Or maybe Nix would hold Ivan at arm’s length every time his temper got the best of him, and that would do the trick.
“Are yousmiling?”
Ivan smoothed his expression, his gaze darting to Nix, only to find Nix’s eyes were still closed, his face pressed into the pillow.
“How would you even know?” Ivan asked, his voice rough with sleep.
“I could feel it,” Nix said with a small grin, eyes shut tight. “It was like your soul piece got all…fizzy.”
Right. Because there was a piece of Ivan’s soul residing in Nix’s chest, keeping the demon in the human realm. And apparently letting him know when Ivan smiled. It was hard to remember sometimes—it wasn’t like Ivan could tell a piece was missing. Was that because his soul was too tarnished to feel whole in the first place? Probably. Too late to fix that. And anyway, losing a piece of it was worth it to keep this demon at his side.
But for how long?
There had been another element to Ivan’s ire, besides Nix’s abject disregard for his orders. Sascha had said he and Kai needed the Book to bond. And Nix had said Kai and Sascha’s bond was a way to keep Kai in the human realm even after his contract was finished.
So for Nix to stay…
It wasn’t like Ivan wanted tomarrythe demon—wanting tofuck him at every turn didn’t mean Ivan was in the market for some supernatural husband—but he also didn’t want Nix leaving before Ivan was ready either. And having the Book close at hand seemed to be the only way to prevent it.
And whenwillyou be ready for him to leave?
Ivan scowled at his own question. He’d know when, of course. They couldn’t continue on like this indefinitely, could they? Happy endings didn’t exist in Ivan’s world.
His mother had been proof enough of that.
“Oop. There goes the fizz.” One of Nix’s purple eyes popped open. “What’s got you in a tizzy already?”
“Maybe I’m just pent up,” Ivan told him, ridding himself of his useless thoughts and biting at Nix’s neck. “Am I still forbidden from touching you?”
“That depends.” Nix arched back, teasing his ass against Ivan’s hard-on. “How were you planning on touching me?”
In answer, Ivan shifted all the way on top of Nix, pressing him into the mattress on his belly, rutting his erection between Nix’s cloth-covered cheeks, wishing they were both nude already.
He gripped Nix’s wrists with one hand, holding tightly. There was something intoxicating in the way he could hold the incubus as tight as he wanted, without causing him pain. Without Nix pulling away.
That had always been Ivan’s problem—gripping things too tightly and losing them anyway when they chafed at his hold. But with Nix, he could grab on as hard as he could, and the demon wouldn’t balk.
Nix chuckled, the sound slightly muffled by the pillow. “That’s all well and good foryou, but what about—Oh.” He groaned as Ivan slid his other hand into Nix’s briefs, rubbing Nix’s cock in time with his thrusts. “Oh, that’s lovely.”
Ivan would have to agree. He’d grown fond of the feel of Nix’s cock. The demon’s skin was soft and warm, and his absurdlyviscous precum always made for a smooth glide. It was fascinating to Ivan, how similar in mechanics it was to touching himself, and yet how different it was in so many ways.
Nix, shameless as ever, wasted no time, humping against Ivan’s hand, his dick pressed tightly between his hip and Ivan’s palm. His actions had the fortunate side effect of his ass pressing against Ivan’s hard cock again and again, and Ivan took full advantage.
It was a ridiculous way to get off—like Ivan was a teenager again, fucking against his mattress and hoping no one roaming the hallway would know what he was up to.
And yet it was nothing like that at all, because Nix’s body was firm against his, his skin smelled like spice and smoke, and his grunts and groans sent shivers up and down Ivan’s spine.
Ivan had wanted him so badly last night, even in his anger. He’d wanted to bury himself in his heat, to feel Nix’s warmth against him.
And now he had him, even if he was too impatient to claim him completely.
And Ivan would keep him, here at his side, until he was ready to let him go.
Ivan grabbed Nix’s chin with his free hand, claiming Nix’s mouth as he rutted furiously against him. His incubus tasted oddly sweet, as he always did. Ivan probably tasted vile, but Nix didn’t seem to mind, sucking on Ivan’s tongue deliriously as he worked toward his finish against Ivan’s hand.
“That’s right,” Ivan murmured against his lips. “Come for me, demon.”
Nix did come first, greedy for it as ever, and Ivan groaned at the feel of Nix’s hot release spilling over his own fist. It didn’t take Ivan long to follow, a stuttered moan leaving his lips as the wave of pleasure took him under.
