“If it didn’t, why are you standing all the way over there?”
“Because you told me you didn’t want people to see your art. I’m trying to respect your privacy.”
My heart swelled. He’d not only remembered our conversation, he was giving me space because he believed that’s what I’d want. “Come here.”
Joriel didn’t look away from my face as he strode across the room. I probably looked a mess. Paint covered my arms, and I’d pulled my hair back at some point, so I was sure there must be paint in it too, but it didn’t bother me to have him see me like this.
“Thank you for taking care of me at the party.”
“You don’t have to thank me for that.”
“Well, I’m thanking you anyway.” I bit my lip, suddenly nervous. “Are you going to look at the paintings?”
“Do you want me to?”
I nodded.
He turned his gaze to the nearest canvas where I was working on an image of an ocean, the waves turning white where they crashed against the shore.
“You have a gift. It’s almost as stunning as you are.” He turned back to face me. “Laila, I need you to promise me something.”
I nodded even as nerves bunched in my lower stomach.
He reached for my paint-coated hand. “Don’t ever shut me out because you’re afraid of what I think. You are the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, inside and out. There isn’t one thing about you that I would change, even the parts that drive me crazy.” His free hand brushed back the hair that had escaped my ponytail so he could cup my cheek.
“I keep screwing up.”
“You haven’t screwed anything up, snow angel.”
“I thought I was strong enough to handle the parties and the princes, but I’m not. I couldn’t even walk out of Abadon’s mansion on my own last night.”
“You are strong enough to handle anything you put your mind to.” His arms wrapped around me. “There’s more to strength than being able to hold your liquor. Sometimes strength is knowing what your limits are and letting other people take care of you.”
I swallowed hard. “It made me feel weak.”
His hand stroked my hair. “You’re allowed to feel that way sometimes. You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.” His lips brushed against my forehead. “You’re not alone in this. I’d do anything for you, even when you piss me off.”
I laid my head on his chest and clung to him like he was a life raft that could keep me from drowning in my guilt and shame and fear. “Was it all the princes’ influence?” I asked in a whisper, half hoping he wouldn’t hear me.
“Waswhatall their influence?”
“Everything that’s happened between us. I know you said you were a willing participant when we were in that alcove at Asmodeus’s, but was that because of his influence or—?”
A low growl cut me off. “You think I didn’t mean it? That I wouldn’t have touched you if it weren’t for Asmodeus’s influence saturating those rooms?”
“I heard you tell Roth you couldn’t go back in or you’d cave. That kind of implies that you weren’t acting of your own free will.”
His hands slid down my body, stopping to clutch the hem of my dress. “Do you want to know what I would do to you if there were no princes, no influence or games?”
I nodded, and he pulled the dress over my head slowly, like he had all the time in the world. His eyes darkened with hunger as he took in the black bra I wore underneath.
“Tell me to stop,” he rasped as his fingers curled in the waistband on my leggings.
“Don’t stop,” I pleaded.
He sank to his knees, peeling the fabric off as he did. One hand hooked around my calf, lifting my leg enough for him to remove the leggings from my ankle. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Don’t hesitate to stop me if you don’t like something I’m doing.”
I nodded, and his grin turned positively wicked. He leaned forward and kissed my thigh, getting closer and closer to my center in a slow seduction.
