Page 47 of Pride: Kneel Before None

I forced controlled breaths through my nostrils as I sought out every ounce of discipline instilled in me centuries ago. Those were the days when I was an adolescent demon with an ego too big for my title. Knighthood fed my arrogance, but it created a dependence on dominating the battlefield, no matter what the landscape looked like. That penchant for refusing to lose enforced a strict sense of control.

Taking the bottle of aged whiskey, I took a final draw—enough to feel the burn warm its way down into my gut. Maybe that was trading one fire for another, but the smooth liquid quieted the wicked inferno that lived in my blood.

Then, with a great deal of calm, I turned and pulled the door open.

I stood in the doorway, water still dripping over every naked inch of my body. My tanned skin and dimmed runes glistened under the harsh overhead lights.

Eve almost tumbled right into me, catching herself with her hands on the doorframe at the last second. One deep breath from me would have the tip of her slightly upturned nose brushing the space between my pecs.

“Trying to fall into my arms already, Little Spade?” I quipped with a wry smile.

Whatever argument had been on the tip of her tongue was lost to the ether as she stood there frozen.

I had that effect on the ladies. And if you asked Ignatius, I had it on men, too.

“Eyes up here, Eve,” I grinned as my fingers tapped underneath her chin.

There was a moment of reluctance before her gaze shifted upwards.

Meeting her eyes, a wave of satisfaction tightened something low in my gut.

“Good girl,” I rumbled. “Now, what was it you were saying?”

She cleared her throat, my apparent lack of clothes distracting her enough to interrupt all rational lines of thought. Though good on her for trying to maintain her train of thought anyway. When she shifted to force herself more upright, she still had to tilt her head back to keep her eyes locked on mine.

“Told you to come out and face me.”

Her voice almost came out steady. I’d have to do something about that.

Taking a step forward, my cock brushed the front of her dress, making it twitch in excitement. Her breath hitched in response.

“After that part.”

Her knuckles bleached white from clutching the frame too tightly. Stubbornness and pride kept her feet glued where she stood.

Nerves were visibly fraying as Eve subconsciously dragged her tongue over her lips, wetting them in a display that set off filthy thoughts in my mind. A low groan spilled out of me. The idea of that sassy mouth of hers stretched around my fat cock made me even harder.

“I’d hire witches to curse you.” Her words came out breathier this time.

“Mm, after that. I believe you called me something.” Maybe that would jog her memory, which currently appeared to be short-circuiting.

Those pretty lips pressed together, parting in what sounded more like a prayer than any curse she had threatened me with.

“Barnabel.”

The sound of it still felt abrasive on pieces of my fragile demon ego. Yet it only made me more determined to push her a little further down this slippery slope where we both ended up sweaty and bruised.

“Ah, right. That was it.” I erased the distance between us, my hand anchored itself onto the back of her neck, my fingers carding through her soft locks.

She wanted this confrontation, and now she would get it.

“Listen clearly, Little Spade. The only time you get to use that name is while you’re coming hard all over my dick. I’m talking about the type of orgasm that makes you question if you’ll ever come back up for air or if you’ll die with my cum drying on your thighs.”

A slow grind of my hips smeared the precum leaking from the tip of my length onto the front of her dress to drive my point home.

Ducking my head down to her level, I murmured against her lips, “And you’ll beg for it to happen all over again.”

Eve choked on air and her own spit. When she realized my hold on her neck prevented escape, the fiery temper came barreling back in.