Page 64 of Knight’s Salvation

Oh, that was it. She kicked out then, nailing him in the knee. It jarred back awkwardly and he sucked in a breath. Copying the move he’d used on her, she swung out and swept his leg out from under him.

His big body hit the mat. Hard.

“Shit.” She scrambled over to him. “Zenon? Are you all right? I’m sorry.” He was making a weird noise. Oh God, she’d really hurt him. “Should I get help? Are you all right?”

When he looked up at her, he was grinning so wide she was almost blinded by all those straight white teeth. The bastard was laughing.

“You think that’s funny?”

He nodded, holding his side while laughing so hard she thought he’d rupture something.

She smacked him on the shoulder. “Jerk.”

She spun around to make a pissy departure, but before she could take two steps, she was in the air, spun around then flat on her back. Zenon loomed over her. “You’re not going anywhere. I told you I haven’t finished with you yet.”

“Oh right, how could I forget? I’ve had enough when you say so.” She said the last part in a mock deep, growly voice.

“That’s right. Finally she gets it.” The grin was still firmly in place, and Mia had to work at not smiling in return.

“Okay, you have me where you want me, so now what?” Heat darkened his gaze. She’d grown to love that look. A lot.

“You need to be punished.”

“What do you have in mind?” She sounded breathless, needy, and she didn’t give a damn.

Sliding his hand up her shirt, he glided rough fingers over her stomach to the sensitive underside of her breast. “If I tell you, the surprise will be ruined.”

God, she loved this. This teasing, playful side. It had come out more and more over the last few days, and every time playful Zenon made an appearance she had the urge to hold her breath, afraid to break the spell. Reaching out a hand, he chuckled evilly as he used his powers to lock the door. The sound of it sliding into place filled the charged silence.

He continued to stroke her skin, making her squirm. “It’s a good thing I love surprises, then.”

The wicked glint in his eyes almost made her want to take those words back. Almost. “You have trouble with self-control and following instruction. Those things are important. So I’m going to teach you.”

That didn’t sound good. “What are you—”

He shook his head. “For the purposes of this lesson, you will not speak, Mia, not until I tell you to. You will not move unless I tell you to. Nod if you understand.”

Her blood rushed faster, her heart pounded harder. She’d learned fairly quickly that Zenon like to take control when they were in bed. She’d also learned that she loved it. She didn’t know why, but Zenon needed this, needed to feel as though he had full control, and she was happy to give it to him. He turned from a male who came across as unsure, almost shy at times, to something else entirely.

He pinched her nipple, not enough to hurt, but enough to make her gasp. She nodded.

“Good girl. Now lift your arms.” She did as he asked and he pulled up her shirt, but instead of removing it fully, tangled it around her wrists. “Is that all right, princess?”

She nodded again, and he grinned, a lopsided sexy grin that caused liquid heat to flood her sex. He’d also started calling her princess. She loved it. Her bra came off next, torn from her body without apology. He slipped off her sneakers, followed by her underwear and yoga pants. He slid them down her legs slowly, his dark gaze moving across her bare skin.

Now completely naked, she lay sprawled on the mat, waiting for what would come next.

“Bend your knees and open yourself for me.” His voice was harsh, rough, and she shivered. She did as he asked, heart pounding, anticipation flowing through her veins. He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing all that beautiful inked skin, all those vicious scars she knew marked him inside and out. “So fucking beautiful,” he rasped.

He knelt beside her and ran his index finger from the indent in her throat down between her breasts then across to circle a nipple. The touch was light, barely there, and she arched up, needing more. He took his hand away and she groaned.

“No moving, or I stop.” The serious note to his voice wasn’t very effective, not with the wicked tilt of those tempting lips.

Oh, he was enjoying this.

The throb between her thighs increased and she wanted desperately to squeeze her legs together to ease the ache. She stilled and he chuckled in that dark way that sent delicious shivers across her skin. He ignored all her naughty bits and instead ran his fingers over her arms, her stomach, across her hip. Finally, he bent down and kissed the smooth skin just below her belly button. “Sometimes I can’t believe you’re real and not something I dreamed up in my mind.”

His quietly spoken words stole her breath. How could he say that when he got nothing in return from her? He still hadn’t made love to her. He didn’t even take off his jeans when they slept together. His attention was always solely focused on her, what she needed, what she desired. And then he’d say something like that and she knew there was so much more to this male. There were things that she would never know about him, things she wanted to know more than anything else in this whole world.