Page 52 of The Shadowbound King

“Because I nearly fainted on it. And Walto is the traitor, not Mirella.”

I sat up, some of my anger fading. “Nearly fainted? Why?”

“It was nothing.”

I was across the bath in under a second. “What did you do?” I demanded, grabbing his face and examining it. “You’re pale.”

“I’mfine. The children were restless. I took them outside and showed them the forest.”

My anger weakened a little more. Andrin had a well-known soft spot for the Embervale’s children. All three were orphans. Like him, Yendorn had never known his mother, who died at Yendorn’s birth. Finian was too young to recall anything about his parents. Valina longed for friends and adventure.

I stroked my thumbs over Andrin’s cheeks, letting the bristly hairs of his beard scratch my skin. “You shouldn’t take such risks. Not even for the children.”

“They’re the most precious things in the kingdom,” he rasped. His hands found my thighs under the water, making me aware that I straddled him, my dick nudging his.

I moved my hands to his chest. “Why was Mirella out of her cage?”

Andrin grunted, the sound vibrating my palm. He pulled me into him, his nostrils flaring when our cocks rubbed together.

“We were supposed to attend the feast,” he said. “I got distracted by the children, so we didn’t go.”

Lust blistered through me. I dug my fingers into his muscle and rocked my hips, dragging my shaft along his. “Poor little pet. You didn’t even feed her.”

“Ginhad will take care of it.” He slid a hand under my balls and stroked my opening. “What happened at the Covenant? Did you make contact with the villagers?”

Water followed my movements, lapping gently against the wall as I rutted against Andrin. He pushed a finger into my passage, and I spoke in a breathless rush as a sweet burn spread through me. “I delivered your message, my king. Walto Lornlark is certain to receive it.”

Andrin’s eyes went heavy-lidded as he fingered me, delving a little deeper with every slow, thorough pump. With his free hand, he pushed my wet hair over my shoulder and palmed my nape. “I can always count on you to carry out my orders.” He pushed a second finger into my hole. “Isn’t that right, my lord?”

“Yes,” I hissed, clamping around him. The burn melted into something hot and dazzling. “Fuck,” I panted. “Fuck, like that. Just like that.”

“Like this?” He edged closer to the spot where I needed him to be. But not close enough. And he knew it, the fucker.

“You want me to work for it?” I rasped. Gaze locked with his, I squeezed around his fingers, giving him a taste of what I could do to his cock if he ever stopped teasing us both. He sucked in a breath, and I smiled as I rocked harder.

Lust darkened his eyes. Challenge shivered between us as he probed and stroked, doing wicked things inside my body. “A little more,” he said, watching me closely, knowingly. “More…” He pushed deeper, grazing my gland.

Lightning lashed me. My spine bowed, and my head went back. Gripping his shoulders, I rode his fingers, my aching cock slipping against his under the water.

Andrin squeezed my nape. Then his lips were on my neck, his kiss rough and possessive. He sucked at my pulse, pulling and pulling until my skin burned and I wondered if he might be out for blood. It wouldn’t have been the first time. But he relented at last, trailing his lips down my neck as he continued pumping his fingers inside me.

“I want you,” he rasped against my skin. “I want you riding my dick.” He moved his mouth to my ear, closing his teeth over my lobe as he thrust his fingers deep. “I’m going to stuff every inch in here”—another thrust—“and when this tight hole is stretched and open for me, I’m going to fill it up.”

“Yes,” I growled, bucking harder. I tipped my head down, meeting his glittering blue eyes. Water slapped the wall. Our harsh breaths filled the steamy air. “Give it to me.”

Andrin came off the marble. Turning with his arms around my thighs, he practically tossed me out of the water. I was on my feet and across the room in a flash, my heart racing as I grabbed a vial of oil tucked discreetly among the glass bottles of scent. Andrin was on me the second I spun around, shoving me roughly against the wall as he crashed his lips to mine.

We grappled as we kissed, pawing and fumbling at each other. Our tongues clashed, and our grunts echoed in the mist-soaked air. I snaked a hand between our bodies and grasped his shaft.

He broke the kiss with a growl. Planting one hand on the wall next to my head, he watched me stroke up and down his hard length. Plump veins traced over his shaft. Moisture beaded at his slit. When I slicked it over his cock, he jerked, the damp tendrils of copper hair around his jaw swaying. His chest heaved, his nipples tight and pink on his thick chest.

“Get me ready,” he ordered.

I uncorked the vial with my teeth, then dumped oil in my palm and slicked it over his shaft. The wet sound of my strokes mingled with our ragged breaths. His cock slid through my fist, the meaty shaft glistening. I squeezed harder as I neared his tip, and we both watched as a fat bead of pearly liquid swelled from his slit.

“Enough,” Andrin grated, yanking me off the wall. We clashed in another kiss, then stumbled to a wide, padded bench.His eyes glinted as he sprawled on his back, and he bared his teeth as I straddled him.

Steam rolled around us. My throbbing cock bobbed, my balls tight enough to burst.

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