Page 43 of Knight’s Retribution

His gasped breaths were pitched high, more sobs than anything else, and he lay there trembling as Kyler stayed over his chest, her small frame shaking along with him. Dragging in a ragged breath, he looked down at her, longing to cup her face, to take her mouth, to give her pleasure like she had him—

Her scent hit him, gripping him by the gut.

She was wet.

His demon howled for him to make her feel good as well. “Ky,” he choked. “You’re aching, baby…you need to come.”

She lifted her head, her color high, a look in her eyes that was more fear than heat. “I’m okay.”

Everything in him screamed for him to please her, to give her what she needed. That was his job. To make sure she always had everything she needed, and he couldn’t give it to her. It was fucking with him because doing for her, taking care of her, was built into his DNA. Not making her feel good, after what she’d just done for him, felt wrong on a soul-deep level.

“I know I can’t touch you, but, baby, you can make it better.” He was still panting. “Make it better, Ky. Touch yourself…please, I need you to make it better.”

His demon was losing his shit. They were made for her, and they were failing her by leaving her wanting—and both he and his demon fucking hated it.

Her nod was slight, but he blew out a relieved breath when she shifted back, even while he mourned the loss of her warmth. He rolled to his side, and she did the same, space between them but gazes locked. “Put your hand between your legs,” he rasped.

Biting her lip, she did as he said. Legs together, cupping her pussy, she pressed one finger deep.

“That’s it, Ky, now rub gently.” His voice sounded like someone scraping a stone over a rusted cheese grater. His gaze moved back to hers. She was watching him, but her gaze kept darting around the room, and then she whimpered. And not in the good way. “Kyler?”

She squeezed her eyes shut, and a sob broke free. “I can’t. I can’t do it.”

Every muscle in his body strained as he watched his female sob, and he couldn’t do a fucking thing to comfort her except hold out his fucking hand and hope she’d take it. Her small body shook as sobs wrenched from her.

“Take my hand, Ky.” He wanted to fucking roar, his demon did. “I pushed. Fuck, I’m sorry, baby. I pushed you.”

Her hand finally crept across the sheet, and she curled her fingers around his. “His face…it keeps filling my head, I keep feeling his hands on me, holding me too tight.” She lifted her head, her eyes wide. “I can’t do it…I can’t do it. I’m sorry…I’m so sorry—”

“No,” he said, shaking with so much fury that his teeth were fucking chattering in his head. “Don’t apologize. Don’t ever apologize for telling me what you need or how you feel.”

She nodded and squeezed his fingers. They lay there in silence after that, just looking at each other, like they were too scared to shut their eyes in case the other vanished. It was a long time before her eyes finally drifted shut.

Rocco’s didn’t, though. He wouldn’t leave her again, not for a moment, not even in sleep.

Chapter 12

Kyler woke to an ear-splitting scream filled with pain, and it took her a moment to realize the horrendous noise was coming from her.

Rocco’s face came into focus, worry and fear in his eyes as he looked down at her. Kyler couldn’t speak; she could only twist and jerk on the mattress as pain shot through her like a million razor-sharp blades being plunged into her repeatedly.

Rocco was talking, but she couldn’t hear him over the ringing of her ears. His gaze lifted, his mouth moving. Scarlet appeared with her healing bowl and tried to get her to drink from it, but she couldn’t swallow, and the liquid ran down her chin.

Wave after wave of ever-increasing agony slashed through her as her body jerked, her limbs contorting, her spine arching. Flinging back her head, she froze in place, her throat raw from screaming, the taste of blood filling her mouth.

Only it wasn’t her blood; it was the foul mix of demon organs, and it was working its way back up her throat. She covered her mouth, swallowing convulsively. She couldn’t let it come back up. Rocco would have to go back out there. He’d have to fight more demon’s. He’d have to risk his life all over again.

Scarlet came into view, and she grabbed Kyler’s arms, shaking her. She spoke, but Kyler still couldn’t hear her. The other female took Kyler’s face in her hands and mouthed her words again, slower. “Let it out. It’s okay. You can let it out.”

Then Scarlet scrambled up behind her, helping her lean over a large bowl Rocco was holding. Scarlet gathered Kyler’s hair, pulling it back from her face, and Rocco held the bowl higher.

His lips moved.

“Get it out,” she was positive he said. “You need to get it out now.”

Kyler couldn’t hold it down any longer, even if she wanted to. Thick and bitter, the foul poison rushed over her tongue in a torrent, expelled from her body as if she were ejecting an unwanted tenant. She couldn’t draw breath as she heaved and heaved, vomiting until there was nothing left, then dry heaving some more.

Both Scarlet and Rocco were right there, but thankfully neither one of them touched her more than they had to. When the heaving stopped, Scarlet took the bowl and rushed it away, and Rocco stayed crouched on the floor beside her. She held out her hand, asking without words for him to give her his. He did immediately, and she clung to his hand as she fell to her side, her body still convulsing even now.