Sweet Temptation (The Sweet Trilogy #4)(88)

I feel a wicked smile spread across my face because she’s figured it out and she’s playing along. She’s the most sexy and spectacular creature on earth.

Let’s do this, Anna.

“I’m only here as a precaution,” I tell her. “To be sure our little daughter of Belial is behaving properly.”

It’s vital that she knows what’s at stake and that she trusts me for what’s to come. Anna’s breath hitches and her eyes widen as if she’s frantically searching for something to say.

“I heard you don’t even like Neph girls.”

I laugh and jerk my head to the side, flicking the hair from my eyes. Then I close the space between us. “I don’t. But I’m willing to make sacrifices for the greater evil.”

Don’t show innocence, I want to beg her. Be hard. Be tough. Act like you don’t care.

“So, what are you saying?” she asks with attitude. “The Dukes don’t think I’m working? Is that why they’re sending every Neph to question me and fight me?”

Fight her? I was under the impression she hadn’t had any contact with the other Neph. Bloody hell.

“Just covering all the bases,” I tell her. “They know you’re pushing alcohol, but you weren’t exactly a well-rounded worker at that summit, yeah?”

Her eyes flash with indignant anger. “That was a year and a half ago. I’m very well rounded now.”

“Prove it.”

I press her hard against the wall and slant my mouth over hers. She lets out the tiniest yelp of pain, and I have to stop myself from backing off to see if she’s all right. I wasn’t being gentle, but I also hadn’t been rough enough to hurt her. I move past the awkward pause and focus again on her mouth. Anna’s hands go to my chest. Her nails dig in and grasp my T-shirt. That’s it, Anna.

The side of my body chills like it’s been hit by a cold breeze, and a wet, bubbling sound of ecstasy fills my head. Fucking demon. Anna cringes and I turn to glare at the spirit, who’s right in my face.

“Bit of a turnoff when you do that,” I say through clenched teeth. “Mind shutting up?”

I hope it will back off long enough for us to give a decent show before I attempt to send it away. I take Anna’s warm mouth again, but I’m finding it hard to focus on the charade. I want to savor my girl, and I can’t think like that right now. I have to think of this like a job. Like a random hookup.

I can’t let myself feel for her right now.

I kiss her harder. She doesn’t melt into me like she usually does, but she’s not pushing me away, so I press on. Father’s whisperer is not going to want me to take my time with Anna. I have to get to business.

My shirt comes off first. I’m craving her touch all over my bare skin, but she’s acting sort of stunned by what’s happening. When I reach for the hem of her T-shirt, her arms automatically lock down to her body.

C’mon, Anna . . . trust me.

With a resigned expression, she raises her arms and I tug the shirt over her head, then our bodies are together again. Oh, God. No bra. She’s bare-chested. For the first time, I can feel the soft and taut parts of her touching my own skin. Her arms go around my neck, tight with tension. I release a series of curses in my mind. I want to look down. I know, I’m a pig, but I’m dying to see every bit of her. However, she’s as stiff as a board, so I pretend her naked chest is no big deal to me—not worth checking out.

It’s time to take this to the next level by removing more clothing. I continue to hope Anna won’t throw on the brakes.

Just a bit longer, I want to tell her.

But the biggest part of this show hasn’t even happened yet.

I kiss down her neck to her shoulder and slide my hot hands down her back. My fingers easily push past the elastic of her sleeping shorts, and then her underwear, until I’m cupping her bare arse.

This is the most perfectly f*cked-up moment of my life, because having her ass in my hands is heaven, and I should not feel that way right now. My body is so overcome I can’t move. She’s mine and I want her.

Then I remember that my most heavenly moment is being closely scrutinized by a demon.

Still overcome, I manage to say, “Take them off.”

Anna freezes. We don’t look at each other. We have about two seconds to make this look believable—two seconds before she reacts or I rip them off myself.

“You don’t have to be such an ass!” she snaps.

That fiery voice is just what I need to hear. She is livid, but still playing along. Anna will not strip herself, so I will do it for her. A dark part of me is loving every minute of this—thrilled that I will finally be naked with Anna Whitt, even if it won’t lead to sex. I turn her and push her onto the bed, refusing to look at her face as I kneel above her. Before she’s settled I grab the material at her beautiful hips and pull it down her legs.

A single sight catches my eye and puts the dark part of me to rest. There’s a bruise on her thigh, and as I pull her shorts the rest of the way off, I see a series of purple-greenish markings down her calves. I stop breathing. My sweet girl has been injured.

Badly.

Fury burns like heated coals under my skin. Who did this to her?

The whisperer gurgles and flies over us, excited. I can’t stop to demand answers. With great effort I force myself not to stare at her bruises, or her breasts, or . . . well, anywhere.