Concede (The Diamond Empire Book 1) by Kathy Coopmans (bts book recommendations .TXT) 📕

Primal.

He’s devouring me with such a potent gaze, I try not to get captured in it. By the feelings, he whips up in my mind and body. It’s impossible, and I’ll guarantee he’s here to create turmoil.

To tear down my defenses and break down walls.

The best part, at least to my eyes anyway is, he’s leaning against my bedroom door with a towel wrapped around his waist and drinking a cup of coffee. Mine, I’m sure. Lips now pulling into an arrogant, knowing smirk. Curving lips, I add that do very wicked, delicious things. Sexual thoughts flash in his expression. His gaze leaves a blazing trail as it travels down my body and up again until he stops at the slight fingerprints on my wrist, and then his expression melts into a frown.

His shoulder-length hair is in his usual bun, showing the skull tattoo and the word Brotherhood etched underneath. A beard, slightly heavier than a five o’clock shadow, runs from temple to temple.

He doesn’t look like there’s evil inside him. His appearance is that of a normal man—a chiseled to perfection one—the most dangerous kind.

Water is dripping down from his hair and onto his massive tattooed chest. I have the urge to get up and lick it when a drop swirls around a nipple and becomes lost in the dark ink on his stomach.

The man is a sculptured work of art—scriptures about brotherhood, family, and intricate designs make up his entire tattooed body. He’s a solid mass of muscle, from chest to abdomen, to his calves. I can’t tear my eyes away from the muscles flexing underneath his stubble.

It feels as if he’s cutting me open, making me expose those raw emotions I’ve swallowed down. In a way, he’s looking at me the same way he did the first time we met. Only he’s not judging, not squinting his eyes and looking for ways to tease me.

No, this is different. This time the stare doesn’t frighten me as it did then, but it has me forcing my ass to remain glued to my spot instead of squirming like I want to.

I swear, he’s communicating with his eyes, reaching deep inside, telling me to let him hold on to my pain. To let him sponge it from my body and wring it dry.

Everything inside me trembles.

“What are you doing here, and how did you get in?”

Such a dumb question when I’m sure of the answer. He works for the Empire now, and any guard will let him into this gated community anytime he wants.

His lips twitch, and when he runs his free hand across the stubble at his chin, it reminds me how his touch wasn’t gentle. It’s rough, demanding, and it left me gasping, wanting, and breathless for more. I loved and hated every second of the dangerous man’s need to control.

Suddenly, there’s a familiar tingling sensation between my legs. One so strong, it’s tempting me to remove the sheet and slip my fingers inside to ease the ache.

Damn traitorous body. Although my brain won’t stop deceiving me either, remembering how filthy this man’s mouth is. How intimate he is as much as he’s dirty and how he kissed me brutally, hard, and punishing.

“You know why I’m here, angel.” The tip of his tongue skims across his bottom lip, and I watch the sensual movement before locking gazes with him again.

“If you’re here to discuss your taking over Dad’s job and me being angry about it. I’m not in the slightest. This city is big enough for the two of us.”

He grins. It’s smug with a whole lot of something I can’t decipher behind it.

“I’m not. That decision was made long before I fucked you.”

My mouth drops open, and I rifle around in my cloudy brain for a comeback, for a way to shut his arrogant ass up.

I’ll tell the truth—something I should have done in the first place.

It’s not as if Dad will disown me.

”God, I hate you.” Eyes narrow, I glare at him.

“If you have to feed yourself lies until I convince you otherwise, then go right ahead, Victoria. Sinning looks almost as good on you as I do. You don’t hate me any more than I do you. I have you right where I want you, and I’ll be goddamned if I’m letting you go. There will be no more pretending between you and me. If you insist on doing so, all it means is that when I sink inside you again, it’ll be that much better than the first time. You’re the one who chose not to tell your father the truth, not me.”

I open my mouth to ask him how he knows I haven’t when he levels me with a look that says, really, Victoria. You already know I’ve checked in with your dad.

Great. That means he knows all about Agent Wozniak too.

Keeping his eyes on me, Seth takes a drink of coffee, grinning as he does in all his good-looking, mischievous glory. Like he’s won. In the meantime, I’m here stitching the slash his stare and knowledge, and words inflict closed. Despite everything, I’m good at backstitching and making knots.

Creating an invisible seam.

“How’s the head? It must be pounding with the amount of wine you drank last night. I’d offer you a cure if I were confident it was the first you’ve been drunk since I saw you last. What did I tell you about drinking?”

There’s a twitch in his jaw, an angry warning, the same as last time he got on my case. He clenches and uncurls his free hand over and over like he’s fighting against pouncing or choking me to death. If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay where he is.

I should be honest and tell him I’ve only drunk alcohol a few times since we last saw each other, but I’ve told a few lies the past couple of days. A few more isn’t going to matter. Plus, I can hit him right