gonna say hello, Taj?" I asked, my sweet tone designed to provoke.
He scoffed, the sound coming from deep in his throat, and muscles bulged as he curled his hands into fists. "If you're waiting for me to kiss you and declare my undying love, don't hold your breath. No,do—I'll enjoy seeing you suffocate."
I ignored the shiver that went through my body at that specialSword. "Foreplay so soon? Aww, you reallydidmiss me."
Taj’s eyes flashed with black fire, his jaw clenching with obvious anger, but he only shot me a cruel smirk. "Deluded bitch."
Terms of endearmentandan insult? Yeah, Taj missed me bad.
Dev laughed so loudly the windows high in the walls rattled, and I shot him an alarmed look. If he brought the fortress down around us, I'd be pissed. After the cage and all the Band of Umber shit, I needed abed, not a pile of rubble.
"You're a terrible liar, Taj Amora," Dev teased.
Ooh, nice surname. Amora. Very pretty—it fit Taj well, with his sharp cheekbones, long lashes, beautiful skin, and alluring body. That bastard.
Taj bared sharp teeth. "Excuseme?"
"Reading people is my talent," Dev replied with a grin, his chin still propped in his palm and light through the windows catching the three rows of horns on his massive head.
"As you'll tell anyone who stands still for more than a second," Taj muttered.
The familiarity of the bickering made me blink in surprise.
"And you, dear son, are full of shit."
X cackled, his breath ruffling my gritty hair before his arm snuck around me and squeezed. "This is gonna befun."
I shot him a look.
"I bet you two orgasms Taj throws a tantrum."
I tilted my head, considering the wager. "Four."
"Three."
"Done."
X kissed me so suddenly I jumped, and then melted into the hot, demanding press of teeth and tongue. Taj and Dev didn't notice.
I drew away from my incubus, panting for breath and alarmingly happy to see the bright spark of mischief and smugness in his deep blue eyes.
"If you're so indifferent to our mate—" the devil began, watching his son closely.
"I wish you'd stop calling her that," Taj hissed through gritted teeth, a vein throbbing on his temple.
"Why did you burst in here with the others to frantically search for her?"
Taj made a sound in his throat. "I was looking for the dogs. I've missed them. So has Mal; she wanted to see them."
"Mallie, baby?" I asked, just to be antagonistic.
Taj shot me a snarl, his lips curled back from deadly sharp teeth. "You shut your fucking mouth."
"Or what?" I challenged, leaning back into X, feeling his laugh all through my body.
"You know what? I don't have to endure this shit." Taj shoved his hands into the pockets of his loose trousers and turned from the devil. "If you want an actual conversation instead of spewing bullshit, you know where to find me, Dad."
