Igniting Cinder (The Lost Girls, #3)

by Holly Roberds

“I am sorry you are trapped here now,” I add with true remorse. To be honest, I’m still not sure how she’s been traveling back and forth between the Common World and the Midnight realm. But I’ve no doubt her ability to move freely went up in a puff of smoke the second I suckered her into an engagement. Cinder doesn’t deserve to be under my father’s thumb, but I also can’t help but feel better about having her nearby so I can keep tabs. Huh. I’ve really developed a noble side. “Trapped? You think this is just about being trapped?” Her voice is a mix of disbelief and anger. “I have a life beyond this. . . this charade. One that doesn't include playing pretend with you.” I nod, understanding more than she could imagine. “I know, and I'm not blind to how unfair this is to you. But,” I say, nearing her until there is but a step between us. “We could also reap the extra benefits of our arrangement.” She barely contains her sneer. “What extra benefits?” She’s so mean. I’m obsessed. I drop my voice to a low husk. “The carnal kind, of course.” Deliberately dragging my eyes over her from head to toe, pausing on all the most delicious spots like her lips, her chest, hips, and surprisingly her wrists, I make my meaning known. “If we are going to sell this, I think it’s a good idea for us to,” I lean in closer, hoping to drag the word over the shell of her ear like a velvet temptation, “fuck.” A sudden blow lands between my legs, striking me in my most sensitive area. The intense pain ...