Page 45 of Devil’s Reign

“Do you ever sleep?” she asks, shutting the door behind us.

“What?” I glance at her, caught off guard. Now that we’re alone in my room, sleep is the last thing on my mind. My eyes drift to my bed, to the nightstand where I had her pinned last night, and my cock stiffens. Fuck. It’s crazy how quickly she gets me hard.

“You’re never around here during the day. I assume you’re out doing your shady business. But then you still make time for Zvezda every night. So… do you ever sleep?”

I frown, genuinely confused. Of all the things I expected her to say tonight, this never even crossed my mind. But I answer anyway, “I only need three or four hours of sleep, at most.”

She purses her lips. “I could never. Three or four hours is a good nap for me. Do you know how much I appreciate a good nap? More than my life, maybe. Sleeping in is the best thing since sliced bread. Have you never rotted a day away before? It’s the closest I’ve felt to heaven.” She’s rambling now, and I shake my head, not even sure what she means. Rot a day away? Is this some generational gap?

“Heaven isn’t something I aspire to,” I tell her. “So I might as well take advantage of every waking hour I have left on earth…”

“You never feel exhausted? Your body could just crash one day, you know? That’s not healthy.”

I don’t think she’s listening.

“I’m fine.”

I meet her eyes as I shrug off my jacket. What does she really want? If the fluttering of her hands is any indication, she’s nervous. “Your eyes are getting darker,” she observes. “Did you know they do that sometimes? What are you thinking?”

More rambling. I smirk as I undo the buttons of my shirt and slide the fabric off. Her eyes drop to my bare chest, her lips parting, pupils dilating—yet her feet remain rooted in place. How far can I push her? With a quick flick of my fingers, my belt comes undone, and the leather falls to the floor with a whisper.

Melani licks her lips nervously, and my heart rate kicks up as she takes a few tentative steps towards me. Closer. Closer. Until she’s standing right in front of me. After a brief hesitation that feels like an eternity, she raises her hands and places them flat against my chest, fingers spread wide. The touch is light, but hot enough to scorch. My lungs drag in air slowly, heavily, because if I breathe too fast, she’ll know what she’s doing to me. My cock stirs, thickening against the inside of my pants, and I grit my teeth.

“You’re attracted to me, right? You feel this too,” she asks softly. And for some reason, it reminds me of her mother’s words. You’re falling for him.

Her denial was instantaneous, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s a tendril of truth to it. Could she be falling for me? Do I want her to? I force my breathing to remain steady, even as my cock betrays me, pressing hard and insistently against the seam of my trousers. The thought of her falling for me creates a strange warmth in my chest.

I ignore it as I stare down at her, my jaw tight. “What do you want?”

Her cheeks flush red, her eyes flickering with nerves, but she pushes on. “I can—I can get you off.”

That knocks the air out of me. I shouldn’t let her continue, but I want to hear every filthy word that spills from her pretty mouth. I want to watch her blush deepen, want her to tell me exactly how she plans on touching me.

“In exchange for a favor,” she adds softly.

My cock throbs almost painfully now. She has no idea what she’s walking into. I let my mouth twist into a dark smirk. My voice drags with deliberate provocation.

“Get me off? How? Tell me in explicit detail how you intend to get me off.” Please.

Her eyes snap to mine, wide, then dart away. She’s trembling, but I can feel her heat. She wants this. I can see it in the way her body tilts toward mine, like she’s losing the internal battle with herself.

“I—I could suck you off.”

Her words go straight to my dick. I go completely still, my teeth grinding together until my jaw aches. I want her mouth on me so badly it nearly scrambles my thoughts—but I won’t make this easy for her.

“Suck me off?” I push, my tone teasing despite the throb between my legs. “Where? My fingers? My neck? Say the words, sweetheart.” Her lashes flutter. She sways into me, like she’s already imagining it in vivid detail. My cock jerks at the thought that she’s probably wet right now, just from talking about it.

“I mean your dick. I’ll suck your dick.”

I nearly groan, but I manage to swallow it down. My voice comes out lower, huskier than I mean it to. “How?”

“I’ll get on my knees… slowly take you—your dick out of your pants… and lick and suck until you’re groaning my name. Do you want that?”

Fuck. Her answer shreds my control. Hearing her speak filthily in that soft, breathy tone—my body screams yes with every fiber. I try to maintain my smirk, but it dies on my face because I want it too much. I can’t pretend otherwise. I sink my hand into her hair, tugging her head back so her eyes meet mine. Her pupils are blown wide, her lips parted on a shallow breath. I want to bend down and taste her, but I force myself to hold the line. My voice comes out rough.

“And what do you want in exchange? I’m not letting you go.” I’m never letting her go.

She shakes her head quickly. “No, not that. I want to know what happened to my brother. You know, right?”