Page 62 of Secrets of the Six

"Then let me speak plainly." I slide my hand from her neck to fist her hair and wrench her head back to meet my fiery gaze. "If he lays one finger on you, I'll cut it off and feed it to his dogs."

"Now who is the jealous one?" She smirks, and a wicked moan escapes her lips. "Admit it."

"Admit what?"

"Admit you want me." She slithers her heel up the side of my leg. "Admit you can't stand seeing me with another man." Her breathing hitches when my grip in her hair tightens, and I can't help but stare down the front of her dress as her breasts rise and fall. "Maybe then I will have mercy on you and behave with Rogelio."

I know she's baiting me, hoping to get a rise out of me, but I don't care. She's right. I do want her, and I can't stand seeing her with another man.

Suddenly, I'm wondering what Ines tastes like. I hate that I fantasize about her plump lips dragging across my skin, leaving a trail of forbidden kisses in their wake.

I shouldn't want her.

I can't have her.

But the resolve to keep my hands to myself vanishes. She's mine.

"Fuck it." I slam my mouth against hers and to my surprise and delight, she kisses me back.

As I imagined, she's just as passionate and fierce when kissing as she is when she's arguing with me. I find it difficult to breathe, think, or speak when she stares at me, but here in my arms, it's similar to how we dance. We move perfectly in sync, as if we share one body.

This woman. This woman drives me insane and has me questioning everything I've ever wanted.

Since my youth, I've sworn off love, sworn off any woman getting close enough to distract me or soften my rageful resolve, but here I am in a tiny closet ravaging my spy.

I find purchase on her waist and when she tugs the front of her skirt up, I lift her so she can wrap her legs around my torso. She sweeps her tongue in my mouth and hell, I wish we were anywhere but here so I could truly have my way with her. Her fingers drag through my hair as she moans against my lips. I palm her ass, allowing one of my hands to slide up the slit in her dress and dig my fingers into her thigh. The fervor in our kiss is borderline violent and the rougher she gets, the more I want her to shed her clothing.

In this moment, there's nothing I want more than her, which is a dangerous, traitorous thought. If we're caught tangled up together, our plan will go up in flames.

I'm a selfish piece of shit.

But am I truly that selfish if I've denied myself every pleasure in life seeking revenge only to permit myself one indulgence?

"Remus," she groans my name, and I come undone.

I don't give a shit if she's toying with my emotions. I don't even care if she's using me hoping to gain something, she can have whatever she wants. All I want is her.

She pulls away, taking a deep breath, giving our eyes the opportunity to lock and see the hunger, desire, and succumbing to forbidden temptation ripe in our faces. Then she smiles and I'm ready to promise her all the jewels money can buy just to see her smile again. She takes my hand and guides me down the front of her dress where her pebbled nipple beckons me to claim her for myself.

"Shit, Ines." I rest my forehead against hers as I palm her breast, and she giggles against my lips.

"The phantom swears," she teases, and I have half a mind to thrust my hand underneath her dress and teach her a lesson. To see her come undone for me, to have her writhe against me, ride my fingers, moan my name in pleasure once more instead of speaking it with disdain.

"I do a lot more than swear, Vibora." I whisper and bite the tip of her earlobe, relishing the shuddering breath she hisses when I gently pinch her nipple. "Perhaps, I should show you."

Suddenly, she stops moving and I draw back to look at her. The passion in her green eyes is gone, replaced with sobering fear. She clears her throat, and one-by-one places her feet back on the floor.

"Ines?" I remove my hand from her chest, worry rippling across me like the morning chill on a frosty day.

"I should get back," she whispers and nausea bubbles in the pit of my stomach. "Rogelio will be wondering where I am and if he discovers me with you, it would be devastating."

"Devastating for him."

"Devastating for everyone," she says harshly, catapulting me back to what's truly at stake.

Does Ines drive me wild? Absolutely.

But as much as I hate to admit it, she's right. There's a lot more at stake than my own feelings.