Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

It was the hum of the ceiling fan that pierced her sleep. God, she was dog-tired.

Floating in the haze of “almost awake,” Devon snuggled deeper into her pillow. No, not her pillow. Hers wasn’t so soft and plump. Just like her mattress didn’t feel so astonishingly comfortable—seriously, it was like lying on a cloud. Yeah, this was most definitely not her bed. Which meant it was also not her room. But she knew the scent that seemed ingrained into it. Tanner.

She managed to force her heavy eyelids open, but they drifted shut before she could properly examine her surroundings. Ugh. She’d obviously drained herself psychically, and the fucking liquid mercury hadn’t helped. It was every hellbeast’s major weakness.

She swallowed, and there was an audible click of her tongue. Damn if she didn’t feel like crap. Her joints ached, and her muscles quivered slightly … like when she had the flu. Her mouth was all dry and sticky, and she was excruciatingly aware of the hollow ache in her stomach.

Food. She needed food. And caffeine. Blessed, blessed caffeine.

Although her body was doing a piss-poor job of waking, her mind was a hub of activity. It didn’t feel whatsoever foggy, she remembered everything about the kidnapping; remembered the pooch pouring into her mind and giving her the strength that she’d needed to fuck Slade’s shit up and save herself from a second dose of liquid mercury.

In other words, he’d saved her ass.

Oh, how humiliating. And nice. Which meant she’d have to thank him. And wouldn’t he just love that? Especially after her insistence that she didn’t need his protection.

Well, she’d just have to suck it up. He’d not only mingled his mind with hers—something demons didn’t do often or casually—he’d also gotten her to safety. Hell, he’d even taken off her shoes and tucked her into his bed.

Yeah, she was gonna have to thank him all right. First, she’d have to find him.

Extending her enhanced senses, she picked up the slightest echo of voices. She couldn’t make out who those voices belonged to, what they were saying, or where they were in what Harper had once told her was a huge-ass apartment.

The thought of getting up made Devon want to cry, but she couldn’t lie here forever. Sadly. And she desperately needed sustenance.

Devon peeled back the cover and, squinting against the dim light coming from the ceiling spotlights, awkwardly sat upright. With only slits for eyes, she gave the room a thorough once-over. Well. She supposed “lavish” was a good word to describe the open, airy space. The color of the quality bedding and luxury rug perfectly matched the sleek gray walls. The hardwood floors looked polish-smooth, just like the walnut furniture, which was as masculine and solid as its owner.

There was a wide-screen TV mounted on the wall opposite the bed. French doors led to a pretty terrace, and high windows offered a scenic, breathtaking view. There was also some kind of hi-tech little sensor on the wall that appeared to control the lighting and temperature.

Yeah, it put her bedroom to shame. It put her entire apartment to shame. It was really little wonder that he’d been horrified by the condition of hers.

Although there were no bright colors in the room, it didn’t look dull or lack personality as she might have expected. It looked stylish and modern.

Devon shuffled to the edge of the mattress, her movements all sluggish and clunky. Then she just sat there, her shoulders bowed over her chest, staring at nothing. She was just so tired.

A yawn cracked her jaw as she glanced down at herself. Devon grimaced. Her clothes were all wrinkled, and her sweater was torn and stained with what was probably Slade’s blood. Taking stock of herself, she noticed there was some bruising and grazes from when she’d grappled with Slade. Awesome. At least they’d fade fast—most demons tended to recover from minor injuries quickly.

Licking at her dry lips, she pushed to her feet. There was a lot of weaving and stumbling, but she managed to find her way into the attached private bathroom that was all white gleaming tiles and smooth black marble. Oh, she was having total bathroom-envy right now. There was a monster of a bathtub. Hell, you could fit at least three people in there … which would be weird, but still.

Turning to the mirror over the sink, she winced at her reflection. Bed-head. Smudged lip gloss. Pasty face. Mascara goop at the corners of her red-rimmed eyes. And he’d seen her this way? Devon groaned, mortified. What bothered her more was that he’d seen her looking so frail. She didn’t want to show any weakness around him or his demon.

Devon finger-combed her hair as best she could, smoothing away the frizz. She fumbled for the toothpaste and scrubbed some on her teeth and tongue with her finger, wanting that tacky taste out of her mouth. Then she turned on the faucet, wet her hands with warm water, and went to work on her face.

Done, she checked her appearance again. Well, the makeup residue was mostly gone, and her eyes seemed a little more alert, but she was still a wince-worthy sight. At least she no longer looked like she belonged on an appeal poster for hurricane survivors.

A little steadier on her feet, she shuffled back into the bedroom. God, she just wanted to curl up on the bed. Or even the floor. Any flat surface would do, really.

Devon almost flinched as the doorknob turned. Tanner slipped into the room, fluid and silent. God, she needed to put a bell around the guy’s neck or something and … oh, the goddamn gem had brought her coffee. She fairly salivated at the smell of it.

“You’re awake,” he said in that deep, gravelly voice that reached so deep inside her she felt it in her bones. “Good. Thought you could use this.”

She cleared her dry throat and took the steaming mug he held out. “Thank you,” she rasped. Her demon pushed against her skin and eyed him closely. Devon got the impression of … respect from it. Well, the guy had come to Devon’s aid—psychically and physically—when she’d needed help in a mega way, living up to his promise to keep her safe.

Parched, she would have chugged down the coffee if it wasn’t so hot. She settled for taking a few sips. “How long was I out?”

“Just over four and a half hours.” He slanted his head. “Do you remember what happened?”

Oh yeah, her memories were crystal clear. She nodded. “Are all the bastards dead?”

“Yes. We haven’t yet identified them, but we’ll have their names soon. Did you recognize any of them?”

“No.” Devon glanced around the room. “So … this is your apartment?”

He only nodded.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“I trust that you’re safe here.”

Well, that was nice … although being in a confined space with Tanner Cole did not feel “safe” to her on an emotional level. “I, um …” She scratched at her head and blurted out, “Thank you. For helping me.”

He inclined his head. No rubbing it in her face. No “ha, I told you that you needed my protection.” Just a quiet acceptance of her thanks. She appreciated that.

“I need to call—”

“Nobody,” he finished. “Most of the people who are worried about you are gathered in my living room. And they won’t go until they’ve spoken with you and are satisfied that you’re okay.”

If she hadn’t been so surprised by his statement, she’d have laughed at the put-out look on his face. “What people?”

“Jolene, your parents, Harper, Khloë, Raini, Ciaran—the list goes on. Are you up to seeing them?”

She frowned at her torn sweater. “If you’ll lend me a shirt.”

He crossed to the built-in wardrobe and opened one of the mirrored doors. Hangers clanged together as he pulled out a crisp white shirt. He gently lay it on the mattress, putting it within her reach. “It’ll be a bit big on you.”

Tanner watched her throat work as she swallowed her coffee, and that sent all sorts of X-rated thoughts racing through his brain. She couldn’t know it, but he’d lay in bed with her for a while, watching her sleep; wishing she’d wake, even though he’d known it was better for her to get her rest. Then people had started to arrive, and he’d had to leave her alone.

He’d checked on her several times but always found her sound asleep. It had been a relief to walk in and see her up and awake.

His hound didn’t like that she looked so fragile; knew she was far from it. The demon had begun to see just how much it had underestimated her strength in the past. Bloodthirsty, it respected the dark power she wielded; respected how hard and mercilessly she’d fought earlier.

“Hey, did Jolene pay Lockwood a visit without us?” she asked.

“She went to the office after she heard someone tried to take you again. Her mood was so foul I think she would have killed him for sport. But he wasn’t there, and it didn’t look as if he’d been there in days. Ciaran went to the guy’s apartment and found that a lot of Lockwood’s shit is gone. Looks like he packed up his essentials and took off.”

Devon hummed. “Guilty conscience?”

“If you mean, do I think he did in fact broker the deal made for you? Then, yes, I think he’s guilty of that. I’m not so sure he feels guilty about it, though. I think he panicked when the first kidnapping failed. I think he was scared we’d trace it back to him and so he fled as a precaution.” Tanner shrugged. “Someone will find him.”

Devon felt her brow wrinkle. “You’re not planning to track him yourself?”

“And leave you? No.” He loomed over her, his golden eyes smoldering with something hot and intense that made her itch to take a step back and yet also made her want to move closer. “I wasn’t sure I’d get to you in time earlier. You gave me a scare, kitten. Don’t do it again.” And then he was gone.

Blinking at the door he’d closed behind him, Devon cursed herself for being disappointed that he hadn’t kissed her. She was her own worst enemy.

Ready to face the world, she clumsily exchanged her torn sweater for his shirt, drained her mug, slipped on her shoes, and then left the room. Arms hanging limply at her sides, she followed the sound of voices, passing an extra bedroom, the master bathroom, a workout room, and an office/library. Everything in sight was top-of-the-line. Damn, the place was awesome.

It was also kept meticulously clean.

Paintings and mirrors adorned the walls, but there were no photographs, just as there were no knick-knacks in sight. Either he wasn’t a particularly sentimental person, or he was too private to put the objects on display.

There were also no antiques that she could see, which surprised her, considering how many years he’d been alive—she would have thought he’d have kept some of his possessions over the years, inadvertently building a collection of antiques. Apparently, Tanner preferred the contemporary look. Or maybe he just kept his apartment so modern and moved with the times because he felt it helped him blend better.

Surrounded by so much opulence, style, and elegance, she should have felt somewhat shabby and self-conscious. Honestly, she was too tired to fret about it.

Walking into the living area, Devon felt her brows lift. God, he hadn’t been kidding when he said there was a bunch of people here. In addition to those he’d already mentioned, there was Martina, Beck, Knox, Richie, Levi, Larkin, and Keenan.

All eyes flicked Devon’s way, and their conversations halted. Then the room pretty much descended on her. She smiled as they told her how glad they were that she was okay, blah, blah, blah. But there were only so many hugs, cheek-kisses, and back-pats she could deal with before she found herself snarling. “Apparently, we’ve forgotten that I don’t like being crowded.”

Harper snorted. “Dork.”

Gertie rested a hand on Devon’s back. “How about some tea?”

“No, thanks, Mom,” she replied. “I just had coffee.”

Adam scrubbed a hand down his face. “Shit, Devon, I can’t deal with any more of this you-almost-getting-taken crap.” His gaze slid to Tanner. “Looks like your mark wasn’t enough to deter people from going after her. Nor was the sight of her four guards.”

“There’ll always be people who’ll do stupid things for money,” said Tanner.

Martina sidled closer to her. “How’s your demon, sweetie?”

“It’s sulking because it didn’t get a chance to join in on the fun,” Devon replied.

Richie rolled his eyes. “Typical.”

“Yeah,” Devon agreed. Too tired to stand, she sank so deeply into the sofa that her body practically conformed to its shape. The spacious room was just as luxurious as the bedroom with its lush three-piece leather suite, heavy drapes, super-wide TV, and solid oak furnishings.

“Damn, you look ready to drop,” said Harper. “You can crash in one of my spare bedrooms when we get back to my place.”

Devon could only stare at the sphinx. “Huh?”

“You’re staying with me and Knox until all this has blown over,” Harper told her in a tone that said obviously.

Panic tightened Devon’s throat at the mere idea of leading her shit to her friend’s doorstep. “You know I can’t stay with you, Harper.”

“You can and you will.”

Adam cut in, “You’re better off staying with me and Hunter.”

Oh, hell no, Devon wasn’t risking them either. “I’m going home.”

Harper’s face scrunched up. “Surely that’s the last place you’d want to be right now.”

Devon frowned. “Why? It’s my home.”

Harper’s eyes flicked to Tanner. “You didn’t tell her?”

He poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue. “Forgot to mention it.”

“Mention what?” Uneasy, Devon straightened in her seat. “What don’t I know?”

Everyone looked at Raini, who bit her lower lip and said, “God, I hate being the bearer of bad news.” She tucked a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. “Harper said you’d be staying with her for a few days, so I went to your place to pack you a bag and … well, someone had ransacked the apartment.”

Devon blinked. “Ransacked it?”

“Well, not all of it,” said Raini. “The destruction was confined to the living room. I’m talking an unreasonable amount of destruction. Ribbons of the shredded curtains were scattered all over the room. The TV was smashed to shit. I don’t know what the intruder used to go to work on your sofa, but it was in three pieces, and the stuffing from the upholstery was everywhere. All your pictures were pulled down from the walls. The coffee table … it almost looked like someone had karate-chopped it. I don’t know what they took with them when they left, though. I’m so sorry, Dev.”

Stomach hardening, Devon swallowed. Devastation, anger, and shock pumped through her blood, fighting for supremacy. Someone had not only broken into her home, they’d wrecked her living room and probably stolen some of her things. It was just stuff; she knew that. Stuff could be replaced. And it wasn’t as if the furniture had been worth shit. But, dammit, they’d been hers.

“I called Jolene, and she sent Ciaran to me,” Raini went on. “He snapped some pictures with his cell and then teleported us both out of there. Show her, Ciaran.”

Digging his phone out of his pocket, the male imp crossed to Devon. “They’re not pretty.”

As she skimmed through the collection of photos he’d taken of her apartment, Devon ground her teeth. “Motherfucker.”

“The damage seemed personal to me,” said Ciaran. “Vindictive. It’s like someone had a brief explosion of anger and then managed to get ahold of themselves.”

“I’ll have someone clean the place, Devon,” said Jolene. “In the meantime, you can’t stay there.”

“The safest place you can be is with me,” Harper insisted.

Devon lifted her chin. “I won’t take my shit to your door. Think of Asher. Do you really want this touching your son? Because it could, and I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to my little dude. Come on, Knox, surely you’re with me on how bad of an idea this is.”

Knox shrugged. “I have extreme preternatural security measures in place. No one can penetrate my estate.”

“Stay with me and your mom, beautiful,” said Russell. “We want you with us.”

Again, Devon shook her head. She wouldn’t endanger them that way. Couldn’t.

“You could stay in the apartment that’s just become empty on the floor above mine,” said Tanner. “The tenant had a crazy, Freddie-Mercury-style party last night and got himself kicked out of the building. You could stay here with me tonight while the apartment is put to rights, and then you could move there some time tomorrow. That way, you won’t feel like you’re putting anyone at risk.”

Aside from the part where he wanted her to stay here for the night, it was a good solution, but … “You’re asking me to let someone chase me out of my home.”

“No, I’m asking you to be smart.” Tanner crossed to where she sat and stared down at her, determined to make her see reason. “You know it’s a good idea, kitten.” And if she tried leaving, well, he’d just bring her back. She’d barely got out of the kidnapping alive—he wasn’t going to allow her to risk herself yet again.

Devon narrowed her eyes at him, and then her voice flowed into his head. You’d take advantage of our time alone to coax me into your bed.

Tanner didn’t deny it—it would have been a lie. That he’d make no bones of seducing her while she was worn out made him an asshole, yeah, but he’d always been selfish and ruthless when it came to Devon. He had no limits where she was concerned.

You shouldn’t be alone when you’re not at one-hundred percent, he pointed out to her telepathically, knowing it would prick at her pride if he spoke out loud of how weak she currently was. You’d say the same thing to others if the situation applied to them.

He let his gaze roam over her. There was something oddly satisfying about seeing her in his shirt, just as there’d been something oddly satisfying about seeing her in his bed.

He’d only ever had two other females in his apartment before now—Larkin and Harper, both of whom he thought of as family. Never had a woman slept in his bed. He wouldn’t have thought he’d like it, but he had. Though that was probably quite simply because it was Devon.

“I think Tanner’s suggestion is a sound idea,” Levi said to her. “This building has all kinds of security measures—technological and preternatural. Apart from Knox’s estate, which you’re insisting you won’t stay at, this is probably the safest place for you to be that’s local to your friends, family, and work.”

“I agree,” said Jolene. “The attempt to snatch you right in front of your guards was bold, Devon. I don’t foresee the asshole behind all this backing off—which makes him stupid, but never underestimate how dangerous stupid people can be. I’d rather you were staying here. Especially since Tanner would be on the floor below you. Having marked you, he’d be alerted if something was wrong and he could get to you in under a minute.”

Devon inclined her head because, yeah, that was a good point.

“He could also give you a ride to work in the morning,” Jolene added ever so casually. “And give you a ride home afterwards—it would make sense for him to do so.”

Devon folded her arms across her chest. “I see where this is going.” Jolene wanted him to chauffeur her around. And as her gaze swept the room, she saw that everyone seemed to think that it was a good idea.

“Twice now you’ve been taken while on your way somewhere,” Jolene reminded her. “I want you to have someone dangerous at your side next time it happens. Not in a car behind you, shadowing your every move.”

“Think of having Tanner with you as carrying a loaded gun,” said Khloë. “A backup weapon, if you will. Only he’s too big to slip into a holster on your ankle. Which is good, because the damn things can rub at your skin something awful at times.”

Keenan turned to the imp. “You’re armed?”

Khloë frowned at him. “We’re not talking about me.”

“We are now,” the incubus snapped.

Khloë ignored him. “As weapons go, a hellhound is mega cool, Dev. Any girl would happily have one.”

“So, you’d be okay with someone chauffeuring you around?” Devon asked the incredibly independent female.

Khloë snorted, her brows drawing together. “Hell n—yes, yes I would.”

Devon shook her head. “God, you’re so full of shit.”

Raini sat beside Devon. “What sounds better to you—dead and proud, or alive and chafing at the bit? Because I’d go for door number two, in your shoes.”

Harper moved closer. “When I was bristling over Knox assigning me a bodyguard, you said it didn’t make me weak to have people looking out for my safety, Devon. You said it made me smart. Well, right back atcha, Clarke.”

Devon looked at the three girls carefully. “You guys haven’t ganged up on me this way since we were eleven and I refused to lie that Khloë dumped Gary Ford when it was the other way around.”

Khloë gasped. “I can’t believe you pulled that out of the vault.”

“Who’s Gary Ford?” Keenan asked, but he was ignored.

With a mock sigh, Tanner stepped forward. “Look, kitten, I know it’s a struggle for you to deal with the undying love you feel for me and the close proximity only makes it harder, but what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”

Devon glared at him. “Honestly, sometimes it’s like your brain takes a laxative or something.”

Tanner chuckled, and his hound let out an amused chuff. She was far too easy to rile, which he couldn’t help but enjoy. “You’re not dumb, kitten, you know you can’t go back to your apartment until it’s been cleaned. And since someone managed to get past your protective wards, you can’t claim that you’d be safe there.”

Levi’s mind touched his. I’m thinking that Eleanor could have been the one who wrecked her apartment.

Yeah, I had that same thought, said Tanner, but it wasn’t something he’d mention to Devon until he knew for sure.

“I think it would be best if you stayed here until all this is over,” Gertie said to her. “Or at least for a few days. Please, Devon? It’ll give me peace of mind. Or if you won’t stay here, come home with me and—”

“No,” said Devon. “I can’t go with you.”

Gertie squeezed her hand. “Then do one thing for me and stay here.”

Devon sighed. “What about rent money? I can’t afford—”

“Your time here will be free,” Knox told her. “Don’t argue. This is a safety measure. I won’t take your money, so there’s no sense in putting up a protest.”

“If you’re really going to refuse to stay with anyone for fear that the danger dogging your heels will clip theirs, this is your best option,” said Harper. “Believe me, I know it’s hard to accept the protection of others. Having a bodyguard claws at my ego from time to time. And I get how important your independence is to you, but you have to admit that Tanner’s come in handy a few times.”

“And he’s pretty to look at, which is always a plus,” Khloë pointed out.

Keenan’s expression hardened as he stared at the imp. “Is he now?”

Khloë tossed him yet another frown. “What is with you today? You’re all snippy and snarly. Like a lion with a thorn in its paw.”

Keenan scowled. “I’m not snippy or snarly.”

Khloë put her hands on her hips. “All I heard was grr, argh, grr, I’m a raging alcoholic with an oversized cock, grr.”

Raini groaned and buried her face in her hands.

A muscle in Keenan’s cheek jumped slightly. “I’m not an alcoholic.”

“Dude, you drink vodka like it’s water and carry a flask of it around with you wherever you go,” said Khloë. “Tell me how that’s normal.”

Larkin smoothly stepped between them. “Anyway … yeah, Devon, I think you’d be better off staying in this building for a little while. You can’t deny that you’d sleep better with such top-notch security.”

“I’d sleep better knowing you were here.” Gertie squeezed her hand again. “Please, Devon?”

Closing her eyes, Devon tipped her head back and let out an annoyed groan. “Fine.”

Tanner’s voice flowed into her mind. Right decision, kitten. She chose to ignore him.

The others stayed long enough for Hunter to whip her up some risotto while they tried theorizing on where Lockwood could be or who might be able to point them in the right direction, but the conversation didn’t amount to much.

Advising her to rest, people filed out of the apartment. Russell lingered long enough to warn Tanner that he’d get better not let Devon be hurt in any way, shape, or form.

Hunter was the last to leave. He kissed her cheek and said, “I plated your risotto—it’s waiting on the kitchen counter for you. Eat. You need to get your strength back.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Hunter.” Then he was gone. And she and Tanner were alone. In his apartment. While she was wearing his shirt.

“You hungry?” he asked.

“I could eat.” She followed him into a large, beautiful kitchen that was all cream gloss and gleaming platinum appliances. “Fancy.”

He took the plate of food from the counter, set it on the kitchen island, and gestured at one of the chairs.

Devon happily took the silent invitation and, absolutely famished, delved into her risotto. She groaned in appreciation. “Man, Hunter is good.”

Tanner put a glass of water near her plate and then straddled the chair opposite her. “How long have you known him?”

“As long as I’ve known Adam, so … six years.”

“You seem to get along well with Hunter.” He tilted his head. “You two have never had any problems? He’s not jealous of the closeness you have with Adam?”

“No. Which makes me lucky.” They made idle conversation while she ate. Pushing her empty plate aside, she sipped some water from her glass while sweeping her gaze around the kitchen. The room was as spotless as the rest of the apartment. “You have a cleaner?”

“No.”

Whoa, he couldn’t be serious. “You’re a neat freak?” She hadn’t sensed that about him.

He shrugged. “I like to have a tidy home. I wouldn’t say it makes me a freak.”

“I like a tidy home. This kind of cleanliness screams ‘obsessive.’”

Standing, he took her plate and cutlery to the sink and rinsed them off before stacking them in the dishwasher. “The staff at the kids’ home where I grew up were strict on us keeping things clean and tidy. I guess it stuck with me.”

Devon’s chest tightened. Damn, it had to have sucked growing up in a home for demonic kids. He couldn’t have had much of a childhood since the staff would have needed to be strict or the children would have caused utter mayhem. “Is it still standing?”

“No. Knox bought it, demolished it, and then built a hotel over it. It was Larkin who named it ‘Crimson Grove Hotel and Spa.’”

She wanted to ask more about the home; wanted to ask how it was he’d ended up there, but the questions seemed far too intrusive. Plus, she could clearly see he didn’t want to speak more of it.

Slipping off the stool, she added her empty glass to the dishwasher. “Tell me about the newly vacated apartment you want me to stay in. Is it like this?”

“The layout’s pretty much the same. I don’t think it has a spare bedroom, though.” He leaned back against the counter. “Just so you know, you won’t be using my spare tonight. You’ll be in my bed.”

Her stomach did a little flip. “We talked about this already; we’re leaving it at a one-night stand.”

“And if I told you that when I left your place last night I went to a club, picked up a random woman, and then went home with her and fucked her brains out?”

Devon flinched, feeling like he’d slapped her.

“I didn’t do it. But that thing you’re feeling right now, that’s what you would have felt if I had. And you’re really going to tell me that we’re done?”

She sighed. “You can get sex anywhere, Tanner. Hell, go down to the Underground, there are pussies galore.”

“But there’s only one of you. It’s you I want.”

That hit her right in her core. Her body should have been too tired to react, but damn if her libido didn’t snap awake. “My demon won’t give you a month of its life, Tanner.”

His eyes hardened. “You won’t exactly be taking the time to look for a mate while you’re preoccupied with finding Asa’s friend. Where’s the harm in us having our fun in the meantime?”

“You don’t have to say ‘mate’ like it’s a dirty word, you know.” Her pulse skittered as he pushed away from the counter and slowly prowled toward her. And then all six-feet-plus of untamed power was towering over her, and her mouth went bone dry.

Devon probably should have backed away, but she felt trapped by that compelling gaze. His eyes shimmered with a need so basic and primitive that her nipples tightened. That need called to hers. Tempted her. Invited her in. Drew her closer.

He skimmed the tips of his fingers down the column of her throat. “Be honest, kitten. It’s not your demon that’s so opposed to this; it’s you. You have it in your head that all I want is to use you and then toss you aside.”

“Don’t you?” she challenged.

He lowered his mouth until it was only an inch above hers. “You want to know what I want to do to you?” he whispered softly. “I want to explore you. Savor you. Possess you. Over and over and over. Until I know every inch of you.”

Her stomach fluttered. Clenched. Twisted.

He kissed the corner of her mouth, traced the curve slightly with his tongue. “It would be using you if all I cared about was what I got out of it, but it’s not like that. You know it’s not. Outside my lair, you’re the only thing I give a shit about.”

Those words swathed her like a warm blanket. She wouldn’t melt. She wouldn’t.

“Love your scent.” Tanner brushed his nose along her elegant neck and breathed deep, letting himself drown in her sweet scent. The siren-call of it wrapped around him, heated his blood, thickened his cock. She was an enticement he couldn’t ignore. An obsession that just wouldn’t fade. A drug he’d always crave, no matter how many times he had her. And didn’t that just beat all.

There would be no fucking her out of his system—he knew that. Accepted it. And despite how very smart and perceptive his little hellcat was, she just didn’t see it. That baffled him.

He sank his fingers into her hair and gently stretched out the curls, loving the silky feel of them. “I’ve always been good at abruptly disconnecting from all feeling. I do it whenever I’m in an intense or dangerous situation. But when I realized you’d been taken, there was no distancing myself from the rage. Even my hound went ballistic.”

Taking her hand, he circled the mark on her palm with his thumb. “There are few people who matter to me, and even fewer who matter to my demon. It sees most people as replaceable. Disposable, even. They’re pretty much generic to it—few stand out from the rest.

“But you made it see you. Made it see you as an individual, not a hellcat. And now it wants you. I don’t know for how long. I don’t know if it could ever really acknowledge you as its equal, just as I’m guessing your feline would struggle to see my demon as its equal. But I say we take advantage of however long our demons allow this to go on. They could put up a resistance any day, kitten. We’re at their mercy on this.”

Devon nearly jumped when he clamped a possessive hand on her hip. She should shove him away. Should refuse his touch. But, dammit, she didn’t want to. Wasn’t even sure if she truly could. What pulsed between them was so electrically charged that she’d bet they could power his entire building with it. How did you fight something like that?

“Let me give us what we both want. Let me make you feel good.”

She closed her eyes as he scraped his teeth over her pulse. Fuck if he wasn’t seduction itself. His words, his mouth, his voice … It was like he had molten sexuality flowing through his veins.

He lifted his head, locking his gaze with hers, and she felt captivated by the sheer unadulterated hunger on his face. No one had ever looked at her like that. No one. “I need this, kitten.”

Despite her intentions, she all but melted. “Tanner …” She was going to cave. She knew she was. The tips of her fingers tingled with the need to touch him—a need that wouldn’t be denied much longer.

“Let’s just be done dancing around this thing and take what we want for as long as we can get it.”

Devon licked her lips. “It probably won’t be long.”

“Probably not. So why waste more time?” He swept his thumb over her lower lip. “Your mouth drives me crazy.” His eyes snapped to hers, gleaming with demand. “Give it to me.”

The note of authority in his voice punched its way inside her. She swallowed. “What will you do with it?”

His lips curled slightly. “Own it.” His clever, carnal mouth swooped down and took total possession of hers.