Page 82 of A Crown of Lies

Her heart was racing in her ears as he moved his fingers lower, tracing them over her stomach. “I want to run soft brushes and feathers over this and watch your lovely skin turn to gooseflesh. I want to touch you with feathers here, drip melted chocolate over you and lick it up. I want to make a most sinful dessert of you righthere.”

She gasped as his fingers slid even lower, dipping between her thighs. She squeezed her thighs together at the indecent touch, but he only gently pushed them apart again, and she didn’t have the will to protest further.

“I want you to open like a flower for me when I touch you like this. I want to feel you wet for me, want your body to crave me the way I crave yours. I want to feel your warm wetness around me, welcoming me, needing me, desperate for me to fill you. I wanted to be the first to have you clench tight around me, and my name be the first on your lips.”

She was practically panting already. It was difficult to keep up with all the things he said he wanted with desire thrumming through her. Every stroke of his fingers against her only made it more difficult to follow what he was saying. Yet, when he took his fingers away, she nearly cried out at the sudden loss.

“But I lost that privilege when I mistreated you earlier,” he said with a sigh. “And you went to another.”

“I… I was… We were…” She stammered through several false starts before he quieted her with a finger on her lips. A finger that smelled of her.

“I don’t fault you,” he said with a smile. “You needed something I couldn’t give in that moment. I’m not a jealous man, but I am selfish. You’ve seen that side of me. Tonight, you will see another. I may frighten you. When I do, remember that I am capable of this, too. Remember that, when my boy is sated, he still needs you. But I need you, too. You are the countermelody that brings us both back into rhythm.”

Rixxis didn’t fully understand what he was saying, but it sounded beautiful and important. It made herfeelbeautiful and important. Wanted. Needed. So she nodded.

“You don’t understand,” he whispered and kissed her ear. “But you will.”

He moved away, sending a wave through the bath, and it was like a weight had been lifted off her chest and she could breathe again, but it was a weight shemissed.

She turned around, watching as Rowan exited the bath. Water sluiced over the powerful muscles of his back, and it was like watching a god emerge from an ocean of liquid silver. The sky had grown dark, and a light fog had descended on the hills. There was an eerie stillness in the world beyond that left her shivering and hurrying to follow.

Twenty-Five

Ieduinwasalreadyout,and dry, having exited before Rowan. He concentrated on toweling of Rowan’s body, trying not to think about the cold, and trying pointedly not to look at the water gleaming on Rixxis’s naked skin. Gods above, she was beautiful in the moonlight, with steam rising from her body.

The only thing better had been getting to watch Rowan tease her. His cock had been so hard. But he knew better than to touch himself without Rowan’s permission. He was already in trouble, and he didn’t want to make it worse. Now that he was out of the water, it was a non-issue, as the air was freezing. He wanted to put on his clothes, but Rowan hadn’t given him permission to wear clothes.

Rowan draped a warm towel around Ieduin’s shoulders to keep him from freezing, and Ieduin helped Rowan into his clothes, remaining naked himself save for the torq he always wore.

Once Rowan was dried and dressed, he went to another door, the one they hadn’t used to come out to the bath. He inserted a large brass key into the lock and pushed open the double doors. The dungeon Rixxis had told him about lay beyond. He’d wondered where that other door led to.

Much of the furniture had been moved out of the way. There was a table on wheels toward the center of the room, near the throne. It carried an array of tools that had once been in the cabinets, already laid out for use. On the other side of the throne were three dummies sporting various items of clothing or jewelry. A small padded mat sat on the floor before the throne.

Rowan ignored all of that to push a padded chair closer to his throne, situating it just behind the wheeled table. He ushered Rixxis to the chair. “I don’t allow alcohol during these sessions, but if you need anything to eat or drink, or anything at all, my queen, you need only ask.”

She opened her mouth to object to being called his queen, but quickly closed it. Wouldn’t do her any good. Rowan had already decided what he wanted to call her, and he’d always get his way eventually. Rixxis would have to learn that as Ieduin had.

“As for you…” He turned to Ieduin, giving him a stern look, and gesturing to the mat. “Kneel.”

There was such force in the command that Ieduin’s body went down automatically. It wasn’t magic, but it was as close as any non-mage could come.

Naked and shivering, Ieduin knelt before Rowan’s throne. When Rowan held out a hand, Ieduin surrendered his torq without even being asked.

Rowan placed it on the cart. “I had something special made for you, boy. You know I enjoy giving you gifts. However, considering your recent transgression, I’m not sure you deserve this.”

He carefully lifted a black leather collar. Several silver chains dangled from it. Gods above, were those real pink diamonds? That thing had to be worth a small fortune.

“S-s-sorry, sir. Please, forgive me,” Ieduin said through chattering teeth.

Rowan frowned and lowered the collar back to the tray. “Are you cold, boy?” He sat on the throne and patted his knee. “Come here and let’s warm you up.”

Ieduin clamored up onto Rowan’s lap, savoring what little warmth his body heat offered. The room was warm, but he’d taken a good chill. He nuzzled into Rowan’s chest, tucking himself tightly against him, drinking in the scent of him.

“Poor boy,” Rowan cooed. “I think you’ve misinterpreted my intention.”

Rowan’s hand closed on the back of Ieudin’s head. The world tilted, his face shifting toward the floor. Somehow, he wound up bent over Rowan’s knee.

“It pains me to have to do this,” Rowan said, “but you haven’t left me a choice.”

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