Page 76 of Vipers and Vendettas

‘Because these mean a lot more to you than they do to me,’ he says. ‘I hate what they are because I know where they came from and that you suffered for them. But I don’t hatethem, Jules. They don’t repulse me or make me not want you.’

He kisses the next one and the next, moving over my shoulder to my back and kissing all of them to my ass. When he kisses my left cheek, I can't help but giggle at the fact that he’s literally kissing my ass.

‘Grow up,’ he mutters, but I feel his smile against my skin.

Iron doesn’t stop until he’s kissed every single one of my burns and run his tongue along each of the lash marks on my back.

‘You don’t have to do this,’ I whisper.

He hushes me. ‘How else are we going to gauge if they’re disappearing or not?’ he asks.

‘With a camera?’ I suggest seriously.

He feigns shock. ‘Youwantme to take hundreds of naked pictures of you? You naughty girl.’

My eyes widen in embarrassment. ‘That’s not what I?—’

‘No, no. You’re right,’ he nods, pointing a finger at me and shaking it. ‘We better do that, too.’

He steps closer. ‘Jayce dabbles in photography. Did you know that?’

I shake my head. ‘Makes sense, though.’

‘It does, doesn’t it?’ he whispers, stepping so close to me that my bra rubs against his chest. ‘Did you know that Jayce, Maddox, and I have been known tocollaborate?’

‘What do you mean?’ I ask.

‘Maddox and I set the scene, and Jayce takes the photos.’

I don’t know exactly what Iron means, but before I can ask, his lips are on mine. His hand is in my hair, angling my face up to his.

He pulls back and chuckles. ‘If only this room had an R-rated option.’

I think back to the room at the club, all the naughty furniture that was in there.

‘Do you need all that extra stuff?’ I ask curiously.

‘Not with you,’ he mutters, pushing me back on the bed.

He lays next to me and unclasps my bra, removing it slowly. He begins to kiss the marks that he missed.

I sigh, letting him relax me as I close my eyes.

‘Sorry,’ he whispers, ‘am I keeping you up?’

I smile. ‘Yes, but I figure maybe you’ll make it worth my while.’

His low growl has me squeezing my thighs together. ‘Oh, I aim to, baby, but I want you to relax, too.’

He parts my legs and puts his mouth on me, kissing me lightly like he has everywhere else. His tongue laps at me gently, his moments slow and calm.

I sigh as he begins to lull me to sleep, unwinding me like the best massage ever. I’m a little afraid he’ll be upset that I’m taking a nap in the middle of it, though, and I struggle to stay awake.

‘I’m sorry,’ I murmur with a yawn.

‘It’s okay,’ he says. ‘Go to sleep.’

I don’t argue, and a little while later, I’m vaguely aware of a long, rolling climax, a whimper that jolts me towards consciousness, but I’m pulled into strong arms and covered with a blanket, and I don’t worry.