“Tell me,” he demands between licks, lashing my clit with the flat of his tongue. “Does this change nothing? How many times do I have to fuck you for you to be mine?”
Good gods.He’s never going to let that go.
“How about this?” I gasp. “I’ll be yours the day you decide to be mine.”
“Done.” He sinks his tongue inside me and rubs my clit ferociously with his thumb.
I explode, pleasure seizing my entire body as I come. When it becomes too much, I grab his hair and push his face away, freezing entirely as I get a good look at him. “R-Riven. The face.Yourface. It’s back!”
He stares at me in shock as I use my grip on his hair to turn his head, examining it from every angle. A band of static rolls over his lips, and the amber snaps back into place, concealing and dulling his features until there’s nothing left of the man who devoured me on the floor.
“Was it the same one?” he asks.
I nod. “Did you feel anything?”
He glances at the erection straining against his pants. “Nothing but pleasure.”
“I can work with that.” Heart pounding, I grab his hand, lead him to the floor-length mirror mounted to the wall, and drop to my knees. “Watch yourself,” I whisper.
I undo his pants and pull them down slowly, letting them pool around his ankles.
His hands land in my hair, and I hear his sharp intake of breath as I lick the head of his cock before sucking it into my mouth. I’m determined to drive him so wild that he has no choice but to see what I see. If I can give Riven his first look at himself... gods,I want that. There’s no pretending I don’t. But that means making him forget why we’re here, which is easier said than done. Especially in front of a mirror.
Riven massages my scalp while I lick him all over. When his fingers spasm in my hair, I increase my speed, sucking harder and swallowing around his crown.
He may not see himself today, but he will remember this.
“That feelsamazing.” His voice trembles, and I shiver at the sound. I’m the one on my knees, but the only one falling apart is him. Breathing through my nose, I press down until the tip grazes his pelvis. “Darling, please.”
I ignore the burn in my throat, soaking up every desperate moan. Then I pull off and suck the tip gently. The change in pressure is too much for Riven. His grip on my hair tightens until my scalp stings and he comes in my mouth, gasping and trembling as I swallow every drop.
When I glance up, he’s not focused on the mirror at all anymore. He’s staring at me instead, his amber features more relaxed than I’ve ever seen them. “Did you look?” I ask, my voice husky.
“For a while.” Riven traces my puffy lips with his thumb. “But why would I watch you through a mirror when I have the real thing in front of me?”
“But—”
“Your face is more precious to me than mine could ever be.”
I smile and let him pull me to my feet. This isn’t over. Riven deserves a face of his own, and I won’t give up until he has it.
THIRTY-EIGHT
Traditionalnish thatshabetrothal vow:
Just as no echelon truly stands alone, neither will you.
MALACH
The house is alive. Staff are darting around, and the air is heavy with tension. It’s more than that, though. Beneath the fear and worry, there’s a layer of hope.
I see it in the half smiles theeluunangels wear as they work. It’s the look of someone who’s been gifted a beam of light after decades living in darkness.
Lyklan and I walk to S’lach’s study in silence, but our passage doesn’t go unnoticed. Several angels glance our way, averting their eyes once I notice them. The deference makes me uncomfortable. A tangible sign that the Fringes changed me.
Lyklan enjoys attention of another kind. Giggles, a few winks, and more blatant flirting than I’ve ever seen in the celestial realm. As I’m closing the study door, three angels sigh in disappointment.
“You’ve accumulated some admirers,” I say drily.
