Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
A good brownie loves having sex.
Even if it’s with the person trying to kill me? - Arienna
Dear gods, I have made a mistake, I realise as soon as Jace lets me into the study and picks me up in his arms. Richard isn’t at his desk –of course he isn’t at his desk; it’s too early for work– and now I’m flying up to the mezzanine where he often sleeps.
It wraps around the back of the study, but there are no stairs for me to climb.
“I bet you’re glad I haven’t had breakfast yet,” I squeak as my stomach rolls.
“Not at all. A woman should –” He cuts himself off as he sees the terrified look on my face.
Grinning, he places me on solid ground, and I spread my arms out as I wobble.
I want to fall to my hands and knees and kiss the floor.
I want to sprout nails and cling to the wood because I know that if there aren’t any stairs to get up here, then there aren’t any stairs to get down.
But then my eyes snag on the reason why I’m here, and I realise I’m in way more danger than I realised.
My lips part in a silent O as I land eyes on my king.
He’s standing beside a bed with rumpled sheets, having clearly just woken up.
His black curls have yet to be tamed. His chest is still bare, only a pair of trousers covering him.
His violet eyes are filled with that sleepy haze that speaks of restless, sex-filled nights.
And now they’re focusing on me as if I’m the coffee that gives him life.
Crossing his lean, muscled arms, he covers a small scar near his heart, but there’s another one slicing across his left side.
This is a mistake. I should’ve stayed far away from him.
My mouth dry, I run my eyes over his body, taking in every line of his muscled torso.
He isn’t as big as his brother. His shape is more athletic, less gained from the gym – a slender, toned god of beauty.
Faint abs angle down into a sharp V, which disappears beneath his waistline.
A whimper builds in my throat.
Dear gods, why do I have such crappy taste in men? First Patrick, then Simon, Jack, Karl. And now the biggest douche of them all: a man who wants me dead. My king.
“Well, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it,” Jace says.
“Jace –” Richard starts, but he cuts himself off with a scowl as his bodyguard flips off the mezzanine and spreads his wings.
My eyes widening, I scramble to grab him. “Don’t leave!” I need him to stand between us.
An arm wraps around my waist, hauling me back from the rail-free edge. I try not to think about who that arm is attached to. Try not to feel the chest pressing against my back. But it’s freaking impossible when his morning wood is poking hard against my spine.
Closing my eyes, I struggle to control my breathing.
As Jace leaves the study, the door clicks closed as solidly as it did last night.
My mouth waters.
So does my pussy as all those sensations from last night slam into me.
I tug against him, trying to free myself. Thankfully, he releases me and steps back. Craving his body or not, I have to keep my mind in check. Because otherwise, I’ll be in his arms in a split second with my panties around my ankles, and his cock in whichever hole he wants it.
I wince, ashamed at how easy I am. It was never an issue in Brownston because there wasn’t any danger there. But here in Raza. In Richard’s study. Alone. With him shirtless and hard.
Wetting my lips to counter my dry mouth, I turn to face him. My eyes dip down his chest to his clearly defined cock.
“If you keep looking at it, I’ll have you down on your knees again.”
My cheeks hot, I jerk my gaze to his.
But dear me, I’ve made another flippin’ mistake.
His violet eyes bore into mine with a heat that leaves me shaken. “What do you want so early in the morning?” he asks, his voice smooth and low and tempting.
You. I swallow. Breathe deep. “I want to go home.” And make sure the wasps haven’t all killed each other.
His gaze narrows. “This is your home now.”
“I know. I just want to get some belongings. This slip is starting to…” I trail off as his eyes roam down my body. Does he remember sliding it off me? Baring my breasts to his view? Does he see the cum dried on the front and bask in the knowledge that it’s his?
Flustered, I cross my arms in front of me, using them as a shield against his piercing gaze.
But when he smiles lazily, I become acutely aware that all I’ve done is lift my breasts to the top of my slip.
They move up and down in rhythm to my laboured breathing.
My lips part as I struggle to take in air.
The wasps. Think of the wasps. And the fact that he lied about not killing me.
His eyes slowly move up to mine. “Ajax will be bringing you a new wardrobe this morning.”
“I know,” I stammer. “He’s already been to see me.”
“This early?”
I laugh. “He probably had nightmares about my state of attire and couldn’t wait a moment longer.” My throat feels like it’s closing. “But I want my stuff. My books and trinkets and –”
“Sentimental crap?”
My flair of annoyance helps battle my arousal, and for that I am grateful. “Yes,” I bite out. “Everything is different here. I want something to make it feel more like home.” You know, a bit of comfort on my deathbed.
He regards me for a moment, making me twitch under the heavy silence. “Fine,” he finally says. “I’ll have someone go collect it for you.”
“No,” I blurt out. If they find the wasps, they’ll kill them. Fair enough killing me, but my babies? “I want to do it. I –”
“It’s too dangerous for you to leave the castle until your coronation.”
“So send a guard with me.”
“I don’t have the women to spare.” He runs his scarred hand through his hair, stretching his muscles on one side.
My eyes dip down to – I yank them back up as I shake my head. “Please. I need to go home. I need to say goodbye to all my friends and sort my house out and –” My gaze lowers again. Gods, why does he have to look so delicious? “Can you put on a tunic or something?”
“I already put on trousers for you.”
A gasp escapes me as I imagine him naked, sleeping soundly, the blankets only half-covering his ass. “Well, um.” I clear my throat, telling myself to look away, to regain control, but I can’t. My gaze drops to the V of his hips. “Thank you,” I breathe.
“Come here.”
I freeze, some primitive part of my brain screaming that I’m about to be eaten by some monster in the dark.
“Arienna,” he says low and deep and dangerous. “Do not make me repeat myself.”
Wetting my lips, I stumble towards him, my brain telling me it’s safer to obey. My body telling me I’m a bloody idiot. There is no way being this close to him is in any way safe for my sanity.
Raising his hand to my mouth, he strokes my lower lip with his thumb. “You’re cut.”
My tongue darts out to lick the tear he gave me late last night. It touches his finger, and I suck in a breath as a jolt of arousal lights me up inside. “Yeah,” I stammer. “It got caught on your piercing.”
And that is not an image I need in my head right now. But with every inhale, I’m breathing him in. And now he’s filling my lungs, my body, my heart, leaving me craving and wet. My eyes closing, I lean towards –
He drops his hand and steps back. “I’ll go with you.”
I blink. “What?” It takes me a second. But then his words sink in. Oh, no. No, no, no. My last moments, however long they are, are not going to be filled with him. Life can’t be that cruel. I open my mouth, then close it again. “You?”
His heated stare turns dry. “I do not take pleasure in repeating myself.”
“But…”
Turning from me, he walks towards the dresser. It’s more like a mini-room up here rather than a study, and I wonder if he had the mezzanine added so he could sleep in it or if it was part of the original design.
“I can take the time to re-cement our treaty with King Openhai while we’re there,” he says as he opens the second drawer and pulls out a black tunic. He wraps it around his back and under his wings. Then he slips his arms into the sleeves before tying it at the front.
“But he doesn’t live there,” I point out in desperation. “He’s a couple towns away.”
“I’ll have him meet us there.”
“But –”
He turns around to face me, holding a black leather belt folded in half. “We will leave in three hours to give him time to arrive. I’ll send someone to get a list from Fabia about what she wants.”
“Can’t she come with?” And then we can escape, and I won’t have to die and –
He smiles softly. “No. She’ll stay here as collateral.” The belt uncoils, its length reaching to the floor.
Snagged, my eyes follow it. Thoughts of him using it on me… Of me using it on him…
“Is there anything else you want?” my king asks softly, dangerously.
My pussy screams for me to say yes.
Luckily, my brain speaks first. “N-no.”
“Then you’re dismissed.”