Page 92 of A Crown of Lies

Rowan closed his eyes and slipped into a dream where Ieduin and Rixxis were absent. Instead, Ambra was there. She walked through the room, running her hands over the display of floggers, letting the tails pass between her fingers. She was naked, her bare feet moving silently over the floor while he waited in his throne.

“I never understood why you had so many,” she said absently. “In a lifetime, you couldn’t possibly use all of these.”

“It’s not about only having what I need, or even everything I want.” Rowan stood, his throne creaking under the weight of his movement. “It’s about having everything.”

“It’s about control,” she said, pausing. “But you can’t control everything, can you? Even if you become the most powerful man in the world, you’re still just a man. Man commands neither Death nor Destiny.”

“Ambra…” He stopped behind her, his heart tight as if it might stop beating at any moment. “I’m sorry. I should have been there for you. I should have paid more attention. I should’ve…”

He trailed off as she turned around and kissed him. Her lips were cold. The lips of the dead.

“You did everything right,” she said, running her hands over his chest. “It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”

He tried to swallow the tightness in his throat and took her hands in his. Her fingers were so cold, so painfully cold. “Were you so unhappy here?”

Ambra shook her head. “I was happy.”

“Then why?”

Cold hands gripped his arm, touched his cheek. “I wasn’t alone.”

He shook his head. “Of course not. I was always here. I would’ve helped you, listened to you. Gods, I loved you!”

“You’re not listening. I wasn’t alone. I…didn’t want to.”

“What do you mean?”

She shook her head and pulled away. “I’m sorry. I can’t. She won’t let me.”

He closed his hand around her fingers, gripping tight. “Wait! Ambra, please.”

“Wake up, Rowan.” Her fingers slipped from his grasp.

He woke in a cold sweat with an unfamiliar weight pinning his chest and left arm. He shifted slightly to look down, expecting to find Ieduin there. The elf had fallen asleep between Rowan and Rixxis the night before, but he was absent when Rowan woke. It was Rixxis lying against him instead.

Gods, she was beautiful with her hair a mess, her clothes all twisted and wrinkled. No wonder Ieduin wanted to sleep next to her. Waking up with her could easily be the highlight of his day. He shifted, wrapping an arm around her, and tilted her face up for a stolen kiss.

Twenty-Eight

Someoneiskissingme. It was Rixxis’s first thought as she woke. Her second thought was that it must not be Ieduin because of the sandpaper like feeling of his skin.Rowan then. Rowan is holding me, kissing me, and I like it. Her heart skipped as she realized she more than liked it.

She had been dreaming about him, about having sex with him and Ieduin. Part of her was confused about how that could work, but not when she was asleep. Her sleeping brain had no problems piecing together how both could be inside her at once. It didn’t seem plausible, what they’d been doing in her dream. They both couldn’t fit at the same time, and it was such a salacious scene.

Then again, she had spent the night before watching Rowan and Ieduin have sex and do many enticingly depraved things. Things she never would have dreamed up to even try.

And now she was kissing the same man. Or rather, he was kissing her.

He lifted his lips from hers and paused, as if considering something. Maybe he knew she was awake and only pretending to sleep. Maybe he was waiting for her to object, but she didn’t. Not even when he leaned down to kiss her again, pressing her more firmly against him.

Oh, gods. She could feel his erection pressing against her. What if he wanted to have sex with her? Of course he would. He was male, and lying in bed with her, and she’d been right up against him. Of course she’d gotten him excited. Who knew what she’d been doing, dreaming of such scandalous things?

But did she want that? Was she ready for that? If he tried, what should she do? What if she told him no? Would he stop? Lewis never did. Not that she’d ever had the courage to try, but sometimes she clearly didn’t want to, and he made her. Said it was her duty as his wife. Said—

“Rixxis?” Rowan brushed his nose against her cheek. “Your heart is racing. Did I startle you? I didn’t mean to. Your beauty was so striking. I don’t know how he does it every morning, keeping his hands off you. I think he has much more self-control than he gives himself credit for.” He kissed her cheek and slid his hand down to her hip.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she leaned back, face burning. As soon as she pushed against his hand, he let her go. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be all over you. I must’ve thought you were Ieduin.”

“Believe me, I don’t mind in the least.”

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