Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“But?”
“There’s no ‘but’.” Cain dropped a kiss onto the tip of her nose. “I just mean that, despite owning your soul, I very much like the thought of also being preternaturally tied to you.” Wynter always felt slightly out of his reach due to her partly belonging to a deity. Which was another reason why owning her soul satisfied him so thoroughly—his claim to her now ran deeper than Kali’s ever could.
Also, it gave him a sense of security that he didn’t like admitting he needed. But when you were the son of Satan, it surely wouldn’t be so surprising that you didn’t have complete faith in your ability to keep the people who mattered to you close.
“So you really want this, then?” she asked.
“I do.” He wanted to know she accepted him to such an extent that she also wholeheartedly accepted his monster. She’d assured him that she did, and he wholeheartedly believed her. But her agreement on this would prove and cement it, and Cain found that he needed that.
Her brow flicked up. “And how much of that is because you’d then feel I was officially trapped in this relationship?”
Cain licked the inside of his lower lip. “I don’t want you to ever feel ‘trapped’ with me but, as I said before, I want you bound to me in as many ways as possible.”
“You think I might one day leave you?”
“Haven’t we been over this before? You might try, but you’d only find yourself chained to my bed.”
She gave him a droll look. “Ah, yes, I did forget that.” Pausing, she twisted her mouth. “Was Lilith’s consort bound to her creature before he died?”
“Yes. It would have allowed nothing less.” When it came to Wynter, neither would Cain’s own creature. And, not viewing itself as a monster, it didn’t see why Wynter wouldn’t agree to make such a commitment to it. But Cain did, so he added, “You don’t need to make a decision now. Give it some thought. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes, I can do that.”
“Good.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Now let’s shove aside all serious discussions so we can enjoy the rest of our evening.”
“I’m absolutely up for that.”
“Thought you might be.” He let his gaze drop down her body. She might only be dressed in a t-shirt and panties, but . . . “You’re wearing far too many clothes.”
“You know, I was just gonna say the same to you.”
“Hmm, well, I think we should both do something about this little situation.”
She smiled. “You know what? Sometimes, it’s like one mind.”
“Strip for me. Slowly.” He took a step back and folded his arms, expectant. “I want to take a good, long look at what’s mine before I ravish you.”
“Ravish, huh? Awesome. Because you’re rather good at it.”
“Why, thank you. Now strip.” He narrowed his eyes when she swiftly whipped off the tee. “I said slowly.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot.”
“Did you? Did you really?”
“No. No, not really.” A slow grin curved her mouth. “Why, you gonna punish me?”
“I’m going to fucking defile you.”
A delicious wariness flickered in her eyes, calling to the predator in him.
“Define ‘defile’,” she said.
He smiled. “I’d rather just show you.”
Chapter Four
After eating breakfast with Cain the next morning, Wynter strode through the arched hallways of his Keep as she made her way to the exit. The tall, cylindrical building was seriously impressive. A fusion of the old and the new. It boasted many state-of-the-art features, but she was more wowed by the imperial staircases and domed, frescoed ceilings that made her think of cathedrals.
She was also a fan of the stained glass windows that came in different shapes and sizes. It was difficult to tell from the inside, but the Keep was constructed of black stone. The shimmer of magick embedded in said stones prevented the exterior from looking dull.
Wynter skimmed her eyes over one of her favorite paintings as she passed it. Cain had long ago told her that he was an avid collector, but she’d sensed that much from the display of rare books, artwork, and sculptures in his Keep. Of course, the fact that he’d been so intrigued at the thought of having rights to an undead soul also gave her a clue.
Exiting through the Keep’s thick wooden doors, Wynter then walked through the bailey, passing several buildings such as the brewery, bakehouse, and stables. People hung around said buildings or stood in the courtyard, talking. The fine hairs on her body lifted at the odd looks some slid her way. Others avoided meeting her eyes altogether. Lovely.
Yeah, she’d figured that Adam’s claims, threats, and very generous offers would garner her such attention. That asshole needed to have his insides ripped out.
Wynter notched up her chin and kept moving. She strolled through the arched opening in the stark walls that surrounded the Keep and bailey. Her home was thankfully only a short walk away.