Page 67 of The Sorrow of Shadows

“Ugh,” I groan as he continues laughing at me.

We dance for a few more minutes in silence before I ask the question nagging at me.

“Elijah, what was my father like just before his death?” I keep my voice low, not wanting anyone to overhear.

“What do you mean, B?” He cocks a questioning brow at me.

“I mean...did he make any questionable decisions or behave out of character recently?”

His grip on me tightens, and his face falls. “I don’t know where you’re going with this, but it’s a hard question to answer. He had started making a few decisions without consulting his advisors. They weren’t significant decisions, as far as I know. He also had Aurelius traveling to Lennox, Prudia, and Farlain more and more frequently. He didn’t disclose why, but I never thought to question him on it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I try to keep the hurt out of my voice.

“I didn’t think it was relevant. He’s gone, B. I didn’t want to keep picking at that wound.” His voice is gentle, and I know he’s sincere.

“I know, but I’m starting to think there was more going on than anyone realized.”

“What makes you say that?” he asks, curiosity filling his tone.

“I had Lord Craylor follow a lead in Aurelius's attempted poisoning, and the trail ends at my father.”

“Are you sure the information is reliable? I thought you didn’t trust him.”

“I don’t, not entirely. That’s why I had him leave the records in my chambers so I could follow the trail myself. But something doesn’t seem right. I can’t tell you what, but my gut tells me something else is going on.”

“I trust your judgment. We’ll figure this out.” He pulls me closer, and I lean my head on his chest as we finish the dance.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

BREYLA

It’s well past midnight by the time I’m able to slip out of the ball unnoticed. I’m exhausted, but the rest of the evening continued without incident. I wrap my shadows around me so I can make the trip to my chambers undisturbed.

The information I learned tonight circles my mind enough to distract me from the fact that my bedroom door was unlocked. I realize my mistake as soon as the door clicks shut, and my back is shoved against the wood. My mouth opens on instinct to alert the guards but is quickly covered with a warm, rough hand.

“They won’t hear your screams, little demon. Tonight, they belong to me.”

Heat pools low in my abdomen at the same time recognition hits. He presses his body into mine, letting me feel his hardened cock against my belly. I whimper at the feeling of him against me.

“I spent all night watching other males dance with you, touch you, stare at you, and it nearly killed me. Actually, it nearly killedthem.” He lays light kisses along my neckand collarbone in between his words. Words that should disgust me but have the opposite effect.

He finally removes his hand from my mouth, and I manage to say, “You can’t go around threatening the lives of any male that touches me, Aurelius. I have regular interaction with males, and that won’t stop just because you want to fuck me.” The possessive behavior of his has my thighs clenching, despite how unrealistic his expectations are. I’ll be damned if I ever admit any of this out loud, though.

His fingers wind through the hair at the back of my head and he pulls. The sensation is a delicious combination of pain and pleasure that has me moaning. “Don’t you get it, yet? I. Don’t. Care. You are mine, Breyla. I’m done pretending otherwise.” Butterflies erupt low in my belly. This isn’t just physical pleasure he’s promising; this is a claiming for him. Feelings that border dangerously close to more than lust swirl in my chest, and I push that aside for now.

His lips are on mine the next second, his kiss hot and demanding. I meet him stroke for stroke, pushing myself off the door and moving us toward the bed. The heat he sparks in me is a raging inferno as I greedily drink from his darkness. I rip his dress shirt open, the buttons flying in all directions as they pop off his shirt.

Without breaking our kiss, I shove him on the bed and straddle his hips, pulling his shirt down his arms and discarding it behind me. His hand is still tangled in my hair as he pulls my head back just enough to drag his mouth down my neck in rough kisses. I groan as he nips the skin along the base of my throat.

Unable to reach my hands lower, I use my shadows to make quick work of his belt and pants, leaving him naked beneath me. His free hand trails up the slit in my dress and he grips my ass tightly, pushing my hips down onto his hardened length. The friction is delicious as he grinds against my oversensitive body.

His fingers trail the undergarments, and he smiles thatdevilish way he seems to reserve for me. “You’re soaked for me, little demon,” he says as he rips my underwear clean off my body.

I gasp at the brutish action and how much it turns me on. Pulling my dress fully out of the way, I lean back until his tip is at my entrance. Before I can sink onto him, I’m flipped onto my back with Aurelius staring down at me, smirking.

“Not yet, Princess. I told you I’m going to take my time devouring you the first time I have you, and I meant it.”

In a move that’s equal parts infuriating and erotic, he rips clear through my dress, starting at the slit and going up. The dress was very well constructed and I’m in awe that it took him all of a few seconds to destroy it.

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