Page 68 of Sinful Curses
That was how he lived his life, and he’d been quite content to keep it that way… until her. And now, his stubborn little enchantress remained focused on the door when she should be answering his question.
He yearned to hear her say those words, and then he’d….
You’ll what? Finally tell her the truth? Commit yourself to only one woman?
A few months ago, that idea would have curdled his insides. Just one woman? For eternity? Hell would have been a better alternative to that mundane existence.
Now, it didn’t sound so awful. They might eventually kill each other, but they’d have a lot of fun before then.
Orin scowled as Sahira remained staring at the door. He wanted a response from her. “Are you going to answer me?”
Finally, her eyes flicked to him; they’d returned to their beautiful amber color. Strands of her mahogany hair had fallen free to frame her beautiful face as her bun had shifted down to her nape.
The stick she’d used to bind it up fell out a little, and his fingers twitched with the impulse to pull it free. He enjoyed running his fingers through the silken strands and the way the different hues of it glistened in the light.
“There is no bigfuckingdeal,” she said. “Have sex with anyone you want; I don’t care.”
He managed to keep himself from flinching as the words cut deeper than he’d expected or would have believed possible. Why did this woman affect him so much?
“Then why do you keep throwing the nymph in my face?” he growled. “If it doesn’t matter, then let it go.”
A muscle twitched in her cheek, and distress flickered through her eyes before she suppressed it and looked away again. It would be so much easier if she would let the nymph go; then he’d never have to tell her the truth.
But nothing with his stubborn witch wasevereasy.
“Would it have made a difference if I didn’t sleep with her?” he asked.
“A difference in what?”
“You know what,” he snarled.
She flinched a little before closing her eyes and swallowing again. When she focused on the door again, a small tremor ran through her. As much as he’d like to choke her, he also longed to draw her into his arms so he could comfort her and forget this mess.
A mess you created.
Oh, shut up.
He didn’t know when he’d developed a bit of a conscience, but it was really starting to piss him off.
“There were other women after her; you were more than happy to make sure I saw you with them all,” Sahira said.
This time, he was the one who flinched. What had he done? And why couldn’t he open his mouth and fix it?
Because then she would have all the control, and he was a little afraid she might choose to destroy him with it. And even more scared she could.
“That’s not what I asked; would it have made a difference?” he demanded.
Red flashed through her eyes as she turned toward him again. “I’m not playing this stupid, pointless game with you! It doesn’t matter. There’s no way of knowing, and you can’t change the past. You made your choices and will make them again once we’re free of this realm! For once in your life, could you stop being a selfish asshole and let me out of here!”
“You’re right, I am a selfish asshole, and that’s why you willnotfeed from the demon or the witch. You’re mine, and you better realize it.”
When she didn’t say anything but stood there staring at him like she didn’t recognize him, an uneasy feeling settled over him. He didn’t recognize himself either, at least not when it came to her.
Tired of her, tired of this battle between them, and tired of himself, he lowered his hand from the door. He’d never been uncertain about anything in his life.
He’d always taken what he wanted and done what needed to be done. That was who he was, but she made him question everything.
As their gazes continued to hold, he searched for some sign of uncertainty in her eyes, but there was only a cool distance.
