Ruth whips her head to gawk at me.
I nod and lift my glass.Don’t drink it, Ruth.She follows suit and holds hers close to her chin with a trembling hand.
“To Aurick. May his cock still taste like me.”
Oh my God.My jaw unhinges like a broken drawer, dangling from its post. The rumbling sensation coming from my pulse in my ears drowns out the laughter, a stampede of nerves galloping across my spine.What do I do?I bring the flute up to my mouth slowly, watching the others take gulps of their champagne. I want to stand up. I want to hurl this glass at her—
My glass is instantly blocked from touching my lips. I look down at the top of a hand covering my flute glass. It propels my hand back down to the dining table, and that’s when I follow the frozen looks of panic. With relief washing over me like warm summer rain, my eyes find Dessin towering above me.
40. Eye for an Eye
He winks down at me, then readjusts to greet the table of conformists and orderlies. “Good evening.”
The only sound is silverware crashing to the floor.
I’ve never felt such a tidal wave of happiness—not at any point in my life—not like this.
“I did not receive my invitation to this soiree, so I thought I’d bless the host with my unannounced drop-in.” He wears a comfortable smirk, then shoots a side-glance to Meridei.
As he circles the table, I notice his tuxedo, jet black, a little tight around the arms and chest. Pleasure simmers in my gut at the sight of him.
“How did you escape the asylum?” Belinda chokes out.
“Is my attire appropriate? I borrowed it from Aurick’s wardrobe.” Dessin loosens his collar, maintaining eye contact with the hostess, who still hasn’t unclenched her hand from her champagne.
He broke into Aurick’s mansion?Why?!
Dessin turns the corner around the table, approaching Meridei slowly, prowling with purpose, with the confidence of a tiger swaggering around hens.
“Do you find me attractive, Meridei?”
I have to do a double take at this one. What did he just say?
Meridei’s porcelain cheeks flush a deep maroon that spreads to the tip of her squished nose.
He leans down in front of her, using the tips of his fingers to coax her champagne back to her lips. She doesn’t resist. As if in a spiritual trance, she gulps the bubbles down loudly. Dessin grins at the gold liquid disappearing into her mouth.
My heart sinks like an anchor falling through quicksand.
Okay, whose side is he on? It’s as if I’ve just walked in on an intimate moment in the bedroom. My chest opens up, and I hold my breath behind pursed lips. An agitation, like a shock of caffeine, curls my toes inside of my shoes, straightening my legs until my thighs burn under the table—a trickle effect. Why is this making me so angry?
“Good girl.” His voice is low and sultry, unlike the many times he expresses irritation with these individuals. And she’s starstruck, baffled, unable to recognize that she has a roomful of guests watching the show.
Desire flows through me like lava. It melts my bones and floods between my thighs.Jesus, how can I be jealous and aroused at his performance?
He sets the glass down, then looks around the table—his highly alert eyes landing on me. “You see? Her legs will open for anyone.”
I can’t help it—I cough out a laugh. It bursts from my tightly sealed, pouting lips.
Ruth’s hand flies through the air to cover her mouth, probably from reacting the same way I did.
“Get out. We’re turning you in.” An orderly builds up the courage to rise from his seat, causing a chain reaction with three more tossing their napkins onto their plates to meet the occasion. Itistheir duty to collect him.
Dessin’s hand swats downward in a brisk movement, tapping a knife at the handle and watching it flip upward through the air to land precisely in his palm. Without a moment of thought, he points it to the first orderly that spoke up.
“Sit down.” He lifts his chin. “I’m not quite finished.”
It’s the alpha in his tone—the crack of a whip—the roiling, unconquerable dominance.
