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Phelix looks like he’s going to ask me for specifics, but Mezli skips up to join us before he can. Thank god.

“Lord Nafar, thank you for gracing us with your presence!” Mezli says with an exaggerated bow, extending her upper hands to rest on his.

Phelix’s jaw ticks at the mention of his title, but he bows in return and brings her hands up to his lips to press a chaste kiss to them. Though there’s nothing chaste about the way his jade eyes bore into hers as he does. “Princeps Frye.” A moment later, his nostrils flare and he swallows heavily as he releases her hands.

That answers the question of whether she actually was masturbating in the hygiene room or not. She gives him a wicked grin, as if daring him to say something, then turns to me with a sweeter smile. “Shall we eat?”

12

Mezli’s scent lingers where her hands brushed my lips, and it takes all my willpower not to excuse myself to head to the hygiene room to take care of the ache in my groin like she apparently did while waiting for me to arrive. My cocks are already halfway out of my slit. I bring a surreptitious hand to my crotch when Mezli and Eden turn to walk into the restaurant, pressing as hard as I can to shove them back inside with a wince.

The pain is enough to pierce through my lust-fogged thoughts. What am I doing here? I told myself only a few hours ago that I wouldn’t be this reckless, yet here I am, lust-addled by a fresh surge of mating hormones.

I can’t blame my change of heart solely on base urges.When Mezli was honest with me back in the conference hall, I saw a flicker of her true self, beyond whatever seductive persona she puts on. I liked that version of her enough to take a chance on lunch.

If nothing else, maybe I can finally get some closure. Have an actual conversation with thexalawho ran away after knowing me for less than an hour. Maybe an honest talk will make me bold enough to remind Eden of our correspondence. Work through both of my unhealthy emotional attachments in one sitting, so I can go about the rest of the week without obsessing over them.

Yes, it’s worth the pain of confrontation and the ache in my cocks to get past the maddening hold thesexalashave on me.

The bistro Mezli chose for lunch is a casual place that, with a quick glance at the holomenu floating near the entrance, features primarily shikzeth cuisine. Wonderful. Because what I need right now, while I’m already overheated, is scorchingly spicy food.

“This place looks…interesting.”

Mezli scoffs. “Not up to the great Lord Nafar’s standards? How shocking.”

Frustration cuts through the haze of my arousal. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. It’s written across your pompous face.”

Eden’s eyes widen at Mezli’s insult, then dart to me in concern, but I relish the sting of her words. I don’t typically enjoy being insulted, but I’ll take it any day over false niceties. Coming from the world of noble bullshit, Mezli’s behavior is refreshinglyreal.

Besides, it’ll take more than her saying something I know most people think about me to rile me up. Instead, I smile. “Shall we order? It’s been ages since I’ve had some decentskrllpt.”

“Hah! I’m surprised your refined tongue can handleskrllpt.”

“You’d be surprised by just what myrefinedtongue can handle.”I hadn’t meant for the words to be suggestive, but they come out thick and husky.

The disdain melts off of Mezli’s face, and she licks her lips. Fuck, now I can’t stop looking at her mouth. How am I supposed to have a conversation when all I want to do is slam my lips against hers?

The tension between us hangs in the air until Eden clears her throat. “Uh, what’sskrllpt? Should I order it too?

“No!” Mezli and I reply at the same time.

“Wow, okay noskrllptfor me,” Eden says with a sheepish chuckle.

“It’s very spicy. Like burn your tongue, cause you to have a coughing fit and cry level spicy for anyone who isn’t a shikzeth. Definitely not for a human! But if Lord Nafar here wants to show off his masochistic tendencies, he’s welcome.”

“You’re into pain?” Eden asks and then claps a hand over her mouth like she didn’t mean to say that out loud. Mezli cackles as a bright pink blush stains the human’s cheeks.

“Under the right circumstances, yes.” I reply nonchalantly, though the image of Mezli flogging me as she gives me that devilish, satisfied smirk while Eden watches with rapt fascination fills my mind. My cocks twitch under the napkin on my lap. Shit, I need to find a different topic of conversation before I embarrass myself five minutes into our lunch.

Fortunately, our server appears at the table to save me. They’re a tall, bulky shikzeth with curled horns and blazing red eyes that narrow when they sweep across Eden. We place our orders, with Mezli laser focused on me as I commit to ordering theskrllpt. She’ll learn I don’t back down from a challenge. Eden ordersfrechacakes, the least spicy, most human-safe thing on the menu. Our server glares at her the entire time she speaks, though I can’t understandwhy. It’s not like she’s asking them to bring her something not already on the menu.

Mezli’s too busy raking her eyes over me when she thinks I’m not looking to notice the shikzeth’s sour expression. I doubt she’d have let it pass without comment, otherwise. It takes a lot of willpower to not call the server out on their rudeness myself, but I was conditioned to not make a scene.

The way Mezli stares at me makes my skin feel too tight, a mixture of arousal and dismissive realism coursing through me. I know my appearance would never make me a nexxit’s first choice for a bed partner. There’s just toomuchof me. Too tall, too broad, too much body fat. When she looks at me with raw desire, I know it’s only because of the mating bond. She’d never look twice at me otherwise.

When she finally looks away, she smiles brightly at Eden. “I hope you’re excited for your first taste of something alien!”

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