Page 116 of Her Rabid Beasts

Mine. This lion ismine.Savage rubs tiny circles on the back of my hand as if he’s trying to comfort me. It’s not working to soothe me at all, and instead, it’s only fuelling the need screaming in my lower belly. I tremble from the force of it.

“Aurelia has many surprising skills,” Lyle says slowly, purposefully. Both Savage and I go still. “But she’s also very good athidingthings right under my nose.”

He knows we’re under here. Shit.

Charlotte laughs, completely oblivious. “Oh, yes. She lived with me for seven years and I barely know the girl.”

“But she didn’t livewithyou, did she?” Lyle says quietly. Even from the other side of the wood, I feel Aunt Charlotte go still. Can feel the accusation in Lyle’s voice. “She lived in a barely weatherproof, ramshackle dwelling, with a paltry allowance for food and hot water. Isn’t that right, Charlotte?”

My heart is beating a scary rhythm and I think I’m going to pass out from disbelief. Lyle sounds like he’s chastising a student.

Aunt Charlotte lets out a chiming, high-pitched laugh. “Oh, that’s a bit dramatic, Lyle,” she coos. “It was a quaint little thing that she rather loved, actually. It was just her style.”

“I treat my rabid beasts better than that.” Lyle’s voice is dangerously quiet. “I will put forth your proposition to her and if she does not wish to meet you, she will not.”

Hope and gratitude rise in my chest. I’m going to climb this man like a tree when we get out of here.

There are a few tense beats of silence where I imagine them staring each other off.

I wonder if my aunt will dare to try to dominate him. She is sister to the serpent king, after all—a high-ranking member of his court.

Charlotte speaks just as softly. “You were not held accountable for the five serpent lives you took from our court four months ago.”

She’s threatening him. I can’t breathe. I can’t help but reach forward and gently touch Lyle’s outstretched leg. He gives no indication of noticing. Savage squeezes my thigh in warning, but I ignore him.

Lyle leans forward in his chair. “They were given merciful deaths. They were trespassingon what is mine.”

Am I imagining it? But no, I’m not. That gravelly voice is talking aboutme.

I can’t help it. Overwhelmed, I drag my hand up his leg, my mouth watering, heat spearing up my spine. In gratitude, in lust… in everything.

“They were valued members of our court,” Charlotte says accusingly. “It’s not a good look for you.”

Lyle chuckles and it’s a cold sound. “If it goes to trial, I will gladly mention my observations about the serpents under my care here. The evidence of venom harvesting, the interesting torture techniques, the PTSD that is oddly unexplained… Shall I go on, Mrs. Naga?”

I’m wet and shaking with need, my breaths heavy and hard as I listen to him outing serpent court for the awful things that go on there. Led by a mad need for him, I remove the invisibility shield and ease away from Savage. He lets me and I position myself between Lyle’s legs. Iwanthim to see me. Ineedhis skinin my mouth. I need his voice whispering in my ear. I need to see those cold amber eyes succumbing to me. I drag my nails up his thick, muscular thighs. He lets out a little shiver.

That pleases me to no end, and I quiver in response, barely able to hold back. I can see him now. The square cut of his beautiful, perfect jaw as he stares my aunt down with overt, cold dominance. His eyelashes are long and a lovely shade of dark blonde from this angle and they don’t move, don’t even blink.

I gently brush my fingers across the bulge between his legs. He gets harder as I stroke him up and down his thick length. Oh dear Goddess, he’s straining against his slacks. The only sign of him being affected by me is that his hands form fists on the armrests of his expensive leather swivel chair.

Charlotte’s chair gets pushed back as she stands and says pertly, “You’ll be hearing from us again, Mr Pardalia.”

“I’m sure, Mrs. Naga. Georgia will escort you out.”

There’s a moment of Aunt Charlotte’s disbelieving silence before stilettos thud on the carpet, and the door opens.

“Oh, and Lyle?” Aunt Charlotte says.

I unbutton Lyle’s pants and pull the zip down, leaning forward and giving a lick to the sliver of hard, perfect cock I can see.

“Yes, Mrs. Naga?” Lyle’s voice is blissfully tight.

“We know.” A beat of silence. “About you.”

Oh shit. Does she mean that I’m his regina?

“Very well,” comes the tight reply.

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