For Better or For Worse (Deathly Beloved #2)

Chapter 1

One

A good brownie never makes someone feel embarrassed about their kinks.

I’m sorry, but there is a line!

- Arienna

Oh no.

I finally understand why my king stabbed Lief.

A horrible chill rushes down my spine as I stand in the Throne Room with his guards. I don’t want to believe it, but all the pieces are slotting into place.

1. Him looking at Jace as he touched my pussy. Then him flying down to stab Lief in the belly immediately after.

2. Fabia barging in here all upset, demanding to be heard.

3. Him ordering her to be quiet.

4. Her looking at me in concern.

“Oh my gods,” I rasp as I look at Jace, horror burrowed into every feature of my face. “He’s – he’s –”

“He’s not a monster,” Jace says softly at the same time I blurt, “He’s into slug sex!”

He blinks.

I start to hyperventilate. My hands press to my stomach as I bend down at the waist. How did I not see the signs? Why did he not tell me before we got married? Surely, that is something you tell someone before you get married!

Oh, hey, honey, what are your thoughts on slug sex? That is all he would’ve had to say! Instead, when I asked him to tell me something about himself before our wedding, he told me he wanted a dog! What the fuck!

“Did you know?” I ask Jace, my voice squeaky, my face hot even as my body shivers. A good brownie never makes someone feel embarrassed about their kinks, but – but – “I don’t want to be railed by a slug!”

“Um…” Jace lifts a hand to scratch his head. His dark-purple shirt rides up, showing a sliver of skin above his black leather trousers. Lurching forwards, I grab hold of his shirt and wrench it higher.

“Hey!” he yelps, grabbing my wrists as he steps back. His shirt falls back, but it’s too late. I’ve seen it – that scar that is the perfect size for a slug dick. Oh gods.

“He stabbed you too!” I almost shout.

“What?” He shakes his head. “No.” He lifts his shirt up again, just high enough to show me that thin scar. Running a finger across it, he says, “Nah, this was from Evangeline.”

I blanch. Oh my gods, this is getting worse and worse.

He pulls the top of his shirt down, revealing a series of lines tattooed across his chest. They weave together in a beautiful geometric pattern. Across his smooth right pec is another scar. “This was Richard,” he says cheerfully, but I’m still stuck on his last words.

“So... he’s into gang bangs?” The blood runs out of my face.

“Gang bangs?” Jace asks slowly. Then he shakes his head, his blond curls shifting across his face. “I’m going to regret this, but... what are you talking about?”

“A slug fetish. Where he changes his dick into that of a slug dick and stabs me in the stomach to impregnate me. Like he was pretending to do with Lief.” I gulp.

His mouth opens.

Then closes.

Then opens again.

He glances at one of the other guards.

No one else says anything.

He clears his throat. “Yeah… yeah… you’re going to have to explain that a bit more...”

I hiccup, my heart beating rapidly as I look him in the eye. “I don’t know what part is confusing you? I think I explained that very clearly.”

Jace stares at me for a long moment. “What makes you think Richard has a slug dick fetish?”

I gesture at the floor behind him, where my king stabbed Lief. The pool of blood was cleaned up with the swoosh of a wand, so I hope I’m pointing at the right place. “He stabbed him. In the stomach. Fabia says that’s the biggest sign of someone who likes to pretend they’re slugs in the bedroom.”

“Pretend they’re – That is not a real thing.”

“Yes, it is.” I nod feverishly. “Fabia researched all about it. She says about fifteen percent of Razians are into slug dick sex, and Richard…” I swallow, the love marks on my skin burning.

“He cut me a lot last night. And yes, I was into it, but that pain was nice. It gave me a sort of feverish high that, most importantly, left all of my intestines inside me. I don’t want them outside of me, Jace.

I want them in. They are mine, and I am very attached to them.

Or at least, I’m trying to stay attached to them. ”

When Jace says nothing, I reach up to pull the top of my jumpsuit aside. I want to show him the RM my king carved into my breast, as well as all the red and purple welts that were left by his belt as he whipped me. “Look!”

Lunging forwards, he grabs my hands. “Stop. Fucking hel, do not show me your tits without his permission.”

As a door beside the throne dais opens, Jace immediately steps away from me. Footsteps echo behind me, and I turn to face my king. I look at his wary eyes, and I know he knows I know. I gulp.

A good brownie never makes someone feel embarrassed about their kinks.

But…

But…

Gods, the things I do for love.

“So…” I croak, hugging my waist as I stare into his violet eyes. “You’re into slug dicks, huh?”

“I’m... into... slug dicks,” he says slowly.

Oh gods. I knew it!