Make Me Lie (Rich Demons of Darkwood, #1)

by C.R. Jane

For a second I got lost in the daydream, thinking about what it would have been like to have her with me all this time, to have her by my side with how fucking hard my life had gotten. Would she have been able to keep all my demons at bay? Would I have become a better man?

When I'd seen her in the cafeteria that first day, I think my heart had started beating again. I just hadn't realized it. Parts of me had become alive, infused with purpose, even if the purpose had been to destroy her.

My gaze flicked all over her face. ”What have you done to me? I can't decide whether you're an angel or a devil. All I know is that I want you with every piece of my soul."

Her skin glowed under the light of the one lamp I had shining in the room. She was the most fucking gorgeous creation that I'd ever seen...even covered in blood. I made a mental note to ask her about that later.

I pulled my fingers out, and then my cock was pressing against her entrance. I should have gone slow. I believed her when she said she was a virgin. I should have savored the gift she was giving me. But all I could think about was making her mine. I pushed in hard and fast, and a soft scream pulled from her throat.

"Aurora," I whispered, and she squeezed her eyes closed for a second longer before finally opening up, a tear falling down her face that should have made me feel guilt, but only made me feel pride. Only I would ever have this moment. Only I would ever be her first.

I wanted her to feel me...forever. If there was a way to make our bodies one in this moment, I would have done it. But if I couldn't have that, I wanted her sore, aching, reminded of me with every step she took when I wasn't around.

She bit her bottom lip, biting so hard a drop of blood beaded down from it. I couldn't stop myself from licking it, wanting every part of her to be a part of me.

I pushed and pulled into her again and again. And it felt like she was working some kind of witchcraft while we moved together. It was like she was dragging everything from inside of me. All the feelings and emotions I've done my best to keep locked away in a little box.

"Mmmh. I think I need another cupcake," she said with a giggle as she opened her eyes and stared at me like she used to. Like I was the sun and the stars and her...hero.

That panic that I'd momentarily pushed away came flooding back. My skin felt hot. I felt suffocated. My breath began to come out in gasps that had nothing to do with sex. Fuck.

"Get the fuck out," I practically screamed, and she flinched like she'd been burned. She jumped off the bed, and I could hear her grabbing her clothes, but I couldn't even look at her, because I was a coward. And I was falling apart. I couldn't do this. I wasn't strong enough to feel like this. The door slammed behind her as she left, and it felt like she'd taken a vital piece of me with her.

“Remy said Aurora put two of them in the hospital, but they got out.” His voice was bleak. They were better off in the ICU.

“I hate liars. Don’t tell me none of you knew,” Cain said quietly for a second time today, and the room went even more still than it had before. He glanced around the room. “We’re going to have a conversation about playing with my toys.” Fuck. “Four to one, Cain?” He didn’t bother to turn around. “Never said I needed you, Pax.”

Cain was staring at her too, then he abruptly hit the gas and we sped past her. Judging from the way Cain looked at her, we were in trouble. Every single one of us… especially Aurora.

I'd always heard that the first time a girl had sex was disappointing, but the sex itself hadn't been disappointing. It had been the aftermath that was going to haunt me all day. I hated the fact that I was going to have to go out there and see Stellan after he hurt me…again. After I’d been stupid enough to give him the chance…again.

“Good morning, pretty girl.” His voice was pure sex. Well, I liked that a whole lot better than little devil. “I was just heading to the basement for my morning workout before breakfast. Want to come? You look like you could really use the chance to try to beat someone's face in.”

“I'm not looking to get hurt, Pax.” A wounded look came over his handsome features. “I'd never hurt you.” Lies. Those were absolute lies.

“Cain is an ass,” he said, “and the elevator is for people we trust.” I stared at him, but the elevator doors dinged open and he stepped into it as if he hadn’t just dropped an emotional bomb in my lap.

“I'm sorry I turned you away, little devil. It should have been me,” Cain said. Stellan’s eyes flickered up to Cain, something hot and furious in them, but all he did was sip his coffee.

“Stellan, Stellan, Stellan.” Remington shook his head mournfully. “You know Pax is gonna move in on you and teach your girl how to fight so she can knock your head off.” “She's not my girl,” Stellan said. At almost the same time, Pax winked at me and said, “She doesn't need me to teach her anything.” I was beginning to really like Pax. Lord help me.

“All right, leave Stellan alone,” I interrupted. Something in me did feel sorry for him, even though he didn’t deserve it. He was so messed up from losing Sophia…and so was I. How did I hate him for that? “His brain probably short circuited when he realized that he treated me like I was an actual human being for fifteen seconds.”

When we’d eaten and Cain released me from his lap, Stellan lingered as I headed toward the door. “Can we talk?” he asked. “I don't want to,” I answered. He'd hurt me, and as much as it was in my nature to forgive Stellan—because of all the history we shared, because of how strong my feelings were for him. I was not doing it this time. Not this morning at least. Let him suffer. Let him grovel. I was pretty sure Stellan had never groveled in his life, and the man needed to get some experience.

"Of course," he said soothingly, not letting me finish my sentence. He smoothed a lock of hair out of my face. "Just come party with us for a couple of hours. Get drunk with me. This day will seem like nothing but a bad nightmare. It's going to be okay." My brain was screaming at me not to trust him, but my heart, and the lost lonely girl that resided permanently inside of me, was desperate for this to be real. For everything not to have been ruined. I'd just go and have a couple of drinks, and then it would be over and everything would be fine. I'd seen the guys in action. They could fix this. At least that's what I was telling myself.

"Hurry, little devil. The party's about to start." We were back to "little devil" apparently. But maybe we'd never left. His words sounded like a warning. A warning I should have listened to.

I don’t know why I did it, but I took one last look behind me as I ran through the doorway. The four of them were all there, staring after me, identical grins on their faces. They’d taken off their masks and I could see them now for who they really were. And wasn’t it a shame that I’d once thought maybe I could love them. Because all that was left was hate.

Then flames rushed over the seats, leaping and glowing and chasing each other playfully. I took another step back as the flames suddenly heated my face, making my cheeks burn, but not as hot as I’d burned with embarrassment in front of those men.

I was walking into the cold night air when it exploded behind me. Even though I was far enough away not to be hurt, the power of the blast still knocked me to my knees. I got up and brushed myself off. How many times had the world knocked me to my knees now, anyway? Without a backward glance, I made my way into the dark night.