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My hips ground onto my fingers, riding every wave of pleasure that shot through my veins each time they plunged back into me. My body began to tremble as I inched closer and closer to the release I craved like a wild animal.

I needed it.

My head flew back, my back arching toward the heavens as a deep moan sang from the depths of my chest.

I was sofuckingclose.

A cold draft fluttered against my skin and my eyes flew open as light from the doorway reflected off the ceiling. That Gods damn familiar must have pushed back in, but I didn’t care, not when I was inches from the edge.

I dragged my eyes from the ceiling and let them fall to the doorway to see Dukovich standing frozen—speechless—at the entrance of my room.

My heart skipped in my chest, rage blooming there as I stared back at him—the pleasure and lust pumping through my blood paralyzing me, stopping me from screaming at him to get out, from covering myself from his gaze. Then, as he took a small step closer, I snapped out of my daze and flew off the bed.

My hands frantically clutched at the sheets, wrapping them around my naked body as I snatched the dagger from my bedside table and flung it directly for his heart.

The onyx pommel glinted against the candle light as it sailed through the air toward him. Only inches before contact, his hand shot into the air, his fingers wrapping around the blade—stopping it from puncturing his chest. I watched as blood began to seep from his hand and trickle down his forearm before he opened his fingers and let the knife clatter to the floor.

My chest heaved, the lust and anger still burning and slithering through my body. A low chuckle sounded from his throat as he walked toward me with slow, predatory steps. The backs of my bare thighs collided with the bedside table as I backed away from him. I lifted myself onto its surface, sliding myself further away as my free hand searched for the second dagger I had left there.

Drops of blood landed onto the floor with each step he took, inching closer and closer as I clutched the sheet to my chest, the fabric of it cascading down between my legs. The hairs on my arms stood on end as the electric current crackled through the air. Each beat of my heart seemed to amplify, echoing in my ears.

He stopped in front of me, his breaths coming out in quick bursts, and I could feel the tension radiating off him like heat from a fire. I leaned my head against the wall, lifting my chin to meet his gaze and our eyes locked.

“If you wanted to spread your legs for me, all you had to do was ask,” Dukovich chuckled darkly, the sound low and full of the same carnal energy currently coursing through my veins.

His breath feathered across my cheeks and I stifled the gasp the feeling of it threatened to release. He placed each palm on the wall behind me, trapping me between his arms and I watched as his blood dripped down his forearm and fell onto my chest, the metallic scent filling my lungs.

“Your hands willneverfucking touch me,” I spat, but the words came out too thin—too breathy.

“Is that so?” he asked, dark amusement dancing behind his eyes as his left hand fell from the wall and inched toward my shoulder.

The gasp I’d been struggling to hold in flung itself from my lips as his skin connected with mine. The muscles in my thighs clenched at the need that pulsed between them as he dragged his bloodied hand over my shoulder.

His fingers wrapped around my neck before his thumb traced over the cut of my jaw and swiped across my bottom lip.

It took all my strength to resist the urge to lick off the blood he had left there.

To taste him.

Every nerve in my body was betraying me. The deep seated hatred I had for him being drowned in the need pooling in my center as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my ear as his crimson grasp fell back around my neck.

“You look so beautiful covered in my blood, love,” he whispered. “Red truly is your color.” His words vibrated against my skin as his teeth connected with the lobe of my ear, sliding over it just hard enough that pain shot through my limbs right before a flood of pleasure.

He began to pull away then, stilled as my dagger connected with his throat. He pulled back only one inch more, his lips almost touching mine as our gazes met. I steeled myself against the wall at my back, fighting the urge to lean into the blazing energy that simmered off of him.

“Remove your hand, or I will remove it for you,” I hissed, pressing the blade tight against his skin as a lethal smile slithered across his lips.

He leaned into the knife, closing the small distance between us and his skin went taut under the sharp edge as his fingerstightened around my neck. My body went wholly still as his breath ghosted through my lashes. His tongue flicked out from his mouth and slid over my bottom lip, licking off the blood he had smeared there before pulling away from me. The distance was a welcome reprieve from the heat that was burning between us.

Dukovich smirked as his fingers slipped from my neck and took a step back, holding up his hands in mock surrender. I sucked in a deep breath, oxygen finally flooding my lungs. His devilish smile only grew wider as he watched me. I could feel the tension rippling between us, thick and heavy in the air.

My heart raced in my chest as I struggled to regain control of my emotions.

A low chuckle caressed his throat as he turned and walked toward the door. His fingers wrapped around the handle as he looked over his shoulder, our eyes connecting and holding each other’s stare for a long moment.

“Get dressed, we still have work to do,” he finally said as he pulled the door open and stepped through.

I flung my dagger toward the ghost of him, groaning into the air as the sound of splintering wood rang through the room.