Page 53 of Valkyrie Confused

The disappointment in her gaze—the hurt—still haunts me when we meet her for our morning lesson. Maybe because it's there, darkening her hazel eyes.

Only way I can think of to get rid of it is to replace it with annoyance.

So, in Pan’s words, Igo extra growly. I have Scarlett run faster, jump higher, and hit harder than yesterday, until she's exhausted and hates my guts. Then I repeat the same in the afternoon session, and I don’t go looking for her when she has her meals in her room.

The dreams come back at night, and in the morning, when she winces the moment she lifts the sword over her head, I pretend not to notice.

Every day, I stoke her anger and irritation and take her body to its limits, though not in a manner either of us finds pleasurable. And every night, I dream of making her mine.

Pan is there too, of course. Beside me, every waking moment I spend with Scarlett, butting in and making jokes and diffusing potentially dangerous situations. Taking the heat of her wrath, and mocking my insistence on repeating moves to exhaustion, and fucking me to sleep.

He's also there when the dreams come. Watching Scarlett and me. Joining me in plundering her body. Sucking me off while I eat her out. Showing me how things could be. Amping up my desire and feeding off it—because of course he is.

He’s promised not to use his power on me unless I ask, and I believe he wouldn’t while when he’s awake, but when he’s asleep, all bets are off. With most rooms empty during the week, I could ask for different sleeping arrangements, but sharing his bed is the only upside to the past few days since I left Scarlett topless and panting in her room.

Pan wants her more than I do. He was the first to notice how desirable she is, and every glance or barb or touch they exchange screams of lust, but he’s never alone with her, except when he takes her food to her apartment. And when he’s not there or working, he’s with me. All. The fucking. Time. Reminding me of what we had. Making me fall for him all over again.

Making me want more.

I wake up to his mouth on my cock, and lie still while he works the tip down his throat. I could stay in this moment forever. Forget the world, forget the gods, forget my duty. Just be lost between Pan's gorgeous, skilled lips.

He tugs on my balls and raises his head until my dick flops onto my stomach, wet with his saliva.

“I know you're awake,” he says.

“Mmhmm.” I won’t commit to anything more than that.

“Are you getting up?” He flicks my shaft, and the sting makes me throb with need. “From the waist up, I mean.”

I shake my head. If I get up, I'll have to face Scarlett. Have to see her look at me with the disdain I've carefully cultivated.

His grip on my balls tightens. “It's been a week,” he says. “Can't you two fuck it out of your systems and move on?”

This is the first time he’s mentioned or even acknowledged that something has happened. That things aren’t as rosy as he’d like to pretend.

“There is noitto move on from.” I scoot to the edge of the bed, sit up, and turn to drop my feet to the floor. I don’t feel like sparring.

What’s wrong with me?

She is, and I’m reminded of just why when we meet up.

Everything about her gets to me. How she flares her nostrils when she sees me. The smile she reserves for Pan.

The way she refuses to plant her left foot correctly when she spins to kick with her right one,even though I’ve corrected her ten dozen times this week.

“Again,” I bark.

Scarlett scowls but repeats the spin, swinging her sword in a near-perfect arc.

“Again. Watch your balance.”

Her glare is deadly. “Iamwatching my balance. I haven't been off balance in three days. Haven’t dropped my sword since yesterday, not that you’ve noticed.”

I should tell her I have. That she’s indeed improving. That there’s already a hint of muscle lining her arms. Instead, I say, “You want props for not dropping your sword? What's next? A cookie for tying your shoelaces?” I sneer. “We are preparing you for war, Scarlett, and the ones you’ll need to fight won’t care that you’re witty and funny and cute. They’ll eviscerate you if you can’t fight back or at least stave them off.”

“Sheiscute,” Pan comments offhandedly. He comes closer, so only I can hear when he says, “And she still looks like she wants to kill you. What the flowery fuck happened between you two?”

“Nothing. Nothing happened.” We just kissed. I felt her body writhing on top of me. Had her breast in my palm—a perfect fit—and her hand scorching my cock. And then I scurried off.

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