“I am yours to command, yours to do with what you will.” “William.” She gripped his hair, harder than she meant to, but he wouldn’t budg.

“You are not. You are not a creature, nor are you my slave.” His strange smile only grew. “But what if I want to be?” He lifted his head, and his eyes were ice blu.

“What if I want to be claimed by you?” Her heart stopped. She still held him, her hand against his throat where his pulse thrummed. Only she could not find the power to speak. Thorne rose to his knees, bringing them eye to ey.

“Do you not understand?” he whispered. “I have never belonged to anyon.

Not since I was a child. It is a lonely thing to be unclaimed by another. The idea that I could be yours seduces me more than you can know.” His lips tilted in a dry smil.

“And if the only way I could belong to you is by this strange bond, then I would gladly accept that.” His expression dimmed. “Only now that I know what it does to you, I cannot let it go on. I will not see you hurt.” Her grip on him tightened, and somehow she was pulling him closer, until they shared the same air. “I’d rather you belong to me in another way. It shouldn’t be one-sided, this ownership.” Thorne drew in a sharp breath and seemed to hold it as he studied her through narrowed eyes. When he spoke, his voice was rough, cracked. “What do you mean?” Her mouth went arid. “What if I belonged to you as well?” His arm slid around her waist, hauling her against him as she continued to speak. “What if you had my heart?” “As you have mine?” His lips brushed her cheek, his breath unsteady. “Do I, Holly? Do I have your heart?” Her smile was tremulous. “You’ve had it all along.” Thorne moved to release her, but Holly wrapped her hand around his wrist. “Don’t go.” His expression was soft, his voice a warm whisper. “I did not plan to. Let me put you to bed. You are tired.” She was. But she did not want to rest. Holly ran her thumb over the pulse-point at his wrist. “William, kiss me.” Understanding lit his features, and she knew he realized she needed the comfort he and his body could give her. Slowly, he grinned. “Where?” She found herself slowly grinning too. “Wherever you want.” “This discussion of your health isn’t over,” Thorne said just before he kissed her mouth. His lids lowered as he gave her another lazy, melting kiss. And then another. “Noted,” Holly murmured against his lips. Languid warmth stole over her. “Good.” Thorne nibbled on her earlob.

Before returning to her mouth. A low, male growl of contentment vibrated in his chest. He learned the contours of her mouth, exploring it from different angles, never rushing. As though they had all the time in the world. The silk of her skirts rustled in the silence as his free hand eased them up. Cool air hit her shins, then her knees. Holly let him ease his body further between her thighs. His breath brushed over her cheek as his palm ran up her thigh. Her belly tightened in anticipation, her sex heating as he came closer. At the moment of contact, they both made a strangled, breathless nois.

He cupped her, his fingers making a slow circuit through her wetness, and he groaned low and rough. “Here.” The blunt tip of his finger breached her, sliding in deep before pulling out slowly. In. Out. “Here,” he said again as he kissed her, “is where my dreams begin.” Holly squirmed, spreading her legs wider as she slumped upon the chair, her aching br**sts and heated skin confined by her heavy satin gown. “Here is where I want to be,” he whispered. “Always.” He added another finger, plunging in deep, invading, retreating. And kissing her. Always kissing her. Holly shivered, followed his lips with hers, trying to make the kiss harder, needing some sort of releas.

He wouldn’t give it to her, but continued his steady plunder. The pad of his thumb found the swollen bud of her sex, and he stroked her ther.

The shivers grew within her, moving outward towards her sensitized skin. He drank down her little cry of distress. And then he curled his fingers, stroking a spot inside of her. Her orgasm rushed over her with such force that she arched back, her lips slipping from his. A keening wail left her as she gripped the sides of the chair. Still he stroked, his mouth at her ear, whispering dark things, promises of mor.

On and on it went, until spent, Holly lurched forward and clutched his shoulders. For a moment, she could only hold onto him and pant. He pressed kisses along her temple as he withdrew his hand from between her legs. “You, sir,” she said between gasps, “are a wicked beast.” He chuckled darkly and then lifted her up, cradling her in his arms. The bed dipped as he set her down. In a daze, she let him undo the buttons of her gown, peeling it from her body. A welcome rush of cool air soothed her damp and heated skin. Off came her petticoats and bustle, her silk stockings and drawers, the crumpled corset cover. But when he moved to free her corset, she swatted him away with weak hands. “Oh no you don’t.” She eased herself up on her elbows and scowled at his grinning fac.

“Not when you are fully dressed. Take off your clothes.” His grin widened. “Demanding miss, aren’t you?” She merely raised a brow. The speed with which he disrobed truly was impressiv.

As was the sight of him standing before her, utterly unabashed by his nakedness. And why shouldn’t he be? She’d seen him before, revealed in parts. She’d touched nearly every inch of him at some point or other. But Will Thorne, viewed all at once, took her breath away. Long and lean, his was not a body of brute strength but of feral grac.

Beneath smooth skin, his muscles were so finely wrought, so perfectly delineated, that it would take hours to fully explore every crest and dip. And she knew she wanted to try. The proud jut of his c**k drew her attention, and her thighs clenched with delicious heat. “You must know,” she murmured, still looking, “the effect you have on the female sex.” He moved then, prowling towards the bed, to crawl over her. Before they even touched, the heat coming off his body enveloped her. She lay back, and he hovered over her, his dark gaze meeting hers. “The only female I want to affect,” he nipped her lower lip, “is you.” Holly nipped him back. “Then let me show what you do to me.” “Anything you desire, love.” He let her ease him back onto the bed. “Rest against the headboard,” she told him. Readily, he complied. There was a glint in his eyes, as though her orders excited him. Or perhaps it was simply that they were both here, at this moment. Together. “Grab hold of the rails.” Her voice was only slightly unsteady. The steel headboard of her bed was composed of several bars, laid out in a grid fashion. Keeping his eyes upon her, Will spread his arms wide and clasped his hands around the bars. Instantly, the metal grew pliant then wrapped around his wrists before solidifying once mor.

Bound, Will jerked in surpris.

He glanced at his trapped arms then turned back to her. Holly’s heart beat hard within her chest, and tension gathered along her spin.

Would he be angry? Demand release? Think her crazed? A slow, satisfied smile curled his lips, and something within her relaxed. “I knew it,” he said in a low rumbl.

“Under all that starch, you’re as dirty-minded as I am.” It was a lovely compliment. And the pose did lovely things to his chest and arms, stretching those sinewy muscles out and drawing her gaze down to his narrow h*ps and thick cock, so hard now that it lay flat and pulsed against his tight belly. Holly undid her corset and let it fall to the floor but kept her chemise on. “Ah, now love,” he complained, as she crawled upon the bed and straddled his thighs, “don’t stop ther.

Take that thing off.” Preoccupied, Holly ran her fingers over his taut chest, pausing to stoke the tiny bud of his nippl.

Will shuddered, but his quest did not waver. “Give me something, darling,” he went on thickly. “Show us your tits, there’s a good lass.” At his crude words, her ni**les tightened. Never one to miss a thing, his eyes focused on the change, and he licked his lips, his voice dipping lower, going rougher. “Come now, petal. Show them to me.” His gaze seemed to burn through the thin material of her chemis.

“Those sweet tips are practically begging to be revealed.” Heat pulsed through her sex. Oh, but he was far too adept at destroying her composur.

Hands shaking, she watched his face as she pulled the tie that held the front of her chemise closed. His breathing sped up, his attention rapt as the fabric sagged and then parted, exposing her to his gaz.

His chest hitched, the muscles along his torso bunching. “I’ve wanted to see you for so long,” he rasped. “Gorgeous. You’re gorgeous.” She thought much the same of him. He rocked his hips, the movement edging her closer. “Lean in and let me give them a kiss.” A heady sense of power washed over her. Dizzy with it, Holly grabbed hold of the headboard at either side of his head and bent close, bringing her br**sts up to his mouth. He wasted no time, but craned his head forward and licked. The flat of his tongue laved her sensitive nipple, and Holly groaned. Arms shaking, she held on and let him do what he willed. Again and again he came at her, licking and lightly suckling the tip of her breast until she sagged into him, weak with heat and desir.

“The other one,” he demanded on a growl, his breath hot on her skin. Without thought, she offered him her other breast, and he gave it the same, thorough attention. When she whimpered and arched her back, he moaned against her and angled his head to draw her in deeper. Each sharp tug of his mouth sent a bolt of heat through her. Wicked demon that he was, Will bent his knees, bringing his thighs up. The action tipped her further forward, and her sex slid over the hard length of his cock. Instantly, he bucked his hips, grinding himself between her legs. “Oh no you don’t,” Holly managed between gasps. “I’m not through with you.” With a punch of power, two of the metal bars upon the footboard snapped out and snagged his ankles. Will yelped in surprise as they drew his legs wide and straight. “Evil woman.” His fangs flashed. “You’re going to be the death of me yet.” When Holly settled her weight back onto him, he sucked in a breath between his clenched teeth, and his h*ps shifted as if he couldn’t keep them still. “Ah… gods, put me out of my misery. Put me in you.” She almost relented under the plaintive look in his dark eyes. But she had plans for him. Because while she wanted him more than her next breath, he needed mor.

He needed to know that he was worth more than idle pleasur.

He needed to understand that he was her everything. “No,” she told him, pulling her chemise free from her body. “Not quite yet.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

No demon in his right mind would leave himself so exposed. So helpless. Yet here Will was, stretched out and bound hand and foot as a man upon a cross. And he loved it. Loved that his practical Holly liked to play. Now fully trapped, with his legs spread wide upon the bed, his c**k at full mast and impatient, he waited for her next mov.

Her pert bottom rested upon his thighs as she contemplated him. And he grinned back, not saying a word. Hells bells, but she had him stirred up. He could hardly wait for her next form of tortur.

She cupped his jawline, touching him as though he were something breakabl.

Will hadn’t expected that. He’d predicted more wet, scorching kisses, frantic touching, pushing up into her slick quim and letting her ride him. But none of those things occurred. Light as butterfly wings, her lips touched the tip of his nos.

Another delicate kiss upon the crest of his cheek. The ridge of his brow, his forehead, templ.

A slow shake built up within him as she mapped the lines of his fac.

“Holly…” “Shhh.” She kissed his eyelid, then his mouth. Onc.

Then once mor.

When he tried to deepen the kiss, she moved off. “Holly,” he said again, more forcefully. She paid him no heed. Kisses feathered his jaw, moved down his neck. His head tipped back, his gaze alighting on the ceiling. Her fingers threaded through his hair, a light exploration as if she were simply enjoying the textur.

Will’s heart churned a hard pace, the need to move, to free himself and end this gentle torture had him clutching the bars on the headboard. Still she kissed him. Breaking defenses he didn’t know he’d erected. Holding his gaze, she leaned forward, her sweetly curved belly pressing into his throbbing cock, the silken tips of her br**sts skimming his chest. Will groaned low and pained. Her smooth, cool skin was a balm, yet inflamed him all at onc.

Her slim arms wrapped about his neck. And she hugged him. He felt the touch down to his soul. And some dark emotion swelled up within, choking him. “Holly, love,” he croaked out, “sweet petal, let me pleasure you—” “Shh.” She snuggled in closer. “Let yourself feel. It’s all right. It is only m.

Here with you.” He squeezed his eyes shut and fought against the hot prickles behind his lids that threatened to unman him. His breath came in sharp, agitated bursts. Still she held him. “I will not let you go, William.” He swallowed convulsively. She held on tighter. “You are mine now.” A choked sound left him—half laugh, half sob. “Evermore.” As if she’d been waiting for his capitulation, she tilted her head and placed a soft kiss upon the vulnerable spot on his neck where his artery lay beneath his skin. Slowly she rose to cup his cheek. Her smile was radiant in the amber light. And when she leaned close and placed a soft, open kiss upon his mouth, his breath hitched, flowing into her. “I love you,” he told her. It needed to be said. She needed to know. So he said it again. “I love you.” His confident Evernight merely gave a Mona Lisa smil.

“And I have loved you from the moment you helped me bind your wrist to mine.” Shock, joy, heat slammed through him, flooding his veins. She loved him. She’d loved him all along, just as he’d loved her. His voice barely worked when he found the strength to answer. “Enjoy having me bound, do you?” He wanted to be set free so that he could capture her, do all the things he’d promised. “Mmm,” she hummed, “I do.” The sound of her contentment seemed to vibrate straight down to his cods. And then she leaned in and kissed his nippl.