“You lost, Jim.” That smile got even wider as she lifted her arms and indicated her great, viscous prison that rose high above them both. “He’s here now, mine forever.”

Jim’s hands curled into fists. “You cheated.”

“Did I.”

“You pretended to be me, didn’t you. That must have been how Matthias got into the farmhouse. You either made him look like me or you appeared as me.”

Her smug satisfaction was all the confirmation he needed.

“Now, now, Jim—I never cheat. So I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Devina strolled over to him, approaching him in a sensuous glide. “Say, would you care to stay awhile? I’ve got some ideas for how we could spend the time.”

When she was right in front of him, her red-tipped nails drifted up his chest and she leaned in. “I love being with you, Jim.”

With a hard clap, he captured her wrist and squeezed hard enough to break it. “You must be a glutton for punishment. In case you don’t remember, I shattered you last trip through the park.”

The bitch had the nerve to pout. “You’re hurting me.”

He didn’t believe that for a second. “And you’ll say or do anything.”

Now she smiled again. “Too right, Jim, my love. Too right.”

He dropped his hold as if she burned him, his stomach clenching up as he recognized the light in her eyes.

“That’s right, Jim,” she murmured. “I have feelings for you. And that scares you, doesn’t it. Afraid you’ll reciprocate?”

“Not. At. All.”

“Ah, well, we’ll have to work on that.”

Before he could stop her, she rose up and captured his mouth, kissing him quick and then biting his lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

She stepped back fast, as if she knew she was pushing it. “Bye for now, Jim. But we’ll be seeing each other soon. I promise.”

With disgust, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and spat on her floor. And he was about to cut her down, when he frowned, thinking of what Nigel had said on the lawn.

Know that you shall go farther in this game if you use your head rather than your anger.

Now Jim was the one smiling—albeit grimly. There were worse things than having your enemy fall in love with you: As strong as she was, as unpredictable and dangerous as her powers were, that look in her eyes right now, that burning, out-of-control look, was a weapon.

Beating back his own emotions, he found himself reaching down and jacking his cock with his palm.

Devina’s reaction was instantaneous and electric. Her hot stare flashed to his hips, her mouth parting like she couldn’t catch enough air, her breasts rising over the bodice of her dress.

“You want this?” he asked gruffly.

Like a puppet, she nodded.