squirmed.
“Tell me,” he said, holding her still as he ran the edge of his cock over her swollen lips. “Tell me you want this.”
She threw her head back. “Yes! Yes!”
He thrust into her, gripping her hips with bruising force. He pulled her back against him as he plunged into her savagely. He pressed his lips to her damp temple, cupping her sex in his hand as he continued to pump his hips. “This is mine,” he told her, voice thick. “It always will be.”
She broke apart, shattering into a thousand tiny pieces as her release crashed through her and milked his cock with such force that he growled. She cried out his name over and over again as he drove into her. Julian’s arms tightened around her. One more deep thrust and he came, shouting her name. Panting and slick with sweat, he brought her down to the bed.
Minutes, maybe hours, passed before either of them could form a coherent thought, let alone a whole sentence. He tugged her across his chest, running his hand through her hair idly. They lay together, tangled in each other’s arms, while Julian made her laugh with his twisted take on current affairs and she fascinated him with tales of her training and first battle.
Her cell phone beeped from the bedside table. She didn’t remember dropping it there when she returned to her apartment. Reluctantly, she wiggled out of his embrace and snatched her cell. Flipping it open, she quickly scrolled to her texts while Julian dropped a line of delicious kisses down her spine.
“I could nibble right here,” he murmured, catching the flesh just above her hip between his teeth. “Or here…”
She glanced over her shoulder at him, grinning. “You’re insufferable.”
He chuckled against the small of her back. “You like my kind of suffering.”
That she did, but she opened Luke’s text: U need to go to Nate NOW. Her heart sank, and, just like that, the cocoon around them unraveled. Reality crashed over her. She was in trouble, big trouble.
Julian stilled behind her. “What is it?”
Snapping her phone shut, she twisted around. Concern—for her—dampened the heat in his eyes. She cupped his cheek, leaned in, and kissed him. When she pulled back, she forced a smile. “Nothing, but I have to get ready and go.”
His gaze dropped to the phone in her hand. “It’s the Sanctuary?”
She nodded. “I need to go to Nathaniel. If I don’t, there’s a good chance he’ll come here.”
A different kind of heat flared in his eyes. “Let him.”
She kissed him again. “It’ll be okay. Nathaniel has been like a father to me. He’ll be pissed, but he’ll get over it.” She hoped that was the case.
He pulled her against him, holding her tightly to his chest. He rested his chin atop her head. “I don’t want you to go back there.”
“Julian…”
“Because I can’t follow you there,” he said. No Fallen or minion could enter the Sanctuary, as the ground was blessed. “If something were to happen, I can’t help.”
Warmth spread through her chest as she wiggled free, catching his chin in her hand. She forced him to look at her. “Nothing is going to happen to me there. I’ll be okay. You have nothing to worry about.”
He didn’t let go at first, but then he did release his hold…and followed her into the shower. And when they stood under the hot spray of water, he stared down at her with such tenderness in his gaze that she felt those tears again building behind her eyes. Then he lifted her, pressing her back against the tiled wall, entering her slowly. For a little while, as he brought her to the edge and back, she let herself forget what was waiting for her outside her apartment.
A few hours later, Lily walked through the front lobby of the Sanctuary. When Sandy didn’t respond to her greeting, she felt the flush of anger and embarrassment all the way to the tips of her ears. It was obvious Micah had not kept quiet. She was going to kick Micah again. She could see it, and it filled her with a vicious amount of happiness.
That pleasure was short-lived.
The moment she stepped inside Nathaniel’s office, a coldness settled over her skin and seeped into her bones. This was going to suck in more ways than she could count.
Nathaniel came out of one of the smaller rooms, dressed in full evening attire. Lily stared, wide-eyed. She couldn’t help it. He was a handsome man—okay, more than just handsome. He was one of the best-looking men around, and in all his current finery he would even give Julian a run for his money.
The only thing misplaced was the black tie that hung around his neck undone. Lily had a sinking suspicion that she had held him up. Nathaniel attended a lot of the “important” dinners in the city, keeping an eye on politicians. Most likely Senator Sharpe and his cronies.
And she had royally screwed that up judging by the displeasure on his face.
“Do you have any idea what I was pulled out of?” he asked, but before she could answer, he continued. “I was at a dinner—a fund-raiser hosted by Senator Sharpe. The same one we know is tied to Asmodeus. I was there to see if I could gain any insight on what he was doing. However, that didn’t work out, now did it?”
“I’m so—”
“Don’t apologize,” he cut her off.
She fidgeted by the door, trying to smile. It came across as a grimace. “I guess Luke told you?”
Nathaniel didn’t respond as he walked past her, slamming the door shut. She jumped a good three inches off the ground.
“I should explain—I mean, I can explain.” He stopped in front of her. All six foot six inches of him glowered down at her. She swallowed heavily. “Nathaniel, I—”
“There is nothing you could possibly ever say that would explain to me why you attacked one of your own in favor of a Fallen. Absolutely nothing, Lily.” He didn’t mince words. “Do you even know how disappointed I am right now?”
Oh, she could take a guess. It probably ranked somewhere near epic level. She stared down at the floor. The weight of his disapproval and anger pounded on her. “Yes.”
“No. I don’t believe you do know.” He prowled a small circle around her. “I never thought I would hear myself say this, but here I am. I don’t believe anything you’re about to tell me.”
She couldn’t really remember when she had seen him this mad. She had pulled some pretty wild stunts as a teenager, but even then he looked at her fondly. Now, when Lily had the courage to sneak a peek at him, his stare was as cold as glaciers.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” he repeated as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “You attacked Micah. Nearly broke his damn jaw. And all you can say is ‘I’m sorry’?”
“He kind of deserved it?” she joked weakly.
His grip tightened. “Are you fucking serious?”
Her eyes went wide. There was a chance that joking had been a very bad idea. “I know I have a lot to explain and I will. Give me a chance.”
He stared at her for a hard moment before releasing her. He threw his hand up at her to talk.
“Julian had walked away from Micah,” said Lily, even though his eyes narrowed warningly. “Micah tried to attack him, and I couldn’t let him.” Need a good reason, one that does not involve attraction. “Not after all the times Julian has come to my aid. I couldn’t let him be taken down like that.”
His brows shot straight up, and then he laughed. “You think to lie to me? You’re beyond infatuated with Julian! Enough to risk everything you have worked for!”
“I am not infatuated with him,” she denied, and God, it sounded lame.
“Damn it, Lily. I don’t need this right now.” He went to his desk. “I don’t need you becoming the next big problem.”
Her skin prickled. She closed her eyes, wetting her lips nervously. “What do you want me to say?”
“You can’t say what I want you to say,” he responded quietly. “You and I both know the truth, and half of the circle already suspects the worst. All eyes are on you.”
Yeah, she figured that out when Micah accused her, but to hear Nathaniel say it was like getting kicked in
