Persuasion didn’t work on Lily. He couldn’t erase the epic ass he’d been from her memory. Something akin to panic spread through his chest. If he couldn’t erase it, how was he going to get a redo? A start-over?
He’d always been able to in the past. It was why he rarely tempered his words. It seemed like no big deal, swiping his little faux pas. Lily would be better off not remembering this. It was the only reason he’d used his magic to try to get her to sit.
He’d effectively ruined the meeting with the most sought-after architect on the eastern seaboard. His siblings would kill him. He needed to rectify this.
Once he did, he was going to have this little minx underneath him. He’d take her in every way she could imagine. And then some. Tarq could not recall ever wanting someone as much as he wanted her.
Yes, he’d fix it, and then he would show her what a real grown-up could do. She’d be saying please and thank you to his rod in no time.
“You should apologize. Immediately.” Quin said, breaking the silence, allowing his power out to show Tarq he was pissed.
Persuasion didn’t work on other immortals, but it could be manipulated in anger and feel as though one was being scratched when there was enough force behind it. He hoped he’d chafed the shit out of him.
“I am sorry I hit you. I can’t believe I did that. I was angry, but there is no excuse for hitting,” Lily stated.
Tarq and Quin looked at one another. Her voice was weirdly devoid of emotion.
“Lily, I was speaking to Tarq. He was completely out of line and deserves anything you throw his way. Why don’t you sit and we’ll all calm down?”
Lily robotically moved to the chair and sat. The brothers continued staring. She was acting like she’d been under Quin’s compulsion, but maybe this was how she freaked out after emotional encounters.
A few seconds passed, and Lily shook herself out of her stupor. She was in the chair again. She didn’t even remember moving. She really was out of sorts today. All thanks to the fuckwad over there, looking at her like she was about to detonate.
“I need to go,” she said, standing and adjusting her tote.
“No, please sit,” Tarq insisted, throwing his power out.
“Absolutely not. I’ve been insulted enough today, don’t you think?”
Use your power and tell her to sit again, he communicated with Quin telepathically.
What? No. It didn’t work when you tried.
Yes, but when you used your power and told me to apologize, she complied. And she sat when you told her to sit. Maybe it’s just me she’s immune to, which Tarq really did not like admitting.
Quin sighed. Fine.
“Lily, will you please sit and finish the meeting?” he blasted extra power. Not because he wanted to overpower her, but because he wanted to lash out at Tarq for being a dumbass.
Her eyes glassed over and she, once again, took her seat at the small meeting table in his office. Well, shit. Q smiled, knowing it would mess with Tarq that Lily reacted to his power but not to Tarq’s.
Wanting to be sure, Quin told Tarq, “Tell her to raise her right hand. Use your influence.”
Tarq doubted it would work, but he, too, wanted to be sure.
“Lily, raise your right hand.”
She blinked and scowled at him, coming out of the thrall. Damnit. Did his power have the opposite effect from Q’s?
“Calm, Lily, be calm,” Quin cooed.
Lily relaxed and Quin, whose attention was on Tarq, started laughing. Of all the immortals, Tarq relied on his ability the most. He was out of his depth with this one. He’d have to watch his mouth. He’d also have to keep his dick in his pants.
“Fuck you, Q,” Tarq muttered.
“Hey, don’t get mad at me. I didn’t do this. In fact, if you hadn’t been such an ass, we’d be well into the presentation by now.”
Tarq knew his brother was right.
“Yes, well, neither of us could have anticipated her resistance to me.”
Quin laughed again. “Yes. I find it rather amusing.”
“You should find it worrisome. You ever heard of any human having resistance to our persuasion?”
“No, no one outside fellow immortals. But she’s not a goddess or even a demigod. She smells human to me.”
“Me, too.”
Tarq ran one hand over his stubble, thinking about her slap. He’d be taking it out on her ass soon enough. The anticipation was enough to mollify his need to dominate her. For now.
He’d need to the hit the club after this meeting and work off some tension. The sooner they finished the meeting, the sooner he could bury himself in one of the club’s professional submissives.
“Tell her to forget what happened. Wipe me out completely, but don’t make her forget getting here or coming to your office.”
“This is not the first time I’ve used my power, dickhead. I do know I’m doing.”
Tarq couldn’t help himself. He wanted this fiasco gone. He’d never needed to be careful around women, with what he said.
Honestly, though, he’d never spoken quite so callously to a woman before. Most females adored him. He didn’t know why he had such a visceral reaction to Lily, or why he’d hated hearing her speak to Quin.
“I’ll go out and come back in. We’ll start over.”
“I have a feeling this is going to be fun to watch,” Quin mused.
“Just do it. I’ll knock in 30 seconds.”
Tarq left, slamming the door behind him. Q’s secretary jumped, but said nothing. She knew better. He wondered if he could teach Lily to muzzle her mouth, as well.
He licked his lips and knocked.