Page 108 of Games of Death and Desire

If even he would betray us…

I hesitate, and Casimir notices my reaction immediately. He eases back to catch my gaze. Alek goes still at my other side.

I sink back down onto the ledge so I can look at both of them. My hands instinctively reach for theirs. “You know you never have to worry about wheremyloyalties lie, don’t you? I still think the scourge sorcerers are maniacs and criminals. I have no interest at all in buying into their mad philosophy, no matter what I’ve done to convince them.”

Casimir chuckles and trails his free hand down the side of my face. “Of course. I never even considered it.”

Alek is frowning. “Have we done or said anything to make you think we don’t trust you?”

A lump rises in my throat. “No. Nothing like that. I just— You knew Benedikt for longer than you’ve known me, and he startled all of us. I figured I should make my position clear.”

Alek’s fingers tighten where they’ve intertwined with mine. “I’ve never worried either. You of all people would be able to recognize harmful magic when you see it.”

Casimir dips his head to kiss the peak of my shoulder. “And every time you’ve talked about their initiation rituals, it’s been obvious how uncomfortable you were with them. I hate that you’ve had to go back to them at all—I know you’d rather never deal with the conspiracy again.”

The fleeting panic that gripped me unwinds from my gut. I relax into their combined embrace again, but the doubtful part of me—the part that’s having trouble understanding how a street-rat thief won a brilliant scholar’s and a noble courtesan’s devotion—insists on one final clarification.

I glance at one and then the other. “And you’re really okay with what we’re doing here? With me being with both of you? I never would have expected—I wouldn’t have asked—”

“I think we both know that too,” Casimir murmurs, releasing my hand to tuck his arm around me. “I’m not the jealous type, Kindness. The happier you are, the happier I’ll be too.”

Alek’s smile twists. “I never thought I’d be able to have anything like this at all. I know you caring about Casimir doesn’t take anything away from whatever we’ll have together.”

He pauses, his gaze sliding to the other man with a hint of shyness. “And maybe Casimir will help me ensure I’m making you as ‘happy’ as I possibly can, since I can’t say I know what I’m doing in that area all that well.”

Casimir beams at him. “I can always offer advice. We should look at this as a collaboration, just like our investigations. We each bring our own approach and talents to the task at hand, and we’re better for combining them.”

I narrow my eyes. “Now you’re making it sound like work.”

The courtesan laughs and tugs me close against him. His voice drops to a murmur by my ear. “I can assure you what we’re doing here is nothing but a pleasure. And I’m looking forward to seeing how much pleasure we can bring you.”

He nibbles a path down my neck while teasing his fingers along my inner thigh. Alek leans in for another kiss, and just like that, I’m lost again.

I want them to feel good too. I want them to know just how much I cherish the affection they’re offering me. How much I cherishthemand everything they’ve brought into my life.

I stroke my hand over Alek’s toned chest and across his stomach. He hums approvingly against my mouth.

My ass has settled into Casimir’s lap—against the rigid length of him that tells me how much he’s already enjoying this interlude. Shifting my weight, I rock against him in what I hope is a provocative motion.

It must work, because Casimir’s breath hitches. He groans, and his hand slips up my thigh to cup the most sensitive part of me.

At the bolt of pleasure that races up from my core, I can’t restrain a whimper. Alek lets out a hungry sound and kisses me harder, massaging my breast.

I trace my fingers over the lean muscles of his abdomen until they graze the jutting length of his cock. When I wrap my hand around it, he bucks into my grasp with a groan of his own.

Casimir swivels his thumb over my clit and delves his forefinger inside me. The pressure sends bliss pulsing through my nerves.

As my head tips back with a gasp, he nips my shoulder and starts to adjust our position. “There’s one talent I’d like to bring to bear that I haven’t gotten a chance to yet. And this is the perfect place for it…”

He lifts me out of the water, Alek adding his arms to the task when he realizes what the courtesan is up to. Together, they set me on the smooth, wide edge of the tub.

Casimir motions to the scholar with a tip of his head. “You should get out too—I’d love to know someone’s keeping her satisfied up above while I see what magic I can conjure down here.”

He winks at me with an impish grin—and nudges my knees apart so he can lower his head between my legs.

At the first press of his mouth against my sex, the jolt of pleasure shocks a mumbled curse from my mouth. “Fuck.”

I’ve heard women talk about this act, even seen it performed once, but none of my previous, momentary lovers were attentive enough to try it.

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