It’ll be better to lay the blame for any polite decline at her door than risk our alliance.
The formal knock reverberates around the loft and Elgios makes his presence well and truly known. The atmosphere changes and even Adriana should be able to feel the coolness sweeping through the rooms.
“He’s here,” I yell, “and he’s brought a guest.”
“I’m not ready,” Adriana screams back.
I roll my eyes, ruing how we’ve descended into the hellish reality of matrimonial bliss without the fucking marriage.
“Hurry up,” I roar. “Don’t make me punish you for being late.”
My girl giggles and it ought to annoy me. Adriana’s been using what happened in Hell as an excuse to hide behind and she’s pushing my fucking limits. She’s testing how far she can go and she’s heading for a punishment—and she’s got another thing coming if she thinks it’ll be enjoyable.
Adriana enjoys a spanking, but she won’t enjoy the punishment I have in mind for her. She’s playing with fire and she’s going to get burned. Badly if she keeps this up.
Elgios rings the doorbell, and the banality of his arrival amuses me. I flick my fingers and it opens, letting me turn around and receive him in all my glory.
He stops, dips his head, and tilts his head. “I’ve misunderstood the dress code. I’d assumed it was human form tonight.”
The submissive at his feet drops to the floor, prostrating herself like she damn well should. Her red hair is braided off her face but allowed to fall in curls down her back, but it fails to cover her pretty figure. Not as pretty as Adriana, but the demon is appealing, nonetheless.
“I think it's best if she keeps this form.”
It's the option most likely to result in an outcome we'll all benefit from.
Elgios grins knowingly and changes, turning into the ice blue frost demon I know well. His edges are sharp and his features severe, as cold as the glaciers that grind down souls as they run through Hell.
He's handsome, if brutality as cold as ice is your thing. It's never been mine, but Elgios does well with women and men alike.
“Drink?”
“Of course,” he replies.
I pour two exceptionally large brandies.
“What does she want?” I ask.
“It doesn’t matter. She's misbehaved.” Elgios grins, enjoying her punishment. “Which reminds me, where is yours? I've been looking forward to seeing that girl of yours in formal attire.”
It's my turn to grin, hiding my irritation at Adriana for being so fucking late. “She's making sure she's presentable. It's her first formal occasion.”
Elgios nods and sips his brandy. “I have the privilege of being her first. I hear she put on quite the performance for the Oracle. That cunt's probably fucked his fist sore over her.”
Adriana is gaining a reputation, and while I value her prestige, it's also dangerous. Too much interest in her might tempt others to try their luck and Mordecai might use that to his advantage.
It also won't save her from my wrath, which is building rapidly on account of her being so fucking late.
“ADRIANA.”
A beat of silence sounds and then a door slams shut. Footsteps hurry across the floor and stop. A door creaks open and Adriana saunters down the stairs as if she didn't just rush to avoid landing herself in even more trouble.
She's fucking stunning.
Her hair is pulled back in a high ponytail and the strappy underwear covers little of her body. Its rings and buckles match the gold of my collar and her tits have never looked so fuckingtempting. Her legs are just as irresistible and her ass looks spectacular in the thong.
And her scarlet lipstick is the perfect addition.
I'm going to fuck her senseless for being so bold. Those lips are going to wrap themselves around my cock and her makeup is going to run as she cries from the force of me fucking her face.
