Page 87 of A Fate in Flames

My back arched into his touch without permission—heat pooling deep between my thighs.

“Poor little thing.”His fingers traced the curve of my hip before digging in, his grip bruising.“You fought so hard but look at you now.”

He lowered his face until his lips hovered over mine, radiating heat.I could taste his intoxicating breath on my tongue.

“Do you want me to touch you?”

Yes.No.Yes.

I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to close the distance between our lips.“No.”

His grip tightened around my wrists.

“Try again,” he murmured.“Withhonestythis time.”

His hand slid down to my thigh, fingers bunching the fabric of my skirt.He dragged it upward, brushing against the sensitive skin beneath.

I steeled myself, ignoring how his hand felt, unwilling to surrender completely.

“Why couldn’t you just let Jaruun catch me?”The challenge was reckless, born of desperation.

His expression twisted, eyes flaring with dangerous heat.His hand moved to my throat, his grip tight enough to remind me who held the power.

“I’ve told you once already.How quickly do you forget?”

The pressure increased, cutting off just enough air to make my head swim.“No one will touch you.”

My pulse hammered wildly.“You can’t decide that,” I shot back, refusing to back down.“I choose who can and who cannot touch me.”

The second the words left my mouth, I regretted them.Playing with fire was one thing, throwing myself into an inferno was another.

Dalkhan’s fingers tightened around my throat as he pinned himself against me, the hardness of his arousal pressing against my hip.His heat scorched right through the clothes between us.

“Say that again.I dare you.”

I pressed my lips together, refusing, but unable to look away from the danger in his eyes.

He stroked his thumb against my jaw before stepping away.I nearly collapsed forward at the loss of contact.

“Bow for me.”The command cracked like a whip.

No.

My pride roared in defiance, but my body—my traitorous, weak body—obeyed.I lowered my head in submission.

A dark, satisfied chuckle made me shiver.“That’s a good girl.”

I clenched my thighs together.The praise slid into my veins like molten honey, filling a void I didn’t want to acknowledge, a hunger for his approval.

“You want more, don’t you?”His fingers tilted my chin back up, forcing me to meet his stare, to see the knowledge there, the certainty.“I can smell it in the air.I can see it in the way you tremble.”

He was right.I did want more.I wanted everything.

“You’re so stubborn,” he murmured, his hand tangling in my hair and tugging my head back.“Should I force the truth from you?”

I let out a small, broken sound, halfway between a pant and groan.

“Or will you give it to me willingly?”The question was breathed against my throat as he lowered his head, his lips hovering just below my jaw.