“Kyson,” she warns me as she pulls away slightly. She glances nervously at the door.

“I’ll lock it,” I growl as I rise to my feet with Azzy’s legs locked around my waist.

Pressing her against the door, I fumble with the lock while peppering kisses along her neck. The heat emanating from her seeps into my shirt as arousal courses through both of us.

She growls in response, tightening her grip around me before pushing my face away from her neck only to attack mine with fervor. Her teeth rake down my skin causing me to gasp and turn towards my desk where she bites down hard enough to break skin just as I swipe everything off its surface.

“Kyson! My books!”

“They’re okay,” I assure her, watching them land on the chair tucked under the desk. God, I could never grow tired of her. I desire her, yearn to bury myself deep within her. Yet, as she toys with my pants’ waistband, a knock at the door interrupts us. A groan escapes me while she snickers, hiding her face in my neck and covering her mouth with her hands to stifle her laughter. The knock echoes again, eliciting a growl from me as I glare over my shoulder.

‘Trey, who’s the idiot at my door?’I mindlink.

‘That idiot would be me, my King,’he responds, amusement evident in his voice.

‘What do you want?’

‘Gannon is asking if the Queen can help him find Abbie.’

‘Tell him we’re busy,’I snap back.

‘I did tell him that, my King. He said he wouldn’t have asked unless it was necessary - but Abbie left Tyson and disappeared. He can’t find her.’

‘She left Tyson?’The question slips out before I can stop it.

‘Yes, my King,’Trey confirms and adds,‘Gannon said…’

‘That she would never leave him behind,’I finish for him and sigh heavily. There’s no way I can keep this from Azalea; she needs to know and undoubtedly will want to join the search for Abbie.

‘We’ll be right there,’I tell Trey before turning to a confused-looking Azalea.

“What’s wrong?” she asks anxiously.

“Abbie is missing. Gannon wants your help finding her,” I relay the message, earning a gasp from Azalea’s lips. Her legs drop from around my waist as she scrambles to redo the buttons of her dress before flinging open our door and rushing out after Abbie.

Every single time we get some alone time together, it gets interrupted. I sigh and follow after Azalea.

We end up with every guard on the lookout for Abbie when Gannon announces he’s found her, but she refuses to come out. He claims that she’s hiding in our quarters so we head there to try to coax her out of her hiding spot.

Gannon is beside himself, Tyson crying in his arms, his shirt stained with blood. The sight stops Azalea in her tracks and her shock hits me through our bond.

“What did you do?” she demands.

“I didn’t mean to, but she tried to leave,” Gannon stammers without finishing his sentence. My heart thuds heavily in my chest at seeing him in such a distressed state while Tyson wails loudly.

Azalea rushes over and yanks Tyson from Gannon’s arms who growls at her as he tries to reach for Tyson. But the poor kid is too terrified of whatever he just witnessed and clings tightly onto Azalea.

“Stand down!” Azalea orders Gannon, who freezes just as Damian comes rushing around the corner with Clarice andLiam. Everyone halts, staring at Gannon while Azalea attempts to soothe Tyson.

“Where is she?” she demands again, fury blazing in her eyes.

Gannon’s eyes dart towards our bedroom door which causes me to look behind before turning back towards him. A gasp escapes Azalea as a realization dawns upon her - something terrible must have happened for Abbie to run into our room.

“I didn’t mean it... I would never hurt her... She tried to leave me,” Gannon pleads, clutching his hair desperately.

Azalea’s gaze remains fixed on the door before she finally moves towards it, passing Tyson over to me as she does so. She pauses next to the door handle before noticing that her hand is covered in blood. The sight horrifies her and she looks at me before her gaze shifts to Gannon. She growls, shoving the door open and disappearing into the room.

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