Page 20 of The Shard and the Serpent (Shard Daughters #1)

Hardly Virtuous

Rayze

I don’t kiss. Ever. I should pull away, knee him, slap him, do something to stop him, but a deep, satisfied pleasure rolls through me.

I would be a liar if I said I haven’t craved to be touched like this. He doesn’t expect anything from me. I can tell in the simple way he slows his desperation, taking his time in exploring my taste.

His body crushes against mine. I expect panic, but my stomach dips with arousal, his fingers gliding into my hair as he deepens the kiss. A groan rumbles through his chest, and I peer through my lashes, finding his brow furrowed in concentration.

It’s like he knows he’s stealing seconds from me, knows I have every intention of dragging this softness toward something harder, harsher, and he’s savoring it. Squeezing my eyes shut, I let myself feel it, too.

Leather and metal bite into my spine, the sting adding to the high.

His tongue claims every gasp I give, teeth dragging over my lips like he wants to brand me, our languid exploration deepening toward sharp, hungry need.

The Bond flares with each suck of breath and spark of heat between us, snarling its approval as he tries to break me open one kiss at a time.

I hate that it’s working. I can feel my past sitting inside me, boiling higher with every flick of his tongue.

Tears burn, desperate to shed, and I’ve never felt this before, this overwhelming vulnerability.

I need to find a way to regain control before I let myself become lost in him. It would be so easy, too easy.

I lock every shield I have into place, close off the grief and want swimming to the surface and reach for what I know, what I’m fucking great at.

He drops his mouth, his teeth digging into the sensitive flesh of my breasts, but I don’t give him free reign.

With every inch he dares to mark, I return ten-fold.

My nails claw down his biceps, my teeth drag down his inked peck.

He wants my emotion, then I’ll give him the only one I’m willing to release.

I’ll carve my hate into the lines of his pleasure and make us both Godsdamn beg for it.

I grab his chin and force his face back to mine, fastening my lips around his. His tongue reaches and I suck down, his groan echoing through my chest. He thinks he can so easily unravel me, and maybe for a single second, he managed it, but he won’t win me today. I won’t let him.

His hand cups between my thighs in a possessive hold. “You’ll be the death of me.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I reach between us and unbuckle his belt with slow, punishing intent. The leather slides free, and I wrap it once around my fists before hooking it behind his neck and pulling him forward.

“Look at you,” I whisper against his jaw. “Leashed and yet you’re still pretending you’re in control.”

His chest brushes mine. A rusted chain swings loose from the rack beside me, clinking gently.

“Beg,” I murmur, dragging my teeth along the shell of his ear. “Or bite.”

A dark smile curls his lips, but then he bites softly just below my chin, my head tilting back as my pussy wets with approval.

“I hate you,” I grit out.

He drags his tongue over the places his teeth left a quiet sting. Smoothing. Placating.

“Ride me and tell me why,” he whispers. He clutches the back of my head and his gaze sears into mine. “Come on my cock and tell me everything.”

His hand grasps my hip. His fingers pinch the sensitive peak of my nipple. His touch—I’m lit from within.

Damn it. This fucking Bond.

“You once told me to earn your name,” he murmurs. “How many fingers gets me closer to knowing it all?”

Lust overtakes me as he slips two within my tight heat. I shake my head and grind down against his palm.

A third finger slides in.

I take his mouth with mine, my rage unleashed on his lips, his tongue.

His thumb presses into my clit.

“Rayze Angeline,” I moan in surrender, but only because I want him to scream it when he comes.

Then I bite.

I tug his lip between my teeth, my glare locking with the inferno of his. The sharp metallic taste of his blood creeps into my mouth, and his nostrils flare when I let him go.

“Rayze Angeline,” he repeats like a prayer. “ Angel . My vicious angel.”

I freeze. “What?”

But he doesn’t hear me, too enthralled with getting his dick wet.

I stare at the top of his head as he sucks down against my neck.

Angel. He called me angel. Like—

“Leave,” he demands, his voice thick with want. Arms shaking, he pulls back, leaving me empty. The veins along his temple, neck and shoulders bulge as he tries to restrain himself. “Leave now or you never will.”

He tilts his face to the open rooftop, and rain splatters over him as he squeezes his eyes shut. He rakes in a long, shuddering inhale.

“Leave, Rayze,” he pushes out, teeth clenched.

I recenter my focus and unhook the button on his pants.

His face snaps down. His eyes flash wild. “Don’t test me.”

I press my nose to his and thrust his zipper down. “Don’t. Test. Me .”

His throat works, his hand cupping my face and forcing my gaze to lock with his.

“I won’t give you another chance,” he promises. “Leave now. Never visit me again. Take whatever vengeance you’ve sharpened and gift it to another man. If you don’t, if you spread those legs any further—if you touch me —I will never let you go.” He clutches between my thighs. “Never, angel.”

His voice breaks around the pet name, my stomach dipping with thrill.

“I will keep you,” he says and his forehead knocks with mine. “I will mark you.” He thrusts three fingers in, and I cry out, his body trembling at the sound. “I will splay you to feast upon whenever I please, vicious.”

He stretches me with a harsh groan, his head falling to my shoulder before he pulls back and shakes his head. “Walk away, or I’ll ruin this pussy for anyone else.”

“Fuck,” I sputter. My eyes drop to his lips, and his gaze darkens with the same unrelenting desire choking me toward submission.

“Claim my mouth again and I’ll take it as a promise,” he breathes. “But tell me to let you go and I will.”

My heart races, the sincerity in his voice breathtaking. I want to ride him and scream.

“Scared?” he murmurs.

I narrow my eyes and press my thumbs into his throat.

His lips slip into a wide smile, his dimples deepening with a flash of silver piercings.

I shake my head. “The only satisfaction I’ll take tonight is knowing I’m your weakness.”

His lashes flutter with a deep breath. “Time’s up, angel.”

“Patience is a virtue.”

“I’m hardly virtuous.”

I slip my hand past his zipper and wrap my fingers around smooth, hard velvet. With a gentle squeeze, his playful smile slices into something far deadlier. “Neither am I,” I say, my voice soft. “So allow me to make a counteroffer.”

Warrick’s breaths go uneven.

“I’ll let you prove yourself.” I stroke up his length and he shudders.

His hand shoots to the shelf to steady himself.

“But I will never be your whore,” I say and squeeze until he curses. “Some thing chained to you for your pleasure because you think a Bond means I’m yours.” I roll my lips together, and he tracks the movement with greed.

“You get one chance, Warrick. One,” I counter and soften my grip. “Give me something I can use. Information. Plans. Anything that would weaken The Serpent Bossdom, and I’ll consider giving this Bond a chance.”

His nostrils flare.

“Help me,” I continue, hardening my resolve. “I can’t promise I’ll be kind, but I might let you walk away with a lighter punishment than your father.”

He thrusts his fingers at the words, and I clench around him with a soft moan. His nose knocks against mine, the possessive darkness in his eyes something I burn into my memory.

“Tomorrow night. The Underground entrance by Fang’s Edge,” he says. “Do your worst, baby.” He forces himself to set me on the ground, jaw ticking and eyes bright with his decision. “Punish me.”

I step around him to my clothes, tracing a finger across his stomach as I pass, a grin touching my lips. As you wish .