Twisting away from him, I force some lightness back into my tone and say, “Tell you what. I’ll make you a deal.”
“What makes you think you’re in a position to negotiate, scarecrow?” He gives me his crooked smile, and I know I’ve already won him over.
“Here’s my offer. The top stays on, but I’ll keep the bottoms off. Fornow.”
“You drive a hard bargain, darling, but I’ll accept. Fornow.”
He leads me to the sofa and draws me into his lap, his wings wrapping around me like a protective blanket. Pressing his lips to the top of my head, he murmurs, “And you’re sleeping in my bed from now on, too.”
“On the roof?”
“In the bedroom.”
I reach for my tea and take a warm, comforting sip. “But you won’t even be there.”
“I’ll be there until sunrise. And after that, I want my bed to smell like you. Yet another reason you won’t be wearing bottoms for the foreseeable future.” He trails a hand up my bare thigh, drawing lazy circles with the tips of his claws. I’ve seen those things shred fabric like it’s a wet napkin, yet his touch is so gentle, it could put me to sleep.
I’m just starting to drift into a comfortable daze when the front door opens, announcing the return of the other three gargoyles.
And I’m sitting here half-naked on the fourth gargoyle’s lap, both of us very obviously, very thoroughly, very recently fucked.
I bolt upright so fast I nearly douse Jude in tea. “Where are my shorts?”
Jude reaches behind his back and yanks out my rumpled shorts and panties, then promptly tosses them into the fire.
“Jude!”
Flashing me the psychotic grin that’s never far from his lips, he says, “I’ll buy you new eggplant shorts, scarecrow, but a deal is a deal.”
“This issonot fair.”
He cocks his head. “What’s that? Footsteps? Sounds like they’re almost here. You’ve got a decision to make. Storm out of here with your bare arse out for all to see—and a fine arse it is, mind you—or stay here under the privacy of my wings and keep my cock warm.”
“Those are both terrible choices.”
“Not for me.” He draws his wings tight, pulling me in closer.
“Fine.” With a resigned sigh, I say, “Butdon’tget any sicko ideas.”
“When it comes to you, I’vealwaysgot sicko ideas. Now stop squirming, or I might accidentally slip and end up inside you again.” He arches his hips, the thick head of his cock sliding along my entrance.
I’m not sure I recognize the sound that comes out of my mouth. But before I can give myself over to another red-hot moment of debauchery, I hear Rook mumbling something to Draegan, and I know I’ve got mere seconds before they all burst in on the scene.
I’m trapped, nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the dirty, intoxicating warmth of the craziest gargoyle in the manor.
“Good girl,” Jude whispers, nuzzling my ear as I relax into his hold. “Perhaps I’ll reward you later with another thorough gargoyle dicking.”
I lean my head back against his chest and sigh again, fairly certain I won’t survive another one ofthose… yet counting down the hours until it happens again anyway.
“Look what the kitty cat dragged in,” he says, his voice rumbling right through me as Draegan, Auggie, and Rook lope into the study. “About time you lot showed up. We were bored out of our skulls waiting for you.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
ROOK
The entire room smells of fire and debauchery—Jude’s signature scent.
“Bored?” Auggie laughs, taking in the full spectacle—furniture in disarray, a glass vase shattered on the floor, West sitting on Jude’s lap with her hair a complete wreck and her cheeks bright pink, unable to make eye contact with the rest of us. “Is that what the kids are calling it now?”
