Page 12 of Wicked Bonds

Balthazar didn’t really embrace anger. Although, he could admit, he wanted to punish this female for the violation inside his mind. She’d stolen his memories, manipulated his recollections, and hadn’t told him the truth after meeting again.

“Were you ever planning to tell me?” he wondered out loud.

But her eyes told him the answer before her mouth did.No. “Why would I?” she asked.

“Because it’s wrong to take someone’s memories from them, Leela.”

“I did it to protect you.”

“Lie. You did it to protect yourself.” She could at least admit that to him. He’d heard it in her mind.

“I did it to protectus,” she amended. “You couldn’t know about me. Not yet.”

“What would it have changed?”

“Potentially everything.”

Balthazar considered that as he began soaping up every inch of her. Most females would be hot and bothered by the mere stroke of his caress, but Leela proved more challenging. Oh, she was aroused. He could practically taste it as he knelt to work on her legs.

But she wasn’t begging.

Nor did she appear to be all that expectant.

She knew he wanted her to grovel, and he could hear in her mind that she had no intention of even apologizing for what she’d done.

Her lack of remorse bothered him immensely. She’d fucked with his mind, distorted his memories, and couldn’t even be bothered to provide him with an apology. He could hear it in her thoughts how much she didn’t regret it, how she knew it was the right thing to do, but not once did she consider talking to him or letting him decide his own path.

She’d chosenforhim.

Because she clearly didn’t trust him.

Which was an effective way to kill the lust burning between them because Balthazar didn’t play with females who held him in such low regard.

Maybe they wouldn’t re-create those memories after all.

He stood and set the soap to the side before working on his own hair.

Most conquests in this situation would fantasize about him openly.

Not Leela.

Her mind shifted between the past and the future, mingling a bit with the present, and what would come next.

There were undertones of interest, her eyes naturally following his hands when he picked up the soap again to lather himself, but she didn’t fantasize about taking over or licking him clean. Instead, she merely admired the view while considering how best to protect Lizzie and Jayson’s child.

The High Council of Seraph will be coming now,she was thinking.We can’t hide here forever.

“Where do you want to go?” Balthazar asked, not bothering to hide his ability to read her thoughts. It often bothered those around him, typically inspiring snarky remarks or thoughts. But Balthazar wouldn’t apologize for his talents. Nor would he hide them.

“I don’t know,” she replied, her voice and thoughts void of irritation. If anything, she seemed to accept his ability as a norm. Perhaps because she’d been raised among powerful beings, thus making his mind reading a natural experience.

And if that’s the case, then she’s likely adopted some tricks to hide as well, he mused, allowing his gaze to run over her gorgeous body once more.

So far, I’m unimpressed, he heard her say, the twinkle in her gaze as he returned his eyes to hers suggesting she’d meant for him to hear it.Brazil seems to have been the best you can do.

He hummed in amusement, stepping toward her and backing her into the wall once more. She shivered, her nipples stiff little peaks that taunted his chest as he aligned their bodies in an intimate kiss. “You can’t distract me with sex, Lee.”

Her fingernails trailed up the sides of his thighs, her touch knowing. “We both know that’s not true.” Her touch slipped to his lower back and down to his ass, where she brazenly squeezed. “You wanted to re-create the memories, right? We’re going to need a dance floor and a stool for that.”