Masters of Seduction Volume 2: Books 5-8: Paranormal Romance Box Set by Lara Adrian et el Read Free Book Online Page A

now?
    She looked up at Sorin in question.
    If she thought she might find softness in his eyes, that hope vanished the instant her gaze met his. His voice was equally unyielding. “Tell me what this pendant really means to you, Asha.”
    “I did tell you, numerous times. It belongs to my gran—”
    He made a sound of impatience in the back of his throat. “I don’t think it does. It’s an unusual piece. An unusual stone, if not particularly remarkable. And a chain made of silver? Everyone knows that material is one of the most toxic to the Incubi.”
    She had no idea what he was talking about. “It’s been in my family for generations. It would still be with us, if my mother hadn’t pawned it. If she hadn’t been…”
    “What?”
    Ashayla shook her head. When she tried to avoid his gaze, Sorin reached out, his fingertips light under her chin as he guided her eyes back to him. “If she hadn’t been what, Asha?”
    “Desperate for money.” The words crept up, bitter as bile. “Desperate for her next fix.”
    Sorin frowned. “She was an addict?”
    What was the point in trying to deny it now? Her mother was gone, dead long ago. Ashayla nodded. “From before I was born, according to Gran. My mother might have been Nephilim, but she had her own kind of demons inside her. Gran said my mother was a little mad, even before her addictions took hold of her.”
    “You never mentioned any of this when you wrote to me.”
    “Air my family’s shame to a stranger?” she asked softly. “Plead for pity?” God, she would never do either of those things.
    Sorin studied her. “You never mentioned it.”
    “Would it have made a difference?”
    He didn’t answer. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything at all. Then he heaved out a sigh. “It doesn’t matter what either of us might have done before. This is now, after you’ve come to my House under false pretenses. Compassion isn’t part of this equation.”
    His level tone stung her worse than had he bellowed at her. She shook her head, trying to think of a way to explain herself, or to justify her reasons. “Sorin, you have to understand—”
    “Understand that you didn’t accept my decision, so you thought you would defy it instead? You’ve lied to me about your name and your intentions. I can only guess what you thought you were going to do once you got here.” His sharp-edged features seemed to harden even more as he spoke. He brought his hand toward her face, but despite his cold words and glacial gaze, his fingers were tender when they lit on her cheek. “I’m not a fool, Asha. If you make the mistake of thinking I am, you’ll also find I’m not a forgiving man.”
    She licked her lips, swallowing the tangled knot of guilt and fear that had lodged itself in her throat.
    Sorin exhaled a slow sigh as he stroked her jawline, his thumb caressing the sensitive skin below her chin. “But I’m not a monster either. Before you think about testing me any more than you already have, I’m prepared to alter the terms of our deal.”
    “What do you mean?” Her voice trembled somewhat as he continued to trace his fingers along her tingling skin. Her heart rate galloped, everything female in her captivated by the potency of his stare and the gentle coaxing of his touch. “Alter the terms…how?”
    A smile slowly lifted the corner of his sensual mouth. “You owe me the night in my bed, and that’s a debt I fully intend to collect. But since you claim you don’t desire me, I propose a new wager.”
    She didn’t trust that glimmer of a smile. It was too diabolical. Too classically Incubus. “Dare I hope, one that doesn’t require me to sleep with you?”
    “Oh, this has nothing to do with sleeping.” Now he smirked. “You insist you don’t desire me—”
    “I don’t.” The blurt lacked fire, even to her own ears. She tried again, giving her voice more steam. “I don’t care what we wagered tonight. I won’t ever want you.”
    He inclined his