The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld #3)(56)
Author: Gena Showalter

There was a desk, several chairs, filing cabinets and a computer. Oh, and four men. All four jumped to their feet, gaping at Reyes.

"Out," he barked.

There was a slight hesitation, but they didn’t protest. Once they gathered their wits, they nodded and raced out of the office as if their feet were on fire.

Danika stalked to the desk and whirled. "How dare you!"

His eyes narrowed, homing in on her. "How dare I what? Claim this room? The club was destroyed by Hunters nearly two months ago, and I rebuilt it in three days. Believe me, they are happy to let me use anything I want."

Even the female patrons? she almost shouted, barely managing to contain the words. "No, how dare you force me in here? I’m done with you!" And what did he mean, Hunters had destroyed it? She remembered the aftermath of the explosion, but hadn’t realized Hunters were responsible.

He closed what little distance there was between them. His warm breath trekked over her face, and she tried to hold her own breath. She really did. But that lasted only a minute before she was sucking in his scent, her lungs desperate.

"No, you aren’t," he said softly, menacingly.

Though she wanted to tear her gaze from his harsh and beautifully angry face, she didn’t look away. I’m strong now. I do not back down. Ever.

"Are you angry because I left without you?"

"Please." She raised her chin, squared her shoulders, just like she’d learned in one of her classes. Sometimes appearing confident was enough to send your opponent running. "I’m not angry."

"Liar," he lashed out. His top lashes intertwined with the bottom, blocking even a minute view of his pupils. "Why? Tell me."

"Go to hell."

"How many times must we establish that I’m already there?" He leaned down, a little closer to her.

Another tremor shook her. "There’s nothing for us to discuss. I came to warn you about the Hunters, and I’ve done that."

"I believe I asked how you knew."

"I believe I refused to answer."

His head tilted to the side, his gaze raking her body, lingering in all the right spots. "Are you going to betray me, Danika?"

"I should," she said, practically spitting the words.

"But you haven’t." A demand for the truth.

Her lips thinned into a mulish line.

He massaged the back of his neck, looking tired all of a sudden. "What am I going to do with you?" The question was clearly meant more for himself than her.

"Nothing. I’m leaving, and you’re going back to your girlfriend. Don’t worry. I won’t return to the fortress." Cameo’s words chose that moment to invade her mind. You want him, you’ll have to fight him.

I’ve already lost, she thought. Keeping her nose in the air, she pushed past him. Or tried to.

His arm snaked out, an unmovable blockade.

Automatically, she gripped that arm, her nails sinking deep in warning. But he closed his eyes and moaned in ecstasy. Her eyes began to close, too; she began to moan, just as ecstatic. Touching him always warmed her, and now was no different. The chill left her blood. Her ni**les hardened and her stomach quivered. How can I still desire him?

Danika forced her arms to fall to her sides. She couldn’t control the wild thump of her pulse, though. Couldn’t stop the dark flood of regret washing through her. Fight him…"Who were you with? You came here to f**k, didn’t you? Don’t try to deny it. I’ve had boyfriends and know how you guys are. Well, who’d you pick?"

Reyes bared his teeth, resembling a feral animal as he leaned the rest of the way in to her. Their noses brushed and he snarled, "I do not want to hear about any boyfriends you’ve had. Understand?"

"The Darkest Pleasure"

"Y-yes." God, his anger…Exciting when it should have been frightening.

"And as to who I picked, are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes." This time, at least, she managed to sound somewhat confident.

"Why?"

Because I want to kill her for daring to put her hands on you. Because you’re mine and I do not share. "Because," was all she said, her chin trembling. Damn it! Do not cry.

"I did come here to find a woman," he said.

Danika bit the inside of her cheek, blood filling her mouth.

"I found one," he added.

Motherfucker! The curse echoed through her mind, white-hot, searing. "I’m so glad," she gritted out. "I hope the two of you had a fun time." I hope she gave you an STD and you both die from it!

God, when had she become so bitter? So vindictive?

"Fun?" He laughed, but it was an ugly sound. "When I could not bring myself to touch her?"

"When you – what?" The hottest flames of her fury sizzled and crackled before finally dying. "You didn’t?"

"No."

"Oh." Danika’s shoulders slumped, and her eyes closed. Relief poured through her like –

"So I found another."

Her gaze snapped back up, locked on him. From relief and hope – hated hope – to fury. "And?"

"I could not bring myself to touch her, either. Both would have given me the beating I so desperately needed when I left the fortress. They were eager to tie me up and whip me. They would have hurt me, and we all would have loved it."

"Would have?" Her glare landed on his still-wounded neck. She arched a brow. "That’s funny. Looks as if you already did."

He grabbed her arms and shook her hard enough to give her whiplash. "Would have. All I could think about was you. All I wanted was you. And they were not you, so I could not force myself to take them."

She licked her lips. "So you…did this to yourself?" Please. Please, please, please.

"No. When I first arrived, there were four Hunters in the club."

Now she gulped. Her fury, gone. Her hope, renewed. And yet, she had no relief. Not this time. He hadn’t been with another woman, and that delighted her. But he had killed. Killed the very men she was supposed to be helping. "Were here? You keep saying that."

He nodded, grim.

"You fought them?" She didn’t need to ask; she knew the answer, but perhaps she needed confirmation. Perhaps she needed time to halt the desire intensifying inside her. This man still belonged to her, wanted her as fiercely as she wanted him. "Who were they?" She hadn’t meant to ask the question aloud, and gulped when she realized what she’d done. Had Stefano been among them?

Frowning, Reyes dug in his pocket, withdrew a stack of IDs, and handed them to Danika. She flipped through them with shaky hands. No Stefano. But the men looked like any other average Joes and it saddened her that they might have been hurt.