Free Duncan's Descent by Marie Harte Page B

settle over her, finally sating them both as the warmth filling her finally faded.
    â€œ Sapphira .” Duncan leaned over her, panting, still thick inside her. But as his magic eased back, the discomfort of their position increased. He hugged her tight before he slowly pulled out, and each departing centimeter added to her aches.
    â€œToo bad that fire didn’t last.” She groaned when he finally withdrew, sinking to the bed, a mess of sweat and come and pain. “Because that really hurt.”
    â€œGood.”
    She rolled to her side and glared at him, more annoyed with the male arrogance settling over his features.
    â€œPain is remembered. And I want you to remember this moment.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Duncan nodded and gathered her into his arms. He lay back and settled her on top of him, and they stared at each other, nose to nose. “Pain is the other side of pleasure. It’s real. As real as you and me, together.”
    â€œThen why didn’t you get to be on the bottom?” she grumbled.
    He chuckled. “Because I’m bigger. And I’m the one with the cock.”
    â€œYou got that right.” But her anger faded as he caressed her. He infused her flesh with his warmth, and the stinging gradually faded. “Hmm, that’s better.”
    â€œGood. Honestly, I’m not into pain. It’s not my thing.”
    â€œCould have fooled me.”
    â€œBut I’m well aware of how it makes an impression.” He frowned. “I can’t imagine being near Sarah or Abigail again without cringing.”
    Jealousy reared its ugly head, and Sapphira paused, wondering at the fierceness of her thoughts.
    â€œSapphira? You look a bit green.” But the way he said it told her he read her correctly. The damned demon looked positively ecstatic.
    â€œGreen as in ill? As in I was just screwed in the ass, and rather painfully?”
    He laughed and kissed her. “Sure, sweet. But don’t worry. Uriel’s minions—and I don’t mean you—leave me cold. Believe it or not, all that sugary-sweet love with sex made me green as well.”
    â€œI know. That’s all they preach up there.” She sighed and linked her fingers over his chest, resting her chin on them. “I’m a very bad angel, Duncan. I think Uriel sent me with you to punish you.”
    Instead of laughing, as she’d thought he would, Duncan frowned. “You’re fine, Sapphira. You’re just inexperienced.” His smile returned. “Well, maybe not so inexperienced now.” He cupped her ass again.
    â€œMmm.” She closed her eyes, soothed by his comforting touch. “You know, right now, at this very moment, I don’t care about Uriel, the angels, sways, or my mother.”
    â€œYour mother?”
    She heard laughter in his voice. “Yeah. My mother’s a Virtue, and nothing I do is ever good enough for her. Just wait until she finds out she’s been undermined by Uriel, a lesser angel. I was supposed to be helping her with her second sphere duties when a lowly angel from the third sphere commanded me to obey.” Sapphira chuckled. “Wish I could have been there to see Charmeine going up against Uriel. Two peas in a pod, those holy-rollers.”
    Duncan suddenly stiffened under her.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” She blinked into his suddenly shuttered gaze. “Duncan?”
    â€œDid you say Charmeine?”
    â€œYeah. So what?”
    â€œMy father’s Asael.”
    â€œAnd?” At her confusion, he took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
    â€œAnd according to my father, your mother has an axe to grind with him.”
    â€œThat’s nothing new,” she said dryly. “My mother has problems with everyone and everything not in the second sphere or higher.”
    â€œWhat about your father? Does she have problems with him?”
    She thought it an odd question to ask, but shrugged. “I don’t