Page 133 of Silent Jay

It was my turn to snort. “Yeah, I’ll let you run that past Tyson and Rehan.”

Lux blanched. “Right, so no.”

I frowned.

Jay poked my leg, and apparently Lux’s too, as we separated and looked down at her at the same time. Heat rose to my cheeks. I hadn’t forgotten she was there, but well, I’d just shared a moment with the air prince literally on top of her prone body.

“She has four mates,” Lux stated, giving her more water.

“She does.” I picked up her hand and messaged her fingers. “Say it as many times as you like. It won’t change.”

Lux peered at me. “And that doesn’t bother you?”

“Not at all.” I smiled. “I never liked my isolation. Last night was special to me, too, and sharing made it happen.”

I pursed my lips, studying the side of Lux’s features. He was drop-dead gorgeous. I didn’t know how else to say it. Even if I hadn’t met him as a woman first, he reminded me ofan Otokonok, beautiful men with feminine features. Not that I would mistake him as a woman without his disguise, but he looked like a work of art.

I sighed, regretting my words before I said them, but life was short. If I didn’t take risks, I’d spend the rest of my days in my cave pining. “I also enjoy the company of men, I think.”

I trained my gaze on Jay’s feet. Her toes wiggled like they were trying to take flight. One of her knees slightly bent, and an excited hiss of air escaped her lips. I didn’t dare look at Lux.

The air prince stood, and disappointment flooded my stomach as he walked away from the bed without a word.

I hardened my heart.

I still had Jay.

Out of the corner of my eye the air prince climbed a tight spiral staircase. I focused on my mate, pushing down my embarrassment. The drugs pinched her nerves. That’s why she coudln’t feel. As they unpinched, I imagined she’d be flooded by an uncomfortable prickling. I put her fingers between my hands and rubbed them between my palms.

She sighed, her hand relaxing in mine. I rubbed faster.

Lux’s footsteps came back into the room, but I still couldn’t look at him. I’d just met the guy. What was I doing opening up like that?

“How long has she been like this?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Lux said, his voice right next to me.

A cold bottle bumped my shoulder, and I finally looked away from Jay.

Lux had two bottles of light beer in one hand and two shot glasses filled with a vivid blue liquid in the other. “At least eight hours, probably more. Too long.”

He pushed the shot glasses toward me. Our gazes met, and he smiled reassuringly. My embarrassment eased, thoughdisappointment weighed on my heart. I finally took the shot glass and the beer.

Lux smiled. “The shot’s called a Kamikaze. I felt like maybe we both needed something strong.”

I grunted and knocked back the liquor. Lime and vodka burned the back of my throat, and I chased it down with a big swig of beer.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

JAIYANA

Beer and shot consumed, the two shifters settled on either side of me as they filled each other in on their situations. Og’s admission was apparently water under the bridge.

“How did all this happen?” Lux growled out.

Og placed his hands on my arms and sunk his fingers into my skin, running them up and down. Pins and needles tingled under his touch. I took a deep breath, my eyes watering with relief.

“I’m assuming that's rhetorical,” Og said. “If I knew the answer, Jay would have her voice back, and whatever asshole put her here would be bleeding out very, very slowly.”

---