Page 51 of Essence of the Throne

“Good,” Caspian and I say in unison, neither of us looking away from the other.

The moment Gavriel’s footsteps fade, Caspian lunges. I spin away from his grasp, but he anticipates the movement and catches my arm. His chest presses against my back as he attempts to pin me, his breath fanning over my neck.

“Tired, darling?” His low voice sends shivers to places I do not wish to acknowledge at the moment.

I drive my elbow back, connecting with his ribs. He grunts but doesn’t release his hold. “You wish.”

Using his weight against him, I flip us both to the ground. We roll through the dirt, each fighting for dominance. His knee slides between my thighs when he pins me, and I bare my teeth at his triumphant expression.

“I win,” he purrs, leaning closer until his lips brush my ear. “What’s my prize?”

I buck my hips, throwing him off balance enough to reverse our positions. “You haven’t won shit.” I press my forearm to his throat, not hard enough to cut off his air, but enough to make a point. His hands slide up my thighs to grip my waist.

“No?” His thumbs trace circles on my heated skin. “Because from where I’m sitting, this feels like winning.”

“You’re not sitting,” I remind him, applying more pressure to his throat. “You’re lying in the dirt where you belong.”

He laughs, the sound vibrating through my body, shaking my arm. “Only because you put me here.” His fingers dig into myhips. “Tell me, Ariella…do you enjoy having me under you like this?”

“Shut up.” Childish response, but I feel so weak being this close to him. It fucks with my head.

“Give me a better use for my mouth, and I will.”

I lean down until our faces are inches apart. “Is that what you want? For me to shut that pretty mouth of yours?” I shouldn’t feed his taunts, but it’s impossible to not match his playfulness.

His pupils dilate further, eclipsing the silver. “I want a lot of things from you.”

The raw honesty in his voice tightens my chest. This isn’t part of our usual game. There’s a heaviness to his gaze, something that makes me want to run.

Instead, I press my lips to his.

He responds immediately, one hand sliding up my back while the other tangles in my hair. The kiss is rough and desperate, filled with all the tension we’ve been dancing around for weeks that doesn't seem to let up, no matter how many times we fuck. Waves of deliciously nauseating pleasure funnel through my abdomen, making my limbs wither under his attention.

His tongue slides against mine as a hand grips my waist, pulling me impossibly closer. The heat of his skin burns through my remaining clothes, making me wish we were somewhere more private. My fingers trace down his chest, memorizing every dip and curve.

Suddenly, he breaks the kiss and flips us over, pinning my hands above my head. His eyes are dark with desire as he smirks down at me.

“Now who’s in the dirt?”

My lips purse. “Not for long.” I buck my hips and twist, but his grip is strong. He’s learned too fucking well.

Or perhaps I do not care to get him off me as much as I want to believe.

“Frustrated, are we?” The man clearly wishes to die.

I manage to free one hand and slam it into his side. He grunts but maintains his position above me. We grapple, trading blows and holds until we’re both covered in sweat and dirt.

“For fuck’s sake, I leave for five minutes…” Gavriel’s annoyed voice cuts through our struggle.

I shove Caspian off me and spring to my feet, wiping dirt from my face. “Miss me already, brute?”

His response is a burst of essence that catches the side of my shorts, burning through the fabric. I glance down at the smoking hole now exposing my upper thigh, a giddiness tingling under my skin.

“These were my favorite pair, you jealous prick.” I brush off the charred remains. “Though I suppose I should thank you—they were getting a bit restricting.”

“Shut your fucking mouth for once,” he snarls, advancing toward me with his fists raised.

My answering smile is wicked. Finally, some real fun.

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