My lashes spring up and heat blisters my skin as I scramble toward the edge of my mattress, praying my door is locked, before remembering that Cathal can morph into smoke.
Dawn hasn’t even fucking broken,Lore growls.
A glance at the sky beyond my window confirms that the sun has yet to rise. For all I know, I fell asleep minutes ago.
“I am two minutes away from letting myself in,ínon.”
“And I am two minutes away from pulping his face,” Lore grumbles.
Merda.“I’m up! Just getting dressed.” I try to sit up, but Lore tightens the arm and leg he draped across my body before we fell asleep, caging me into the hard crook of his body. “Lore,” I scold.
“I’m not ready for this night to end, Little Bird.”
I’m not either, but I want to build something with my father.
Lore sighs, and his cold breath flutters my snarled hair.Fine. Let’s go seize the day.He runs his palm along my hipbone before pinching my ass cheek.
I turn my head to side-eye him for the pinch. He smiles before taking my mouth in a toe-curling kiss and rolling me on top of him. Every muscle in my body screeches in protest at being jostled.
Oh, this is going to be a long day. I think I may cry if my father suggests a promenade through the kingdom.
My father! Merda.I flatten my palms against Lore’s chest and press against him to pry my torso from his. The movement makes us both groan, but I suspect for very different reasons.
“While I wait for you,ínon, I’ll go discuss something with Lore! Come and find me in his rooms when you’re ready.”
My eyes grow wide. “You have to go,” I hiss. “Immediately.”
But Lore bends one arm and pillows his head on it, all the while shooting me the laziest smile. His morning wood digs into the crease of my ass, and even though I’m pretty certain I have second-degree cock burn from the four times we made love last night, my core—that little vixen—revs right up, turning nice and dewy.
When his gaze drops there, as though to survey the odds of a quickie, I growl, “Don’t even think about it.”
His gold eyes snap to mine. “You do realize I’ll think of little else.” His fingers close around my buttocks and squeeze, then loosen before squeezing again.
My mouth parts around a deep moan because the male has the absolutebesthands.
I thought I had the best tongue, he murmurs as he kneads my sore muscles again.Andnose.
They’re all tied, I manage to choke out, wondering if more than two things can be tied. Why am I even dwelling on this? Who the underworld cares?
Lore grins as he continues to massage my knotted muscles. What I wouldn’t give for a full body rubdown instead of— I smack his chest.
“Such a violent little bird,” he murmurs dramatically.
“Stop sidetracking me and go meet with my father to buy me time to”—a sniff at my skin makes me swap the worddressfor the word—“shower.”
I grip both his hands and tug them off my skin, then whimper as I scoot off him because, damn . . . it isn’t only my muscles that ache.I think you shattered a few essential organs,I whisper into his mind as I hobble toward the bathing chamber.
Lore laughs.
Tàin, I grumble, glancing over my shoulder to make sure my sentiment registered.
His chuckle turns into a smug grin that makes me stop my mad crawl toward the bathroom and reach out toward the nearest wall to avoid stumbling and shattering more organs and bones. In all my years on this Earth—which, granted, haven’t been copious—I’ve yet to set my gaze upon a sight as arresting as the naked king sprawled on my bed, cloaked only in pale moonlight and the vestiges of his makeup.
“My father is waiting,” I remind him and myself. “You shouldn’t keep him waiting.”
“Tell me . . . what do you suppose he’ll want to discuss?”
“The next move in your Meriam-recovery mission?” Even as I suggest it, I know that will not be the focus of their conversation.
