Page 57 of Demon’s Temptation

“Then tell me. Please, would you just tell me what’s going on? Does this have something to do with what happened tonight? With Victor?”

“Don’t!” The word exploded from him. He clenched and unclenched his fists against the adrenaline, the emotion pumping through his veins. “Don’t say that fucker’s name. Not ever again.”

Her gaze sharpened and she narrowed her eyes. “You’re keeping something from me, something I need to know, and I want you to tell me. Now.”

He stared at her, heart racing, gut churning, sweat sliding down his spine. He had to tell her all the details of his sordid past. Garrett had made sure of that. He wanted to be sick.

She stared at him for several seconds, those dark exotic eyes seeing so much more than he ever realized.

Brent swallowed past the lump in his throat, gently set her back from him, and paced to the other side of the room. He turned back to her. “When I was about to go through my transition, right when my incubus side was about to come forward, someone sensed it in me. It’d already been affecting me. I was having these blackouts, waking up with random strangers, not sure how I got there, feeling like I was hungover when I knew I hadn’t been drinking. I had no idea what was going on. And a…a demon recognized that in me, and before I could hit the knights’ radar, he came for me.”

Chaya froze, all color washing from her face. “What?” She took a step closer.

He shook his head, stopping her, asking her without words to stay where she was or he couldn’t get through this.

He shoved his fingers through his hair. “He took me to a place…there were demons and demi mainly, occasionally others as well. I was afraid, but he made it impossible to resist. He was sex and seduction, and the budding demon in me wanted what he had to offer in that place. A short time later, I went through my transition and I had no control over any part of it. I gorged on the emotions around me. I was…drunk on it. And I let them…use me. I begged for it, Chaya.” He curled his fingers into fists to stop his hands from shaking. “Begged for it.”

Chaya’s eyes filled with pain. “Brent…”

“That’s how Lazarus found me. Two months later. Naked and drunk on emotion, fucking…submitting, to anyone and everyone…letting them fuck me. I hadn’t been eating, didn’t know what day it was, how long I’d been there. I had lost myself completely.” He shook his head. “Beating the demon inside me, fighting against what it wanted all the time, and regaining my control, was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. That’s why I play the Dom, Chaya. It forces me to maintain that control. And that was why I resisted you. Because I wanted you—want you—like I’ve wanted nothing else in my life. The taste of your emotions, they’re like a fucking ambrosia to me, and the hunger I feel in the pit of my stomach every time I see you, the soul deep ache, the desperate need to sink inside you and stay there, threatens that control. I have to fight it every moment I’m with you. And tonight, it won.” He was breathing heavily when he finished.

She stared at him, eyes bright, and shook her head. “No. It didn’t win. I saw you. You were right there with me the whole time. Deep inside you know. You know, Brent.” Her eyes gentled. “You didn’t lose control…baby, you finally let go.”

Brent froze. He thought again about the stillness, the peace, the feeling of being…loved. Is that what happened?

She moved to the bed, sat on the side, and lifted her arms. “Come here.”

He was helpless to resist and moved toward her. Kicking off his shoes, he climbed onto the bed. They lay down and she wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, pressing kisses to his throat, his jaw. “What he did to you. I’m so sorry.”

“There’s more, Chay,” he rasped. “That photo you were looking at when I came for you tonight. That male…”

She stilled in his arms. “That was you?”

“Yes,” he said hollowly. “That’s why I freaked out. Victor, he has something to do with that time in my life. He targeted you because of me. I’ve been hunting them, taking down those I recognized, the ones who used us, seduced us. They want me to back off and they’re using you to get to me.”

Chaya cursed, clinging to him tighter. “They’ll pay for what they did to you.”

He tilted her head back and pressed his lips to hers. “I just want to keep you safe. I need to know you’re safe. Will you let me do that?”

Her chin was stubborn, but her eyes were soft, full of fear for him. “Whatever you need I’ll give it to you. You know that, don’t you?” she said.

“Yeah, sweetheart, I know,” he said.

“Good. Because right now I want to take care of you. Roll onto your belly for me.”

He did as she asked, because he knew they both needed it.

She straddled his upper thighs and massaged the back of his neck before leaning in and kissing him there. He should leave her alone, send her away, but he couldn’t. Being parted from her was something he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to do again.

Her fingers gently ran over his skin and he moaned in pleasure.

“You’re sure I didn’t hurt you?”

“You didn’t hurt me.” He rolled to his back and she came down onto the bed beside him. He lifted up on his elbow and looked down at her. “I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life. Somehow you smashed through all my barriers and flayed me wide open.”

“I just want to bring you out of the darkness. I want you here with me.”