Page 6 of The Sorrow of Shadows

Lost to my pleasure, I had forgotten entirely we sat in a crowded tavern. Elijah hadn’t, though. “You win, B. Now get a room!” he shouts at me.

The male’s other hand laces through the hair at the base of my neck as he tugs softly, eliciting a whimper from me. This was growing far too heated for public, but I couldn’t stop myself. I just needed more, needed to feel good.

He breaks the kiss, trailing his lips across my neck to my ear. “Let me take you somewhere more private.” The low timbre of his voice sends chills down my spine. I nod in agreement, and he stands from the bench.

Wrapping my legs around his waist, I let him carry me through the tavern to the exit. Somewhere in the background, I hear Elijah whistle as we pass, but I’m too engrossed in my partner to respond. I want what this male promises and can sense it will be good.

The second we exit the tavern and turn the corner, he has me pressed against the wall of the nearest building. I thought maybe we’d make it to his home first, but this will do. His lips are on mine again, more desperate than before.

I feel his hands grip my sides, fumbling for the hem of my shirt. He pulls it up, slipping a hand under it and up to my breast. I writhe against him, my hips seeking friction against his growing erection. A low moan escapes his lips into our kiss, and I do it again.

I’m so caught up in the feel of him on me that I don’t hear the footsteps of an approaching figure.

I startle and pull away when I hear, “Well, this looks familiar, Princess.” Aurelius is feet from us now, a look of disgust on his face.

“I didn’t peg you for a watcher, Aurelius,” I mock, trying to get a rise out of him. My lips search for the males again,trying to make the message clear that Aurelius wasn’t welcome.

“What’s his name?” he asks. Suddenly, I’m thrown back to the first time he asked me that question.

“What’s his name, Breyla?” Aurelius asked. He gave me a disappointed look. What the hell did he have to be disappointed about? He didn’t give a shit about me.

“What does it matter?” I asked, looking away from the boy I had just been kissing. I was without a shirt and very close to being without pants. Aurelius had discovered us in one of the lesser-used passages of the castle right as things were getting good. He could have just kept walking, but no—he had interrupted us like the prick he was.

“It matters,” Aurelius gritted out.

I crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling very exposed. “I don’t know,” I said quietly.

“So, you were going to fuck him, and you don’t even know his name. What’s your name, boy?” Aurelius asked. I didn’t miss the demeaning way he called him boy.

“Simon,” he mumbled.

“Simon, fuck off,” Aurelius growled.

Simon looked at me, trying to decide what he wanted more—to get fucked or not to piss off Aurelius.

Ultimately, Aurelius must have been more frightening than me because Simon dropped me to the ground. “Sorry, Princess. It’s not worth it,” he said, backing away from me.

“Are you serious?” I demand, trying not to scream in frustration.

“Another time, maybe.” He winked and disappeared down the hall.

Pulling my shirt on, I stormed over to Aurelius, shoving him in the chest. “You’re the fucking worst,” I seethed. Aurelius grabbed me by my wrists, holding them immobile in the air.

“Not by a long shot, Princess.” He smirked with satisfaction.

“I’ll get you back for that, you ass.”

“Why do you even care?” I ask, my focus returning to the situation at hand.

“Who said I did?” Aurelius retorts.

My partner runs his hand up my shoulder and caresses my cheek, turning my gaze back to him. “Sure seems like you do,” he says as his lips trail up my neck.

I tip my head back in surrender to the feel of his lips on my skin, but I can’t shake the feeling of Aurelius’s eyes on us.

“Fuck off, Aurelius.” My words mirror the ones he first used to chase Simon away years ago. That male never returned to my bed, and it started an exchange of insults between Aurelius and me. We would go back and forth, finding new ways to inconvenience the other, and our efforts would escalate each time.

“I don’t think I will,” he says.

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