Page 82 of Glass and Bone
The air is crisp with a light wind. It’s cold against my sweaty skin and I take a deep breath. I open my eyes to Theo standing a couple feet away from me, bathed in the moonlight. My heart skips a beat, and I can feel the blush reddening my cheeks. I lift the glass up to my lips and down it in a single gulp.
He’s wearing a black jacket with matching trousers, casual but still put together. His hair is down, groomed so that it stays out of his face and tucked behind his ears. He’s watching me as I watch him. I look around and set my empty glass on one of the tables off to the side.
“I’ve always wanted to fly.” I stammer as I turn back to the railing. I kick off my flats and hoist one of my feet on top of the marble post. He cocks his head, watching me, a smirk forming. My other foot finds purchase and I shakily stand. A giggle escapes my lips as my feet feel numb.
“You’re lucky you’re on the bottom floor. I don’t think you’ll survive another jump off the second floor.” His voice is quiet, floating through the air before gracing my ears with its melodious sound.
Gods, I could listen to him forever.
I smile and hiccup before jumping off the post onto the grass, attempting to be brave. At least I think I jump, but I not so gracefully fall face first towards the ground as my feet refuse to lift up. A scream lodges in my throat as the grass flies forward, but I never hit it. Theo catches me, his warm arms wrapping around my waist to hold me to his chest. He smells like grass, and I think I accidentally say that out loud because he raises an eyebrow.
“I’ve never heard someone refer to me as smelling like grass.” He smirks before setting my feet onto the ground.
“It’s better than smelling like dirt.” I mutter, hiccupping from the champagne bubbles.
“Or like hay.” I scoff and pull out of his arms.
“I do not smell like hay.” He laughs, his hand finding my waist again. His hands are warm, and they fit against my sides as if they were made for me.
“You do smell like hay; you smell like you’ve been with the horses all day.” His breath tickles my face and I smell whiskey. He’s drunk. Just like me. His hand holds me against the small of my back, his other smoothing my hair away from my face.
“Ihavebeen with the horses all day.” I say in between the hiccups that refuse to leave.
“Where is your crown? You look so pretty with your crown.” He murmurs, his head leaning down slightly. I should push him away, run in the opposite direction, but I don’t. My skin is heating everywhere he is touching, and I can’t get enough. I don’t know why, but I lift my head up nearly meeting his.
“Scarlett looks better in it.” I whisper, his lips so close to mine.
“I don’t think anyone could look better than you.” His lips lightly brush mine.
“You smell like whiskey.” I say, breathy.
“You smell like wine.” He replies.
Before I can stop myself, I press into him. His free hand holds my face as my lips part, our tongues meeting. He pulls me tighter against him until there is no more space between us. We are all tongue and teeth, no grace or hesitance. Pure unrelenting desire urging us on. His hands hungrily search my body and I groan as he runs his hand along my backside. I can feel his desire growing, the hardened length pressing into my stomach.
“Theo.” I whisper as I tangle my fingers in his hair, wanting him as close as possible. He bites my bottom lip before leaving a trail of kisses down my neck. My breathing grows ragged and then the nausea hits.
“Oh no.” I whisper. I pull away and run towards a bush where I vomit away the gallons of wine I consumed. My throat is one fire, my lips swollen from his kiss.
“Your Grace.” A deep voice causes me to look up and I jump. I sway slightly and see a very blurry Laris holding his hand out. He’s handing me a handkerchief and I gladly take it, wiping at my mouth. I turn back around and see an empty courtyard. Theo is gone. My brows furrow as I turn back towards Laris. “Come on.” He commands before gently guiding me back into the hall. “I didn’t see anything.” He whispers before his hand leaves my back. I glance up at him with a thankful smile before stepping through the open double doors.
Scarlett is first to find me, my crown still resting on her head. Her braids are half undone and she looks just as drunk as I feel. She grabs my arms and spins me and before long I am pulled back into the dancing, my kiss with Theo long forgotten. Tobias joins us at some point, his arms possessively wrapped around me as we dance until the early morning.
By the time we make it back to our room, I am still crownless and barefoot. Tobias and I are tripping over everything and at one point I end up sprawled out on the floor. He’s laughing as he bends down to help me up, but I pull him down with me and he lands face first on the marble. I can’t help but laugh in between my drunk hiccups as he pulls himself up. When I finally look at him through tears, his nose is bleeding.
“Oh gods, I am so sorry.” I stammer and try to sit up. He wipes his nose with the back of his hand and stares at the red smudge before looking at me. His eyes darken and his jaw hardens as he stares at me. My smile falls and I think I knew what was coming before it happened.
His hand reaches out and grabs my hair, yanking me to my feet. I cry out in pain as he pulls me up the steps to the bed. I dig my nails into his arm as I slip on the marble steps. My knees hit the edge and I wince. I collapse on the ground by the bed when he lets go of me, a small tuft of hair hanging from his fingers. Tears well up in my eyes and I look up at him. He bends down, sitting on me, as he grabs my face with his hands.
“Tobias, please.” I whine as I wrap my hands around his wrists, trying to pull him away from me.
“Do you think it’s funny when you hurt me?” He leans down so his mouth is close to my ear. “Do you think it’s funny to watch me bleed?” He growls, sending a chill down my spine.
“It was an accident.” He leans back and slaps me. I can taste the blood in my mouth as my teeth cut the inside of my cheek.
“You’re not laughing now, are you?” He hits me again and I grit my teeth. His hand finds my neck and squeezes until my oxygen is cut off. I kick out at nothing, my eyes widening. I try to force a breath, but nothing comes in. I can feel the fire spreading in my lungs from the lack of air and I try to claw at his face.
Don’t fight back.
