Page 15 of River of Deceit

I stare at him in disbelief. “Destroy me?”

“Blaze is always a perfect gentleman,” Asch says. “Everyone knows it. You, on the other hand? You’re a self-proclaimed slut.”

Blaze runs his thumb over my lips. Even in the dim light, I cansee the flecks of gold in his green eyes and see all the individual blond hairs of stubble on his chin.

The part of me that’s the most like Papa wants to dismiss this threat. I’m untouchable. I can protect myself and leave a blaze—ha!—of destruction in my wake.

But Daddy and Mama and even Uncle Slayer managed to drill some common sense into me. If I turn this into a war, I’m going to draw more attention to myself than I need.

I’ll never get revenge for Rachel if I have a giant target painted on my back.

“You’re going to pay for what you did to Asch,” Blaze says. “It’s not an eye for an eye, Pandora. Every drop of blood you spilled is worth one thousand of your tears.”

Fuck.

My cunt throbs, and I try desperately to remind myself that Blaze is the enemy, that I need to pump him for information, not cum.

I could do both, right?

I sneer at him. “Asch can’t fight his own battles?”

“Asch is my friend, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t look out for him?” Blaze pushes his thumb past my lips and presses it against my tongue.

I swallow hard, doing what I can to keep my breathing steady.

The expression in Blaze’s eyes is raw now, like he’s seeing something he actually wants for the first time. The other night, I was so sure he was only playing along because of Asch.

Does Blaze like it when I fight back?

Does he want me subdued and trembling?

If I can give him what he wants, maybe that will make him more pliable. What was it my aunt says? ‘Men always get stupid after sex.’

“Don’t you have friends who would do anything for you?” Asch asks, squeezing my shoulders. “It’s a nice feeling, Pandora. You could’ve had that with me. With us.”

Anger flares up briefly.

Yes, I used tohave a friend like that.

I glare at Blaze and start licking his thumb. I can taste the salt of his sweat and can practically feel the whorls on the pad of his thumb. There’s a hint of callus—I wonder what weapons he uses that give him those calluses.

Blaze strikes me as the kind of guy who prefers a gun.

I imagine him on the shooting range, Glock in hand, expertly wielding the weapon as he gets a target square in the chest.

Although with how Blaze was choking me, he might not be opposed to using his fists directly, either.

Blaze stands up without removing his thumb from my mouth. “She’s a natural with her mouth, Asch. But we already knew she was a slut.”

The urge to bite is strong, just to see his reaction. He’s lucky he managed to get me so hot and bothered first, and that I want to see where this is going.

Can Blaze deliver this good time he’s threatening me with?

“She was pretty clear about that,” Asch agrees. “Which wouldn’t have even been a bad thing if she’d been aniceslut.” His grip tightens on my shoulders, and I wonder if he’s really that butthurt about me mouthing off to him or if it’s really just the cut that has his panties in a twist.

I press my knees closer together and shake my head imperceptibly.

Blaze pulls his thumb out and smears my spit across my chin. “Let’s see how you handle the real thing.” He nods at Asch. “Hold her tight.”