never with a partner. Not until now. Aurora makes a show of frowning. “What’s to stop me from lying?”
I toss her phone, which I had pocketed, next to her. “You’ll record it. I’ve already put my number into your phone.”
“If you wanted a sex tape, you could have just asked.”
I allow myself a smile. “No, Aurora. I don’t want a video of your pussy as you come. I want one of your face.” I watch the understanding dawn in her expression as she realizes the vulnerability I’m demanding of her. It’s one thing to orgasm with another person—or several—in the heat of the moment. It’s entirely another to do it alone with the knowledge that it will be viewed later. I point at the phone. “Six orgasms, six videos. Text each to me as you finish.”
She presses her lips together. “And if I don’t?”
I shrug, because I knew this was coming. Aurora wouldn’t be Aurora if she didn’t push back with every step forward we make. “Then you won’t orgasm for the remainder of this assignation. It’s your choice.” I turn and walk away, allowing myself a smile as her curses follow me into the bathroom.
Some days, it’s good to be queen.
18
Aurora
As soon as Malone leaves the room to go to work, I flop down on the bed and curse hard. I am a fucking failure. Not only did I not take advantage of the opportunity being in Malone’s bed offered, but I woke up humping her like a horny teenager. Worse, for those few hours with her mouth on my skin and my hands on her body, I forgot I hated her at all. There was no room for anything but sheer need.
“What the hell am I doing?” I pick up the phone and stare at it. I already know I’m going to obey her command. No matter what questions I asked, there was never a drop of doubt that I’d be recording myself orgasming and sending the videos to her.
Maybe that’s why I start dialing. I’ve been here less than a week, and I’ve already lost sight of the ultimate goal. I need the reminder, the slap in the face to get my head on straight. There’s only one person capable of doing it, only one I’ve trusted enough to tell the full truth.
I call Allecto.
Despite the relatively early hour, she answers quickly. “Do you need out?”
Guilt swarms. Of course she would assume that’s why I’m calling—that I’ve killed Malone and need an escape. “No, I’m fine.”
Allecto blows out a long breath. “You are hell on my blood pressure, you know that?”
“I’m sorry.” And I am. I never really thought I’d end up with a family of sorts in the Underworld, but that’s exactly what’s happened. Their presence in my life doesn’t negate what I lost, but I can’t deny that they have enriched my life and given me more love than I thought possible. Allecto will always be there when I need her, and as much as I need her right now, I really don’t relish the coming “I told you so” she’ll no doubt deliver. “I, uh, need some advice.”
“End the assignation early and come back to the Underworld today. There, see how easy that was?”
Against all reason, I laugh. “Shouldn’t you wait to hear the situation before you start offering advice?”
“No, because I know you. This ends one of two ways. Either you kill her and have to leave the city to avoid her people strapping you to a pyre and setting you on fire, or you can’t go through with it and you end up mired in misplaced guilt and bullshit self-loathing.” She softens her tone. “I know you’re grieving your mother, but this isn’t the way to do it, Aurora.”
I close my eyes. It would be so much easier if the only reason I was calling was to request an exit. She’s right; it’s the smartest course of action. But I’ve never been smart when it comes to Malone, and I only seem to get more foolish as time goes on. “I can handle this.”
“Is that why you’re on the phone with me right now? Because you’re handling it so well?
I glare at the ceiling. “She deserves to die.”
Allecto makes the jump with me without hesitation. “We’ve all done shit that could be argued we deserve to die for. You know my past isn’t free of sins. No one in the Underworld is—including you.”
“It was one tiny fire.”
“Aurora, the only reason that asshole