Page 29 of Broken Obsession

“Mine first. You haven’t told me if you’ve decided to work with me or not. If the answer is yes,” Ares suddenly reached out and trailed the tips of his fingers across the top of Eden’s left thigh, causing him to shiver, “you’ve got a payment to make.”

“And if my answer is no?” Eden hated how breathy he sounded, but it couldn’t be helped.

Ares pulled away. “Then we’ll consider Galen Stone my gift to you, and I’ll be on my way.”

“…That’s it?”

“What else would there be? If you don’t want my help, I can’t force you to accept it.” Ares chuckled when Eden gave hima droll stare. “Okay. I meant I won’t force you. Even if you’d like that.”

“I wouldn’t—” Eden sucked in a sharp breath when Ares tipped his chin down to the spot between Eden’s thighs, and it finally occurred to him he was basically naked.

The robe was parted enough for all his bits to be on full display, meaning his semi-hardon was impossible to miss.

Shit. How long had it been like that?

“Stupid dick,” Eden grumbled, gasping a second time when Ares suddenly shifted into a kneeling position and dropped a hand to each of Eden’s knees. He didn’t resist as his thighs were parted, mind blanking as the Black Hart leaned up and nipped lightly at his bottom lip. It wasn’t enough to be considered a kiss, but the teasing glimmer in Ares’ red eyes promised more to come.

What did Eden have to do to get to feel that mouth on his for real?

“I think you might be broken,” Ares said, and it should have been insulting, but with his hands rubbing up Eden’s thighs, drawing ever nearer to where his dick was lengthening, it was hard for him to find the anger. “That’s okay, all the best things are.”

“I can explain.” Could he? Eden wasn’t even sure what they were talking about anymore.

“I don’t care about explanations,” he replied. “Psychoanalysis doesn’t matter to me. It won’t change anything. It won’t make you react any differently than you are right now. Since your reality is set, who cares how you got here? Who cares how you choose to cope with your traumas?”

“I don’t have trauma.”

Ares smirked. “We’ve all got trauma, babe.”

Babe.

“Even you?”

He grunted. “Especially me.”

Eden’s lips parted when Ares’ thumbs stroked against the sensitive flesh of his inner thighs, only inches from his sack. He shifted forward on the seat, but the Black Hart pulled his hands away, gliding them back the way they’d come, until his palms settled over Eden’s knees once more.

“What if I want an explanation?” It was like being drawn to a magnet. Eden could barely register his own words, too hyperfixated on Ares’ touch.

“For?”

“This.” He had to focus! He couldn’t succumb to the Black Hart’s ministrations this easily. Eden wasn’t some sex starved freak. He—

Moaned when Ares started the ascent up his thighs again, movements slower this time.

“The short version?” Lucifer spoke, and Eden’s head dropped back, eyes slipping shut when a thumb pressed against his taint tauntingly. “Vanity has been my touchstone for a while, but why should I settle for pixelations if I can have the real thing?”

“I’m not—”

Ares hushed him. “Whoever you are, there’s a debt you should pay, don’t you agree? I brought you Galen Stone on a silver platter and uncovered the truth of his deception for you. Surely that deserves a reward.”

Eden blinked up at the ceiling, only partly seeing it as those hands continued kneading his thighs, occasionally brushing up against his balls, his taint, the side of his swollen dick. The touches were careful, purposeful, making it clear Ares knew exactly what he was doing to him and intended to keep it up until he got what he wanted.

What did he want?

“Is it a debt or a reward?” Eden asked.

“Does it matter?”