She hooks her leg around my waist and shoves. I let her roll us back to our original position, her straddling me. This time, there’s no conflict on her face. Just a hunger hot enough to match my own. Her lips curve as she slides onto my cock. “Abel.”
Fuck, I like my name on her tongue. “Yeah?”
She leans down until our faces are kissably close, her breasts rubbing against my chest with each slow roll of her hips as she works my cock. “You want Eli.” Apparently she doesn’t need an answer, because she keeps riding me, keeps talking. “You just went down on me as if you could lick up every bit that he left inside me.” She props her hands on either side of my neck, giving herself better leverage. “How long until you’re fucking him?”
I grab her hips and thrust up into her. Harlow cries out and grinds down on my cock. For a moment, the only sound in the room is flesh slapping against flesh and our harsh breathing. I should keep using sex to distract her, but even if I didn’t exactly promise honesty, every time I tell her the truth, I bind her to me more effectively.
I release one hip and clasp her chin. She doesn’t stop moving, doesn’t stop fucking me, and I like her all the more for it. Finally, I grind out, “Yeah, I’m going to fuck Eli. I said as much earlier.”
Surprise flickers over her face, but it smooths out almost immediately. “Another manipulation.”
“Yeah.” I hiss out a breath as she plants her hands on my chest and leans back, taking me deeper yet and breaking my hold on her chin. I press my hand to her lower stomach and stroke her clit with my thumb. “I’ve wanted that fucker for a long time; not even hate and betrayal can take that away. I’m going to have him, and then I’m going to kick his ass to the curb at the end of this. He’ll walk away knowing that I have his territory, his home, and his woman.”
Harlow doesn’t speak again. She simply gets down to fucking me hard enough that we’re both panting and sweating, and there’s no space for words. She doesn’t like what I’ve said, but sometimes the truth is shitty. Hell, most of the time it is. She’ll come to terms with it sooner or later. She’s too practical, too angry, to fight against the inevitable.
And me and Harlow?
We’re fucking inevitable.
She comes with a cry loud enough that everyone in this hall has to hear it. A sound that’s almost a scream. I hook the back of her neck and pull her down to claim her mouth as I pound up into her, chasing my own orgasm. I clench my jaw as I come, a fierce, dark part of me elated that there’s nothing between us in this moment. She’s taking all of me. Everything.
She slumps to the side, and I follow her, turning onto my side. Harlow starts to sit up, but I plant my hand in the center of her chest, lightly holding her in place. “We still need to talk.”
“We’ve done nothing but talk. I’m over it.”
“Mmm.” I slide my hand down her stomach and push two fingers into her.
Her eyes go wide. “What are you doing?”
“I told you I have nowhere to be for the next few hours. You didn’t really think once would be enough, did you?” I fuck her slowly while I wait for an answer. She spreads her legs the tiniest bit, which is answer enough. I prop my head in my hand and twist my wrist, feeling for the spot that… Yeah, there it is.
She moans, and her eyes flutter closed. “You said you wanted to talk.”
“You ready to listen?” I lightly stroke that spot, enjoying how she melts against me in response. “Or you want to come a few more times to take the edge off?”
Harlow hisses out a breath and grabs my shoulder. She doesn’t try to move me; it’s more like she needs something to hang on to. Her breathing picks up. “What? You can’t multitask?”
That surprises a laugh out of me. Yeah, I like this woman. A lot. I watch her face as I ease her closer and closer to orgasm. “Taking this faction isn’t enough.”
At that, she opens her eyes. There are bright spots of pink on her cheeks. “What?”
“Come on, sweetheart. If I only wanted this faction, I wouldn’t need to take the other six Brides for my brothers. You think I chose the heirs to the Mystics and Amazons by accident?”
She blinks slowly. “You’re out of your mind.”
“Nah, I’m just ambitious.” And I have enough rage to burn this entire city to the ground. That would only give me a momentary flare of pleasure, and it would hurt too many people whose only sin is living in the wrong place. This is better.