Page 90 of Malice and Surrender
“Trust me. Do you think you’re up for it, though?”
I peered through the gap in the partially open door and then back up at Avro. I knew what he meant. I nodded and bit my lip. “You don’t want to join?”
He cupped my face, and we shared a kiss that was so light, yet held more weight than any other.
“No, you two need to find your path on your own. Besides, I think I had my fair share yesterday,” he teased, and my cheeks warmed until I wanted to fan my face. The multiple rounds in the office had been incredible, but the shower afterward was hotter. Avro had some serious skills and played my body like he knew every button to push.
I had to admit that I was a little achy from all the new activities, but as my eyes drifted back to the man playing the piano like he was possessed, I didn’t care. The old nervousness still hadn’t surfaced, and I didn’t know if it was gone forever or if it would suddenly come back, but I was taking all I could get while it lasted.
Avro kissed my hand, which he seemed to love doing, then turned and sauntered down the hall toward the bedroom.
I couldn’t do anything but stare as I stepped into the room. Jace’s fingers flew over keys, and his messy hair hung in his eyes as he hunched slightly over the piano. But it was the shirtless back and the tight muscles that had my mouth running completely dry.
Stepping up behind him, I tentatively reached for his shoulder. Jace stopped playing and spun around so quickly that I didn’t even have time to react before his hand gripped my wrist. The soft silvery light in the room reflected off his eyes and made them look as liquid as the piano behind him. His eyes were hooded, and I held still as if caught in a trap.
He lifted one leg at a time over the bench he was sitting on as he turned fully in my direction. The walls in the room shrunk down around me as my pulse pounded hard in my veins. He pulled my wrist to his nose, and I shivered when he sniffed, as if scenting the blood underneath like a vampire. All he needed was a pair of fangs to complete the look.
“You always smell like peaches. Why is that?” Jace asked, his voice deep but smooth like an aged scotch.
“I don’t know,” I whispered.
“I like it,” he said, and with a tug, I was standing between his legs.
His head was right at my breasts, and he playfully nipped at the zipper, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the tongue ring that flicked out. I remembered all too well what his tongue could do and how that piercing felt. If Avro had been doing this, I would’ve said he looked cute, but there was nothing cute about Jace. He was sexy and rugged in a way that was more personality than his overall appearance, yet he oozed an intensity that reminded me of Kai before prison.
“Were you wanting something?” Jace asked, but as he stood, his body rubbed against mine, and all logical thoughts dove out the three-story window.
I squealed as he gripped my waist. With a single fluid movement, Jace lifted me and sat me down on top of the piano, the lid falling shut with a bang. His hands left my waist to grip the piano on either side of my legs like I was in a cage, and that was almost worse than if he’d touched me. I was suddenly terrified to move.
“I came in to see if you were okay and if we were going to find a way through this,” I said.
He leaned in, and my heart sputtered with the sizzling energy he naturally ignited. I didn’t know what he would do, and that was part of the thrill. He could kiss me or push me off the piano, and I could see both happening as surely as him fucking me on top of it. There was very little need for clothes in this house with these two around. All they had to do was look at me, and I turned into a puddle at their feet. My hand went to his chest, and he stared at it. I swallowed the lump in my throat as his silver orbs traced the line of my arm all the way up to my eyes. There was something so sexy and yet terrifying about the act.
“You planning on pushing me away, Peaches?” he asked, daring me to say no. I shook my head. “That’s very good.”
My heart stopped as his teeth nipped at my lower lip and sucked it into his mouth. The jitters in my stomach started, but they were different from before. I didn’t fear him, but the anticipation of what he would do next and his ability to amp up every situation caused all my muscles to quake.
Fanning my fingers, I took in the feel of his hard chest and shuddered as Jace groaned when my pinkie finger ran over his nipple with the little bar.
“You seem different, Peaches,” he said, and licked a line down the side of my neck.
“I feel different,” I moaned, my voice no more than a whisper.
“Why?”
Jace pulled back, and I was forced to stare into those unnerving eyes. “I don’t know. After what happened, I should feel worse, more scared maybe, but instead, I feel…calmer.”
Jace lifted an eyebrow, and his lip curled up like he was laughing at me. “Interesting. Not the way I would’ve handled it, but it seems your friend did you a favor.”
“I don’t think it has anything to do with him,” I said, not liking what he was insinuating.
“Oh, we may have already had you on the right path, but your friend literally forced you to relive and face your trauma in an almost identical fashion, I assume.” I swallowed. “Not exactly a great recipe for therapy and could’ve gone wildly wrong, but then again, you’re different. Aren’t you, Peaches? You like it when Avro touches you with his sweet touch, but there is more to you.”
I licked my lips, not wanting to hear what he would say next, and yet I knew he would say it, anyway.
Jace stepped in close to my body, and I shivered, but when he growled against my skin and nipped at my neck, I couldn’t deny that I wanted him and was ready to strip my clothes off. Pulling back, he held my chin in his hand, and it felt like he was trying to look right through me with the intensity of his stare.
“You like it rough, Peaches. Whether it was always in you or caused by your first time being so traumatic, maybe. It’s hard to say. This could simply be new, but you get off on the fear. I can see it in your eyes.”
