Page 21 of To Bleed A Kingdom

“One of them squeezed my ass,” Amara says, disgust evident in her tone.

My anger spikes with her admission, strong enough that my trembling arms vibrate the table. But I refuse to remove my gaze from Lena’s as she searches my eyes, saying nothing as the flames within me heighten with eachmoment that passes.

“Did. They. Touch. You?”

Black smoke curls between us and she glances down at the scorched wood beneath my palms.

“I'm pretty sure he was touching me when he was rubbing near my cunt.”

Kace snickers. “A woman said cunt.”

She breaks my gaze to scowl at the dumbass. “I have one, don't I? I should be able to use the word.”

They touched her! They fucking touched her!

My vision turns hazy, my world becomes red, and the ringing in my ears is deafening as I think of the males who dared to touch her, imagining how I’ll burn the fuckers to ash after I rip them apart with my bare hands.

They touched her! They touched her!

Kicking back with a snarl, I barely comprehend the sound of cracking wood with the fury whooshing through my blood, only able to focus on avenging Lena as I whip away from the table and charge towards the door.But I've barely taken a step when I feel a warm shock from the delicate, vambraced hand wrapped around my forearm, reining me in from my murderous rage in an instant.

Similar to the feeling of electrically charged air the instant before lightning strikes, a mild shock radiates down my arm with a pleasant warmth. Stalling my steps, I follow Lena’s hand back up to her face and find her heart-shaped mouth tilted in a small smile.

“No, he didn't touch me,” Lena says softly.

“You said he touched your cunt.”

She walks her fingers down my arm to clasp our hands together, her touch humming beneath my skin long after it’s gone. “He didn't make it that far. Come.” She tugs on my hand. “Sit back down.”

As I stare down at her, my anger conflicts with this new, foreign need to please her. But as I recall the reasoning behind my rage, I squeeze her hand in apology.“I have to handle them. My guards can't be assaulting women.”

She shrugs one shoulder. “I'd wager they’re already off duty by now. You can maim them all tomorrow. I promise.”Unwilling to cede, she circles her thumb on the top of my hand. “Sit. I'll buy you another drink.”

Reluctant to deny this woman anything, I allow her to pull me down to an unbroken chair someone has already replaced, my gaze boring into hers the entire path down.

“What about me?” Kace whines.

Lips stretching into a blinding smile, she laughs. “I'll buy a round.”

Fuck! That laugh. So throaty, uninhibited. Seductive. It takes all my willpower not to reach across the table to smother those pillowy lips with my own and taste that sexy rasp. Grimacing, I readjust myself in an attempt to conceal my throbbing cock currently beading with my seed.

“Don't worry, Darius.” Amara chuckles, misinterpreting my grimace. “Your guards won't be coming near us anytime soon. Males tend to think twice after you threaten to cut off their balls.”

“Ach! Females use that one too often,” Zander declares, sliding his empty tankard to the other end of the table. “You threatened that very same thing on the way here.”

“I hear it on a daily basis,” Kace adds with a proud lift to his chin.

Amara considers Kace thoughtfully. “You do seem like the type of person I'd castrate.”

“You mean the type of person you'd threaten to castrate. You forgot threaten.”

“No I didn't,” Amara deadpans.

Kace slowly arches away from her, bending over the back of his chair as he eyes Amara warily. “You're a bit terrifying.”

The first joyful smile I've seen from her spreads across her face. “Thank you.”

“On that note,” Lena says, “I think I’ll get that round.”

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