Page 56 of Ulune's Daughter

“I’m not your errand boy.”

Law snaps his fingers. “Fetch, Fido.”

“Fuck you.”

“Fuck you if you don’t take good care of our mate. Don’t lose them. She takes far too many risks to be unguarded.”

Thatat least we can agree on. I nod.

Rhodes has finished packing and hidden his bag in the closet by the time I join him in our bedroom. Like I can’t smell what he’s been up to. Law’s disappeared, probably to spend the night with our mate. There are no limits to his mate-hogging.

Of course, with him monopolizing our mate, the den has been empty most nights ...

I strip as I saunter to the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind me. I hear Rhodes huffing before I start the bath running. I’ve told him a million times that it’s not on him to pick up after me and Law. Acting like our maid only reinforces the inferiority complex Law’s worked for years to give him. But he does it anyway and then acts aggravated when Law and I make messes to provoke him. I love him, but he really does make it too easy sometimes.

I climb into the tub with an exaggerated moan. “Ahhh, that hot water feels so good.”

Rhodes’ dark head pokes around the bathroom door frame. “You’re taking a bath?”

I lounge back in our oversized tub and run my hands down my torso. His eyes follow. “Long day. I feel dirty.”

He shuffles into the bathroom, carrying my discarded shirt and one shoe. “Dirty?”

I prop my heel on the side of the tub, rub some soap into a lather between my hands, and languorously work the soap over my cock and balls. “Mmm, that’s better.”

Rhodes drops my clothes near the door and draws closer to the tub, one hand plucking at the buttons of his shirt.

“Do you, uh, want some help scrubbing your back?”

“Thought you’d never ask. Get in here. My backside needs so much attention.”

His eyes have gone wide and dark as he watches me work my hands between my legs. I don’t think he even catches the “backside” comment as he shucks off his clothes. I slow my not-very-diligent scrubbing even further while I admire the long planes of muscle he reveals. Swimming’s given him huge shoulders, pecs like granite, ridiculously tight abs, and an Adonis belt a real Greek god would envy.

“Fuck, you’re hot,” I tell him. “You work out or something?”

He rolls his eyes as he finishes pulling off his pants. I scoot forward in the tub so he can sit behind me. He hisses at the temperature of the water but sinks down and stretches his legs to either side of me. When I sit back against him, he wraps his arms around me and settles his face against the curve of my shoulder.

“My back’s not getting any cleaner,” I tell him, just to jerk his chain. I don’t care about how clean I get.

“Gimme the soap.”

I pass him a loofah and my body wash. He kisses the back of my neck before he starts scrubbing my shoulders. He trails his free hand up and down my biceps. I prop my elbow on the edge of the tub, close my eyes, and enjoy the attention.

“You got a date with Kellan tonight?” I ask, even though I know he doesn’t.

“Uh, no.”

He’s so transparent. Even if I didn’t know what was going on, his tone on those two words would have me breaking out the magnifying glass and deerstalker hat. Heoozesguilt.

“Tomorrow night? Have you taken our girl out to dinner yet?”

“Um, no. That’s a good idea. I’ll invite her to dinner.”

I swallow a snort. He grabbed that excuse with both hands. “Which restaurant? I’ll invite that cute brunette in my Words of Power seminar out to the same place. We’ll go a little earlier and when you show up, I’ll invite you to join us. Call it a double date.”

Rhodes chokes, then coughs to cover it. “I don’t think that would be a good idea, do you? It’ll be obvious we know each other.”

“So? We’re not hiding that, are we?”

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