Page 6 of Shrine of Fire

“I need to speak to Stefan anyway. We haven’t talked since…” I trailed off.

“If you want Stefan, you can say that.” Hashir’s hands on my neck were blissful. Sinful. I already had Hashir and Aki and my broken heart couldn’t take more.

“You don’t have to arrange to be married just to spend more time with him.”

“That’s ridiculous.” I hid a tremor of doubt.

“Is it?” Hashir’s hands slide down my neck, my hair tumbling down my shoulders. “You’re already beating yourself up for liking me and Aki so much.”

My face flushed, and I turned away so that he couldn’t see my expression. That hit much closer to my heart than I was comfortable with.

“Don’t worry, pet.” Hashir’s tone was sugar-sweet. “I won’t bond you until you ask really nicely.”

Aki snorted and rolled his eyes, filling the air with the sharp sound of his whetstone hitting his blade.

I wanted to laugh, or deny Hashir, but the block of ice inside me made it hard to process anything that wasn’t sorrow. “I don’t know what…I don’t think I’m ready.”

“Glad we agree.” Hashir didn’t look upset in the least.

“You don’t feel like I’m jerking you around?” There was one fear said out loud.

“Not at all.” Hashir pulled my hair over my shoulders. “We’ve been through a lot. You’re scared now that you’re pack bonds are gone, and you like me.”

I took a deep breath of the air that was filled with the perfume of fragrant blossoms, salty sea air, and Hashir’s spicy scent, then let it out. “Okay.”

I tried to relax into the soothing touches, to make sense of my determination to stay engaged to Stefan. “I do like him,” I said finally. “But he could be in love with someone else.”

“I did some digging.” Aki paused, gray whetstone in hand. “Stefan has a reputation as a flirt, but no known trysts or engagements.”

“Why does it not surprise me you already went digging?” Hashir looked amused.

“Nova has pledged herself to him.” Aki’s expression became deadly. “I needed to find out if he was going to be a threat.”

“Of course. You’ll be coming along with us when we go to the Ember Island?” Hashir’s hands kept going, reaching the neckline of my dress.

Warmth flickered across my skin from his touch. I tried not to look directly at Aki, in case that would keep him away somehow. But his pepper scent was filling the room and I couldn’t help but crave his touch.

Fingertips dipping below my neckline, Hashir dropped a kiss to my neck.

I bit back a moan, unable to stop myself from glancing at Aki.

The smoldering expression on his face made me gasp.

“Is this a preview of what I can expect?” Aki growled.

“Maybe.” Hashir nipped my neck, plunging his hands deeper down my dress. “I’m sure we could work out some arrangement.”

I arched my back with a gasp. His rough fingertips played along the swells of my breasts, moving further into my dress to tease a nipple.

Molten heat shot through me, and I squirmed. The building tension inside me was a blessed relief from the chill of my heartbreak.

“Hashir,” I gasped.

“Get up.” Aki put the knife aside and stalked over to us, like a tiger. “Watch me.”

Desire raced through me, and suddenly my night was improving. Anything was better than drowning in oblivion.

Hashir growled, looking up at Aki with a mixture of sultry arrogance and lust. “Make me.”

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