Page 68 of Demon’s Temptation

Without another word, Zenon moved in, ignoring Victor’s renewed struggles, and lifted him like he weighed nothing. His massive black leathery wings sprung from his back and he strode to the large fire-escape window. One minute they were there, the next they were gone.

She had no idea where Zenon would take Victor or how he planned to end his life, and she had no desire to ever find out.

Laz and Brent talked for a while longer before the knight left the same way Zen had.

Brent turned to her, closing the distance between them. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Now I know you’re safe.” She pulled him close, and he buried his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent.

“Victor sent demons after me, used his knowledge of my weakness so he could get to you,” he said. “But, Chay, even as lost as I’d been, as confused and ruled by instinct, when I closed that door, when I looked at that male waiting for me to fucking do something, I hadn’t been able to. I spent an hour frozen on the opposite side of the room. I couldn’t even bring myself to touch him.”

“It’s okay…it’s over.”

“Can you ever forgive me…for everything?” He shook with emotion. “I love you, Chay. So much. I’ll do better. I’ll do anything. Anything. Just, fuck…don’t leave me,” he said, voice low and gritty.

She took his hand and pulled him into her bedroom, not wanting to be in that room after what had happened. She sat him on the bed, and moving in close between his parted thighs, cupped his face, looking down into his troubled eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He sucked in a shaky breath. “No?”

“I know now what you live with every day, everything you’re feeling and struggling with. You’ve kept so much locked up inside you, Brent.”

“I stupidly thought being with you would make it harder, would test my control even more.” His big hands lifted to her thighs. “But, Chaya, you make it better. Just being with you makes everything better. The demon inside me, it’s changed. Its only focus now is you. I think we both needed you.”

“That’s because you are mine. You were always meant to be mine.” She smiled but shook her head. “But as much as I wish I was, I’m not the cure. You have to do this for yourself. You have to want it.”

He pressed his forehead to her belly. “I do. Fuck, I don’t want to live like this anymore.”

She threaded her fingers through his hair. “The knights can help you, but you have to ask for it.”

“I know and I will,” he said.

She climbed into his lap. “When you’re struggling, I want you to tell me. Promise me you won’t suffer in silence anymore.”

His arms tightened around her. “I promise,” he rasped. “I only want you, Chay. I only need you.” She could feel his big body trembling.

She smiled, unable to stop herself. “I love you, you know that? I’ve loved you since we first met. I took one look at you and I was a goner.” He wrapped his arms around her tighter. “I’m just glad you finally caught the hell up.” She pressed a kiss to his lips.

Brent kissed her back. “I love you so much.”

Threading her fingers though his hair again, she tilted his head back and nipped his lower lip. “Good. Now take me home. I need you to make love to me.”

He chuckled darkly. “God, I love it when you’re bossy.” Then he kissed her long and slow and carried her from the apartment.

He took her home.

Epilogue

Three months later

Chaya stood in front of the beautiful, intricately carved double doors of the Conway hotel’s grand room and tried to calm the fluttering in her belly.

Mia’s hand brushed hers as she came up beside her. “You look amazing, Chay. Just…” She sniffed, eyes welling up for the hundredth time. “Gorgeous.”

Her sister’s vibrant red hair was piled on top of her head, and the satin green dress she wore made her look like some exotic flower. She gave Mia’s hand a squeeze. “You look pretty amazing yourself. I’m surprised Zen let you out of his sight looking like that.”

She pursed her lips. “Well, there was talk of cuffing me to the towel rail in our bathroom before we left.”

They both giggled, a ridiculous girlie sound she never thought she’d ever make, but right then she was feeling kind of giddy.