Page 59 of Symphony of Salvation

“Oh, do you?” His concentrated movements on my cock intensified. “Now tell me I don’t know what I’m doing. Tell me I lack skill.” He increased his pace, and my thoughts scattered into the wind as I tipped my head and arched my back, cursing again in Greek.

“It was never… a competition… oh god.” I tugged him back against my mouth, commanding the kiss. Any notion of shyness or uncertainty dissolved. Niles didn’t slow. He didn’t stop.

Coordination was a thing of the past, and I rode his mouth and hand until an explosion of stars eclipsed the blackened universe of the auditorium, and I came.

Niles took me through every shuddering aftershock, pecking kisses along my jaw to my temple when I couldn’t find the dexterity to make my muscles obey even a simple command. Hazy and boneless, heart still drumming in presto, I let Niles’s music rock me back to earth.

As the coda veered us toward conclusion, Niles removed his hand. Disheveled and covered in release, I chuckled. “I’m a mess.”

“Yes you are.” Hovering over my mouth, I could just make out the shape of Niles’s eyes in the dark. “And you need to pull your shit together if we’reeverdoing this again.”

“What?”

Niles moved away, and I scrambled upright, fumbling for his arm to stop him, but he’d moved out of reach. I could no longer see him in the dark but heard his retreat.

“Niles?”

A gentle laugh found my ears. “Repressed bisexual. Meh, I could do worse. Have a good holiday, August. See you in January.”

“But—”

The door to the auditorium slammed, and I was alone.

Chapter fourteen

August

Iknocked once on the closed bedroom door before opening it a crack. Constance stopped playing and lowered the violin to glare over her shoulder like I alone bore the responsibility for putting her in this prison cell. The warden invading her space.

God help me. It was only Monday, the first official day of Christmas break, and the white flag in my pocket screamed to be waved.

“I’m leaving. Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”

A head shake.

“There’s a festival of lights in town. I thought we could—”

Another head shake, more adamant. Who was I fooling?

Sighing, I gestured to the music stand. “You should take a break. You’ve been at it all morning. It’s vacation. Don’t you have friends?”

Deadpan. She snagged her phone from a nearby table and wrote a message in her notes app.

Pretty sure you hate all my friends and haveforbidden meto be within 100 miles of them.

“I never said… This is about that boy, isn’t it?”

An eye roll. Constance made a shooing motion.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me. I’m perfectly within my rights to be concerned over a boy. You’re fourteen. And for god’s sake, use words. Do you know what it cost me for a private speech therapist?”

She stamped a foot and stabbed a finger at the door, her features snarling even when no sound escaped.

“You will not talk to me that way.”

Without uttering a sound, she mocked my speech and took a stance, waiting for me to exit.

“Fine. Be that way.” My voice inched toward hostility. “Should I bother buying a tree? I get the feeling I’m the only one who will enjoy it. Another waste of money.”

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