Page 104 of The Shattered Kingdom
I’m the approachable one. It’s both a blessing and a curse.
“Mason…” Abby whispers again. “Please tell me.”
He grunts but otherwise remains silent.
Abby looks disappointed, and the corners of my lips twitch upward at the sight of her annoyance. Mason’s stubborn, and she’s learning that the hard way.
“I want the faeries to like me,” Abby continues. She’s pleading, almost even whining, which is new. I sit up, giving her my undivided attention. Mason does the same, his eyebrowspulled together. “They’re going to blame me for this. You know they will. Please, Mace.”
He opens his mouth, then clamps it shut. Then he does it again. And again.
Abby continues rubbing his scalp, keeping him docile and calm. I hold my breath, filled with hope. This just might work.
“But—” Mason starts.
Abby bites his shoulder, her teeth burying into the skin. He shivers, then slumps.
“He’s inside.” He jerks his head toward the boarded-up door beside me. “But he’s mine.”
Mason’s head spins toward me, and he does a double take. His eyes widen, almost like he didn’t realize I was here. I find that hard to believe. The shifter is always on guard. Always.
“He’s not yours,” Abby says. “Not yet.”
I roll my eyes. Lord Bishop willneverbe Mason’s.
I stand, ignoring the shifter’s threatening stare as I approach the boarded-up door. It looks untouched, but upon closer inspection, I realize the wood planks are loose.
Fucking Mason.
Chapter Forty
ABBY
MASON IS RELAXED underneath me, and I hum quietly as I sift my fingers through his hair, playing with the thick, wavy dark strands.
Kie rips wooden boards off the rooftop door, low curses and occasional death threats pouring from his throat. I’m glad Kie came when he did. It took forever to get Mason to admit to where he hid Lord Bishop, and I highly doubt I’d be able to convince him to do anything about it.
He’d never let me inside the building, either, but he doesn’t have the same reservations with Kie.
“Is it safe in there?” I ask Mason.
He grunts. “Wouldn’t let Kie in there if it weren’t.”
My fingers slide out of Mason’s hair, but he snatches my wrist and pulls my hand back to his head. I’ve spent the past thirty minutes treating Mason like a dog. I’ve pet him, licked him, done pretty much everything except sniff his asshole. He loves it, and he’s practically jelly underneath me.
I can’t help but smile. The big, bad shifter is weak and pliant for his mate.Little bitch.
My cheek is sore from rubbing against his rough stubble,which doesn’t feel great. Still, it’s a small price to pay for information. Anox was adamant that Mason stay far away from Lord Bishop, which honestly should’ve been the first clue that Mason would do the opposite.
I’ve heard enough stories to know that Mason’s never done well with being told what to do, and I suppose it was silly to believe his attitude would change now that he’s crowned and mated. Mason is stubborn.
“What’d you do to him?” I ask, staring at the doorway where Kie disappeared.
I’d go in myself if I didn’t already know that Mason would prevent me from doing so. I’m also slightly afraid that if I get up, he’ll decide that he’s changed his mind and stop Kie from collecting Lord Bishop. I have him agreeable and pliant, and I intend to keep him that way.
“Mason?” I urge.
He sighs, as if my questions are a bother. “Not much. He lost a hand in the transition.”
