Page 45 of Reverence

Feel the faint brush of his fingertips against my skin.

A quiet exhale escaped me before I could stop it.

“Am I stubborn?” I countered, forcing my voice to remain steady. “Or are you simply not accustomed to women who challenge you or refuse your help?”

His fingers caught the zipper and he drew it upward slowly.

“You’re the only woman who challenges me.”

His voice was lower now as he reached the top of the zipper and gave it one final tug, pulling me subtly closer in the process.

“We’re partners,” he said firmly.

His gaze met mine through the mirror.

“The sooner you come to terms with that, the better. You’re only making things more difficult for yourself.”

“Accept it and make things easier for you?” I scoffed. “I don’t think so.”

He studied me for several seconds then his hand came beneath my chin, tilting my head backward.

The sudden movement caught me off guard but I quickly recovered, clearing my throat.

“Get your hand away from me.” I slapped his hand aside.

“You need to change your necklace.” He completely ignored my protest. “There’s a camera hidden in this one.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver necklace, dangling it beside my face.

A deep-red ruby sat at its centre, a silver serpent coiled around the stone.

I reached for it but Ares immediately pulled it out of reach.

“Hold your hair up.” I didn’t move, didn’t comply.

He reached forward, gathered my hair into his fist, and gave it a small tug. “Hold it.”

I hissed, glaring at him through the mirror.

“By the time I’m through with you, you’ll be saying please after every one of your demands.”

The corner of his mouth lifted after my words echoed in the air.

A smug grin.

“Either way, I’ll get what I want, with or without politeness.”

He tugged my hair again, clearly daring me to continue the argument. Clearly, he still hadn’t learned that I wasn’t the type to back down.

I drove my elbow into his stomach and he released a grunt, stumbling back half a step.

Satisfaction coursed through my veins and I lifted my hair, smiling sweetly at him.

He glared at me, one hand clutching his stomach.

“Better?”

His expression promised retaliation but he recovered quickly.