Page 78 of All Your Deadly Truths (The Filthy Duet #2)

Kairhyse

I t’s been three hours in this car, and neither of us has said a word.

I’ve got a lot going through my head, and I know that she does too. It’s why I’ve not been needy for her to talk to me. But now that we’re only an hour out from our destination, I’m ready to break the silence.

For everyone’s safety, we agreed to split up—close, but separate. Alaric with Niyla, Brice with Syd and Mister, and me with Xera. Kayn said he’d catch up with me and my girl once he got his bike back, all while checking in on what’s happening in Sidence.

Before we left the cabin, I’d kept myself occupied, focused on planning where we were going and what we’d do once we got there, when Xera screamed.

I wanted to give her and Mister space, but I couldn’t ignore what was happening, and then overhearing the end of their conversation, about just the two of them leaving, I wasn’t having it.

Mister saved her by shutting the thought down nearly instantly.

That was when I felt it. Her heartbeat slowing, and the pain that consumed her. I know she wants to protect me, but I don’t need it. Just like she was so fucking insistent that I not save her, I’m the same with her trying to do the same with me.

She’s infuriating in all the ways I love and loathe.

My arms are stiff, and just like my lips, they haven’t moved, either. It’s taking everything in me not to reach for her, not to hold her in some way. But I’m just as frustrated with my little demon as I am desperate for her.

“You said…” Her voice seems loud in the quiet, even if she’s whispering. “You’d never leave me. That… you’d chase me to the ends of the world. ”

I peek over at her, and I’m surprised she has her gaze on me.

“I did.”

“Do you realize a statement like that can bring me as much pain as it does happiness?”

My brows pinch, and I run my tongue along my upper teeth, feeling the prick of my fang. “I’m not following.”

A soft sigh escapes her cherry-stained lips, and she looks sad. Xera doesn’t do sad . She does anger, hatred; not sad.

“Breaking it… it’s better to always put a subordinating conjunction between it.”

“A… what?” I’m not dumb, I do have a university degree, but what ?

“I’ll chase you unless … A condition, Kai.”

“You couldn’t have just said condition?”

She huffs.

“You’re telling me… I needed to put a condition on loving you, little demon?”

Her throat bobs at the intensity of her swallow. “Yes.”

I can’t help but laugh, shaking my head as I look away from her. “You know, you’re the most complicated woman I have ever met, yet the simplest. It’s such a fucking conundrum.”

The leather of her chair creaks as she shifts—whether to face me or turn away, I’m not sure. I don’t look at her. My eyes stay fixed on the dark road ahead.

“Conditions save me from being hurt!”

“No, conditions make you feel safe,” I snap. “That’s the thing, love isn’t safe. Nothing about what we are together is safe. Conditions—pfft. Bullshit.”

“I’m only saying you should have considered what saying being with me for eternity would do?—”

“Why!?” I bite out, squeezing the steering wheel. “You could kill me, Xera, and I would still somehow chase you—fucking love you. Why would I need to put a condition on something that is unconditional?!”

“Because I can never just be yours.”

Driving right now is too dangerous, so I pull the car onto the side of the road. We’re in the middle of nowhere—woods stretching endlessly on one side, a lake on the other. The only sign of life is the car passing us as I come to a complete stop.

“You are only mine,” I say through clenched teeth. “Not Alaric’s. Not Belial’s. Not your mother’s. You don’t even belong to you .”

When I turn to look at her, tears line her lids, and her bottom lip trembles as she breathes slowly .

“I…”

My eyes narrow. “You aren’t stupid, Xeraphine.”

“You are,” she says, and before I can punish her for that, she continues, “For loving me. For staying. I am too. I’m a fucking fool, I?—”

“Get out of the car.”

She shakes her head. “Kai, please, listen to me.”

“No. Because, little demon, I feel like I’ve been too fucking soft with you.

You don’t hear with spoken words, apparently, so let me speak without them.

” I’ve got my seatbelt unclipped and out the door before she can even open hers.

By the time I’m in front of her, she is leaning further into the car.

“Stop being such a primal—” Bending in, I grab her throat and pull her out. “K-Kai, stop!” Spinning her, I slam her front into the side of the car. She gasps as I kick out her feet and stand between them.

My lips brush against her ear. “No.” The moment her mouth opens again, I slap my hand over it. “Remember my threat, baby, if you command me in any way I will make it hurt. I’ll leave you on the precipice of your orgasm for so long you’ll be crying for relief.”

She throws so much strength into her attempt to break free that I have to readjust my footing. Her elbow slams back into my ribs, and I growl.

“So, you do have fight in you. That’s nice, glad to see I’ve not completely lost you.”

She lets out a scream, throwing her head back, her skull slamming into my nose. I groan, stumbling back just a step, and in that instant, she backhands me. The hit gives her just enough space to slip from my grasp. In a flash, she’s gone, darting around to the other side of the car.

Her chest rises and falls as we stare at one another over the sedan.

“You don’t get it!” she screams.

“Make me get it, Xera, or I’ll fuck it out of you.”

“They…” It’s like her throat clogs, whatever words she is trying to say gets lodged. “Fuck this.”

“Xeraphine!” I scream but she’s gone. “Godsdamn it!”

I’m on her heels before she can even break through the tree line. She’s fast—but so am I, and unlike last time when she was slightly outrunning me, I’m pissed .

The fabric of her toga-style dress flows behind her, just within reach. I grab hold and yank her back. She doesn’t fight—if she had, the damn thing would’ve torn right off.

She swings at me, her open palm aiming for my face, but I catch her wrist mid-strike. Using her own momentum, I pull her forward, shifting behind her in one fluid motion. My arm locks around her neck, my knee knocks into hers, and together, we drop to the ground.

“Always fucking running,” I grit. “Tell me about the deal.”

She stiffens.

“What promise did you make that you will not be following through on, little demon?” My voice is strained as she begins trying to fight out of my hold.

I give her a moment, but the only response is a soft whimper rising from her throat.

It’s probably because my cock is lined nicely against the crease of her ass.

Dominating someone like her is so fucking hot; maybe I want her to keep defying me because regardless, I’ll get what I want, no matter what.

“You are my woman.”

“You are INSUFFERABLE! I had no choice!”

“Mine.” Shoving her shoulders down to the ground, I move the cloth from her ass and slap her so loud it echoes around us for a few seconds. She shrieks and I answer with another hit, right at the same place. Her cheek begins to flush, and I chuckle. “Beautiful in red, as always.”

Her hands dig into the dirt as she tries to stand.

“Noctis Duplicatus.” My voice barely a whisper over her huffs and heavy breaths. Two shadows materialize—one on her left, the other on her right. They seize her arms, yanking them outward, while forcing her shoulders down, pressing her into the soil.

“Much better.”

A loud scream muffles into the dirt. When she turns her head she continues to fight. “Kairhyse!”

“I told you I’d punish you… Tell me and I’ll only deny you once.” This is how she responds, not with gentle words and tender kisses. I can’t coax her with my love and words of affirmation. No, I will deny this little demon of mine until she’s crying out what she did.

After a moment of just her grunts, I shrug. “Fine.”

“I will tell you, I just—” Her words are cut off as I slide two fingers between her slit and right into her soaked cunt.

“Still wet from earlier? Or does me chasing you down and forcing myself on you turn you on?”

When she juts out her fist and punches one of my shadows, I hiss through my teeth, the ache right in the center of my chest causing me to lean forward. For that, I place another one right into her and slide them all the way until my knuckles are slicked with her arousal.

Agonizingly slow, I move my fingers in and out of her.

Her walls clench. Those groans of discomfort, turn to moans of pleasure so quickly it makes my subdued smile turn demonic.

“That’s right… look at you gr inding against me.

” Her hips roll as I pick up my pace, desperate for more.

I slip my fingers out to swipe back and forth across her hard clit.

She jerks, but I don’t stop, and as she writhes under me, I listen for that soft sound she makes right before she comes. It’s so little I don’t even think she knows she makes it. A cross between a whimper and a cry, it vibrates from her throat just as she is hitting her peak.

And there it is. The moment her thighs start trembling, I swiftly remove my hand. The chill of goosebumps spreads across her legs as she shakes, followed by a scream of frustration.

“Kai!!”

I bring my hand back and slap her clit, causing her to scream-moan.

“So sensitive… You going to tell me now?”

I glance up at the shadow on her right, and it moves with my thoughts. It grabs her opposite wrist, jerking it behind her back and pulling her onto her side. I lift her leg across my chest, straddling the one beneath me.

Dirt is smothered across one side of her face and she bares her teeth at me. “Fuck you, Kai.”

“Yeah?”

She basically hisses at me which only has me chuckling.

Unzipping my fly, I pull out my cock that has been uncomfortably pressing against my pants.

“Look what your defiance does to me.” Scooting in closer, I slap the tip against her clit.

She’s so wet that it sounds more like I’m tapping against a surface of water.

“Go ahead and tell me, and I’ll let you come this time.” I deliver the words slow, methodical , as I move my hips back and forth. The bars along the bottom of my shaft flicking against her swollen bud. Each pass by, I can see her stomach clench.

When she looks back up at me, tears build at her eyes and I know they are ones of conflict.

This isn’t like the times when nightmares had torn her from her sleep. No, she’s causing this pain herself. As if anything she’s done could push me away. She’s a godsdamn fool for even thinking that’s possible.

“It’s just us, what are you so fucking afraid of?” I taunt as my cock presses just an inch into her cunt.

My shadow pulls her arms tighter, restraining her further as one of her breasts falls from the cloth. The other of my duo drags the fabric further and pinches her nipple.

She screams and throws her head back, just before I thrust my hips forward and completely fill her. Her furthest wall fights me, as it always does, and instead of working my way in, I push. Her strangled cries and tight squeeze of her eyes draw those tears she was holding back out .

“You are beautiful when you cry for me, do you know that?”

I begin to move my hips, pulling back and pumping forward.

The shadow that had been kneeling in front of her vanishes, leaving only the one gripping her wrists tightly behind her.

“ Fuuuck , you want me to fill this cunt of yours, don’t you?

” As I thrust forward, her breasts bounce, her back curving the best it can in her position.

“Oh, Kai—please, don’t stop?—”

The moment those words exit her mouth, I do just the opposite and completely slide out of her.

Through her scream, I hum. “What’s wrong? Hmm?”

“P-Please…” she pants.

“Go ahead and tell me, my little demon.”

Slapping my cock against her pussy, I hum, waiting for her response.

“I’m a patient man.” My shadow grabs her hair and tilts her head forward, and as she locks eyes on my cock I begin stroking it. Her arousal coating it, making my movements smooth. “I’ll come without you, and keep you bound so you can’t finish. How’s that sound?”

She pulls against her restrained wrists and just as it seems she’s about to get loose, my shadow removes its grip on her hair and takes them both back into its hands.

“You already know!” she screams. “You already know!” As she repeats herself, louder this time, I shake my head.

“No, I don’t, little demon.”

Her head falls to the ground. Through her heavy breathing, she says, “Alaric and I…” My nose twitches. “We have to give Belial a... fuck, you already know!”

I’m positive my heart stops beating.

“Except it’s not what that Fallen wants either…” she continues. “Kai, I’m?—”

“And you agreed to it?” I ask, releasing my cock and leaning over her, my hand pressed into the dirt beside her face.

Fear radiates off of her, and when she nods, all I see is red.