“That’s disgusting. Please keep those comments to yourself or save them for when you’re alone with my sister. Godsdammit, Torin.”
“How old are you, Peytor? And haven’t you also stuck your dick down someone’s throat before?”
Now it was my turn to gag as I reached for whatever article of clothing brushed my hand first. An idea sprang to mind as I half-heartedly listened to their banter that carefully disguised both of their uneasiness.
“Peytor,” I called, instantly silencing theirrivetingconversation. “Please leave.”
“If this is heading the direction I think . . . gladly.” He breathed a heavy, relieved breath before his boots shuffled across the floor, the door opening and closing in quick succession. Silence descended, apart from Torin’s laboredbreaths, and my heart banged against my sternum. I peeked my head around the door of the armoire just enough to see Torin’s eyes completely focused on me.
Good.
“What are you doing, sweetheart?” he asked. The nickname and his unwavering attention shouldn’t have sent shivers of heat across my skin and through my blood, not with the anger I still clung to over his actions before all went to shit in Vespera. Alas, my body—and my heart—didn’t agree with my mind; he was still Torin,myTorin, and it was inevitable I would forgive him.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t torture him a bit first.
With that thought, I stepped away from the wall, leaving the unidentified article of clothing hanging in the armoire. I wouldn’t need it for what came next.
I held Torin’s heated amber gaze with my own, begging him to see the flitting of betrayal and displeasure as well as the love and devotion.
A muscle in his jaw flexed and bounced as he ground his teeth together, whether in frustration or anticipation, I was unsure. I shivered under his attention, my skin prickling with goosebumps of awareness, despite the humid heat still emanating from the bathroom as his gaze raked across the tops of my breasts and exposed collarbone.
Angry, I’m supposed to be angry with him.
But the longer I watched Torin stare at me, the more my frustrations evaporated.
Heat prickled against my skin, and my eyes flung to a small flame in Torin’s palm that extinguished just as quickly as it ignited, leaving my hair dry. Torin flashed a lazy, carnal smile.
We can’t have that. Punish him.
A wicked grin spread across my face as I opened my arms and let the towel still clinging to my damp skin fall to the ground with a wetthump.
I watched every minuscule reaction to my stunt and preened at the open, raw desire I saw swirling within his dark depths. His eyes widened before his pupils followed, blowing wide in lust as he tracked every bare inch of me.
Hands on my hips, I bared my body to him, let him drink his fill, before turning slowly on my heel and walking back to the armoire. I felt Torin’s heated stare on my ass as I retreated and bent over farther than necessary to retrieve the random garment hanging in the dark depths.
His feet shuffled against stone, the sound preceding the warmth from his body encasing my own as his scent overwhelmed me. It was simultaneously like coming home while also making me homesick; it was a weird dichotomous feeling that I was hoping would abate once we worked out our issues and grievances.
Well, my issues.It was clear Torin did not possess the same frustrations as me, if his labored breathing was any indicator.
“Oh no you don’t,” he growled as I pulled what I now recognized as a hideous red velvet dress from the armoire. The dress instantly turned to ash in my hands. Secretly, I was thankful that I wouldn’t have to wear that monstrosity.
“That was rude,” I said to Torin, trying to push as much authority and ice in my voice as I could, but it came out more breathy than I anticipated.
“What’s rude is you standing here, naked, your skin begging for my touch,” he growled. My pale skin flushed, but my eyes remained hard.
“You can’t just order people about and expect them to follow you to whatever end,” I bit.
Torin’s smile was dark and full of authority. “That is where you are wrong,Queen d’Refan,” he spat the name at me, and I raised my eyebrows in both outrage and surprise. “You’ll find that my word, my command, means everything here to these people. My wordisthe law. I say, they do.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “The whole despotic maniac persona does not sit well on you, Torin.”
“The command, the power, the authority doesn’t do it for you, Ellowyn?”
I scoffed even though the thought of him ordering me around sent a shot of heat straight between my legs, causing my clit to throb in anticipation.
“No,” I said, steely determination in my voice as I took a step closer to him. I could see the outline of his erection through his loose pants. My hand darted out to grasp him quicker than I could blink. He hissed both at the contact and the punishing pressure of my grip.
I inched closer until my nipples brushed his tunic, both of our chests rising and falling rapidly in arousal.
