Sin and Deception (Sin and Lies #2)

Chapter 9

Nine

X ANDER

I leaned in close, my breath mingling with hers in the charged space between us. I could feel her shallow exhales against my skin, each a reminder of her presence and vulnerability.

Her lips quivered, and for a moment, I hated how much I wanted to consume her, to claim her as my own. But this wasn’t about pleasure; it was about uncovering the truth.

"You're going to confess everything, Angel," I whispered, my voice low and dangerous. "Every last detail."

Theo tightened his grip on her arms, holding her still as she looked back and forth between us, frantic and desperate.

A flicker of defiance shone in her eyes despite the fear.

She still had some fight left in her. Good. Let her try.

Because there was no escaping us this time.

"You abandoned us," I growled, my voice sinking into a guttural snarl. "Now you will experience that feeling."

Her chest heaved as she geared up to respond, but it didn't matter. Nothing she could say would alter the truth.

Theo's grasp on her shifted, and he leaned in close, his lips grazing her ear. “We're not letting you go, Nerine. Not now. Not ever.”

Our words hung heavily in the air, final and unforgiving.

Nerine trembled between us, her body betraying her even as her mind fought against us.

She was where she belonged for the first time in two years.

And we were never going to let her forget it.

Her lips trembled under my grasp, the blush on her cheeks spreading to her neck and chest. It drove me insane how she fought against us with every ounce of defiance she had left while her body betrayed her with every ragged breath. I wanted to break her, to make her feel the same pain and betrayal that consumed me, but at the same time, I couldn't help wanting to worship her.

I tightened my grip on her, my thumb tracing her quivering bottom lip.

"Do you have any idea what you've done to us?" I snarled, my voice filled with anger and longing. "What you made me do? Every damn night, I thought you were dead. I thought I would never touch you again."

Her breath caught, and her eyes widened as she looked up at me with fear and arousal in equal measure .

The mix was intoxicating, sharp and heady, and I couldn't help but resent her for making me crave her even now when all I wanted to do was punish her.

“I—” Her voice broke before she pressed her lips together and shook her head. Yet, her defiance only stoked the fire burning within me.

“You left us,” I said, pulling her closer until our bodies pressed together. “You fucking abandoned us. And you think you get to stand here and pretend it never happened?”

"I had no choice!" she spat back, her voice rising with the flicker of the fire that had always drawn me to her—and pushed me away. "You don't understand…"

“Then make me understand,” I snapped, interrupting her. “Go on, Angel. Explain why you ran. Explain why you let us think you were dead while you played house in this fucking city.”

She attempted to pull away, but my grip remained firm. I wasn't letting go this time. My other hand reached out, grasping her hip and drawing her close against me. She gasped as she felt my hard cock pressing into her softness.

“Xander, stop—” Her words faltered as her gaze darted toward Theo, searching for some salvation, but he merely smirked.

He wasn't going to save her. Neither of us was.

“Stop?” I asked, leaning in until our noses nearly touched. “Is that really what you want?”

The silence between us was deafening, a heavy weight hanging in the air, making breathing difficult. Heat radiated from our bodies, building and intensifying with every passing second. I could feel her trembling beneath my touch, her body betraying her desire despite her attempts to resist.

My hands moved slowly on her shoulders, tracing down her arms with deliberate intent.

Theo's lips brushed against her ear as he whispered in a low, seductive voice, "You can't hide your true feelings from us, Nerine. You've always been a terrible liar."

She shuddered at his words, her lips parting on a sharp inhale. I watched as she swallowed hard, the pulse in her neck visibly throbbing. Trapped between us and surrounded by our presence, she couldn't deny the truth any longer.

Her lashes fluttered, and her breath hitched as I shifted my hand from her hip to her waist, sliding just under the edge of her robe. Her skin was warm and soft beneath my touch, and when my fingers brushed against bare flesh, she arched instinctively toward me.

“You’re ours, Angel,” I said, my voice rough and low. "You've always been ours. No matter how far you run or how hard you fight, you'll never belong to anyone else.”

Theo chuckled darkly and gripped her arms tightly as he pulled her back against him. She gasped at the sudden movement, her head tilting slightly as he trailed his lips along the curve of her neck. "You can keep fighting," he murmured in a dangerous tone. "But it won't change the truth.”

She trembled between us, her eyes tightly shut as she fought to regain control. "This isn't fair," she whispered hoarsely.

“Fair?” I smirked, sliding my hand farther up her thigh, brushing dangerously close to the heat I knew would be waiting for me. “You think this is about fairness?”

Her breath hitched, and her hips jerked involuntarily as I teased the edge of her panties. Theo's lips traveled lower, his teeth brushing against her collarbone, and a soft moan slipped from her lips before she could contain it.

"Stop fighting us," I growled, my voice heavy with desire and possessiveness. "Stop lying to yourself."

Her head fell against Theo's shoulder as her body slowly surrendered to our touch. She didn't respond with words, but the way her hips shifted and her chest arched against mine spoke volumes.

"That's it," Theo purred, his voice smooth as silk. "There's our Angel."

I gripped her chin again, forcing her to look at me. Her lips parted, eyes wide and hazy, and it took everything in me not to press my mouth to hers right then. I wanted her to feel this moment, to understand that this was what she’d been running from. Us. The only two men who had ever truly owned her.

“You're going to tell us everything," I said huskily, my thumb brushing against her plump lip again. "But first..."

I let my words fade away, my gaze fixed on her mouth as Theo's hands slid down to grip her waist tightly, silently challenging her to resist. Her lips trembled, and her breath blended with mine, shallow and shaky.

"First, you're going to remember whom you belong to.”