Page 99 of The Price We Pay (The Path of Temptation 1)

I took that as permission to enter and eased open the door, thankful it wasn't locked. "I've missed you," I said, peeking my head in.

Unlike our suite, the guardians only got a single room to divide into a sleeping area, living area, and relaxation space. That meant I could see him lying there, his back to me, curled into a ball on the bed. His sheets were tangled around his waist, but the dark lines across his back were easily visible.

Wraythe groaned, and the sound propelled me into the room. Carefully securing the door, I made my way over to sit at the edge of the bed. Unable to help myself, I traced the new lines on his body.

"Wraythe?" I begged.

"I can't, Nari," he breathed. "Not yet."

"I just needed to know you were ok."

He huffed once. "Not really. Did you know men get hard in the morning? Every single morning. Even when I think about nothing, it still happens." And then he rolled toward me. "I've been trying to learn how to control it, but nothing's working!"

The first thing I saw was his face. Pink-rimmed eyes proved that either he'd been crying or was about to. But a hint of color caught my eye, and I dared to glance down. It was red. The sheet. Right over his crotch.

"You're bleeding," I breathed.

He nodded. "Please don't look."

"I just want to take care of you," I insisted.

But his eyes just slipped closed. "No. Nari, don't lookthere. Don't make me think about it. Don't..." He pulled in a trembling breath. "Don't make it get hard again?"

"Ok," I promised, unsure how to prevent that. "Um, did Eladehl tell you about my guardian?"

"Sexy man, dark hair, amazing blue eyes. He's tall, but not as tall as me. Maybe six-two? Kisses hard and fast. Yeah, and you slept with him." He nodded. "There's always a price, right? I wanted you with us, and he was the price for that. Ela also said he tried to play your partner against you. Said he grabbed the fool by the ring. I told him he was my hero."

I chewed at my lower lip. "I kinda don't know what to do about him."

"You like him?" he asked, sucking in a breath afterwards.

"I don't know him," I pointed out.

Wraythe pushed out a slow, measured breath, and then pulled in one more the same way. "Not what I meant. I mean, he turns you on, right?" And his eyes closed. "Zeal, please make this easier?" Another careful breath, and then he looked at me again. "My question is if you still think he's sexy, or if you're over that?"

"He's attractive. I think Eladehl's description was pretty much spot on."

Wraythe groaned out, "Fuck," and his hand fisted in the sheet. "They said one size fits all. Fucking doesn't. Every time I think about you like that? In bed with some..." And he sighed one more time. "Right now, I envy Anver."

"Can I do anything?" I asked. "Ice? Alcohol?Anything?"

"No. Alcohol will make it bleed more. Ice means touching, and I'm not touching that shit. Not even to take a piss. I just sit and let it dangle."

"Did not need to know that," I teased. "I'm just worried about you. I also miss you."

He let go of the sheets to clasp my hand. My fingers disappeared inside his, but he still pulled them to his lips and kissed the very tips. "Maybe you can talk to Zeal for me?"

"He said the rings weren't his idea," I admitted. "Said it's something lazy priests designed so they didn't have to train you."

"And in such a way that we can't take it off. Not without cutting my shit from root to tip." He reached down with his other hand to press against the hollow of his hip. "I just figured maybe you could ask him to help me control this, or maybe to lessen the pain? Shit, right now, I'd even accept a little larger ring."

I opened my mouth to point out that there was nothing wrong with having a big dick, but closed it before the words could come out. He did not need me talking about things that would remind him of me touching it. I just had to pretend like this was a cut on his leg. An injury. No need to remind him ofwhere.

"I think I'm starting to get a list of things I should be praying for. Maybe you should try too?"

"Pretty much all I've been doing," he assured me. "But enough about that. Your guy, um, Talin?"

"Yeah, that's his name."

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