Page 113 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“What does he have you looking for, anyway?” I asked, scratching the side of my head.

“In simple terms, Dianna.”

Her name still made my skin crawl. Regardless of any good Samkiel had seen in her, she was still Ig’Morruthen and pure fucking destruction. She was like Kaden. Their attitudes changed so fast, whipping out and killing without a second thought. I hated her, too.

“Do you let him touch you?”

Her gaze widened a fraction, just as surprised as I was. I had no idea where this was coming from, the words, or why I was acting out of control, but it seemed I couldn’t help it, not with her.

“Careful, Vincent. It almost sounds like you are jealous.” She tilted her head ever so slightly.

She adjusted the strap on the thin, black camisole nightgown that cupped her curves so well the sight could bring any being to their knees. My body heated, and I envied that damn fabric. I envied it so much because I knew my hands could never touch the spots it did.

Maybe it was how she looked now, the half-tousled look as if she’d just climbed out of bed. Half of her hair was tied back, other parts escaping their entrapment. Was this what she looked like after sex? I wondered if her lips would have the after-kiss puff when they had been thoroughly and properly kissed. Would her cheeks turn a shade darker if I said filthy things to her? I grew hard at the mere thought and turned away from her.

“I wanted to check on you,” I said, hoping there wasn’t any hint of how I truly felt in my voice. “I had planned for us to eat lunch together again this afternoon, but I was busy.”

“It’s okay.” She sighed, and I turned toward her. “I assume Nismera took you for some mission. I know you always have to choose her.”

I’d choose you! I wanted to say it, to scream it, but my voice wouldn’t allow it.

“Speaking of missions.” I raised my hand, showing the gauntlet. “This is what she showed me, what she had made.”

Camilla’s eyes widened as she took a step forward. “Oh my. Well, at least we know it’s strong enough to cut Ig’Morruthen skin.”

I couldn’t help but grin when I looked at her. Not that it seemed I wanted to.

Camilla reached out, her fingertips just grazing the metal before she yanked her hand back.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded, placing her thumb in her mouth and sucking slightly as if the gauntlet had burned her. Her lips wrapped tightly over the pad of her thumb, and I fought back a shudder of desire, trying to keep my cock under control. I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus.

“Let me see,” I said, able to hear the roughness of my voice.

I nearly groaned when Camilla’s thumb left her mouth with a wet pop. She held up her hand to show me she was okay. “I’m fine. That thing just has a shit ton of magic on it. What’s it for?”

I started to tell her it was to slay a fate, but I remembered how she spoke of Roccurem and how she liked him. So, I lied to her once more.

“A mission. It’s classified.”

Her smile was short-lived. “How long will you be gone? Do I need to plan new lunch dates with different guards?”

A smug smile pulled at my lips. “As if they would be better company.”

Her smile damn near crippled me. It was so genuine, so bright as if the sun itself would hide from it.

“Was that humor?” she asked, her eyes sparkling up at me.

I said nothing, but hope flared in my gut at her words. They sounded like she’d missed me, and no one had missed me in so long. I had hurt my family, destroyed them for Nismera, and I knew they would welcome my absence.

“It’s late,” I said.

She nodded, glancing toward the door. “It is.”

Silence fell, the spike of tension between us jagged, sharp, and deadly. I swore if I moved just a fraction closer, it would spear us both. Her eyes widened again, and she licked her lips, a blush touching her cheeks.

“Wait,” she said, breaking the tension between us.

---