She tried to match his pace but this silly dress and lingerie fought her, all while the corset stole her breath. “I—uhm, sort of forgot them,” she wheezed.
“Youforgot?” He grasped her hand and ushered her down a spiral staircase. “Good thing you didn’t forget that lovely lace. I’d undoubtedly be too distracted and break my neck on these stairs.”
She resisted the urge to turn around and slap him. “I didn’t take them off if that’s what you’re asking,” she spat back instead, the response winded.
As they reached the bottom of the staircase a door made of black iron loomed ahead. Like a vault.
“It’s not. But is it wrong that I’m relieved?” he asked, a little breathless.
Emmery rolled her eyes and fished in her corset for the key. “I don’t see why you care.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
With the key in hand, her fingers fumbled, and she missed the keyhole twice. Her heart pumped too fast as the high that had set her blood ablaze, now slogged through her veins like mud. She growled and clenched her teeth as she missed a third time.
Dez gently took her hand in both of his. “Look at me, Emmery.”
She refused. Refused to even give him a glimmer of attention after what he had done. Whattheyhad done. Together.
It was wrong, wrong,wrong.
But it felt so damn good. And complicated everything.
Dez kept a firm grip on her hand, and she blew out a frustrated breath.
“I’m not letting go until you do,” he said, his voice more than a little exhausted. “We don’t have time to waste, so I suggest you do as I say.”
Reluctantly, she peered up at him.
“Tell me why you’re angry with me.” He reached for her face, while he held her and the key hostage in his other hand. Humiliation coloured her cheeks, especially when she leaned into his touch.
“I’m not angry,” she muttered under her breath.
Lover,the Treasurer had called him. What a joke. What a sad, pathetic joke she was for giving into him and for what she’d done to Shade. She truly was awful. They both were.
“It’s practically radiating off you,” he said with an uncertain laugh. “I can handle your fire, and though that angry scrunch to your nose is beyond adorable, we need to work together. So you need to talk to me.”
Though she hated it, he softened her, worming under her skin, and smoothing her creases, and rough edges until she couldn’t manage to be sharp.
“We … you know we shouldn’t have done that,” she breathed, her throat burning and chest tight.
As if her words hurt, he flinched and cast his gaze to the floor, regret heavy in his eyes. Like an expert thief, he slipped the key from her fingers and slid it into the keyhole. The lock clicked and the door creaked open on worn metal hinges.
He turned to her and took her face in his hands.
Emmery’s brows pinched, but she let him hold her.
“We’ll discuss what happened later, yeah?” he said softly.
Other than the fact they couldneverdo that again, she wasn’t sure what there was to talk about. “Fine,” she replied.
Dez braced his brow against hers, the gesture so intimate, soft, and she breathed him in, as he did her. Hesitantly, he kissed the tip of her nose.
As if called by name, Emmery’s heart leapt to attention, and banged against her ribs. However, she didn’t want this.Couldn’twant it.
“Let’s go get what we came here for,” he said hoarsely.
They turned to the door that held their futures behind its iron grip.