Del’s eyes flash. “Why are you in the west wing?Pleasespeak.”
“What’s all this?”
I suppress a groan at the sound of Balor’s demanding voice, and my pleading eyes connect with Del’s.
His mouth quirks into a playful grin before disappearing into a neutral expression. Del spins to face Balor, his disheveled black hair falling into his eyes.
Goreon’s second puts himself between the general and me.
But it’s my fault we’re in this, and I need to rescue us both.
I edge around Del. “I couldn’t sleep. I took myself for a walk.”
Balor rolls his eyes at me. “You’re pretty, but, unfortunately, not dumb. Why are you in the west wing, Queen?”
This man has a serious problem with women.
“Come off it, Balor. We had a drink in my chambers,” Del says. “She was a mess after dinner.”
That’s a decent lie.
I force a sway, sidestepping into Del, and he catches my sweatered elbow with perfect timing.
“Easy, Queen. Liquor and blood hit hard,” Balor laughs. “I can’t wait to tell the king about this secret dalliance tonight.”
“There’s nothing secret about it,” Del says. “We’re in the damn hallway,General.”
Balor ignores Del. “Where’s your second?” General Balor looks down the hall behind me. “I’m surprised the brute let you out of his sight.”
Few things make me boil with anger after the life I’ve lived, but insulting Second is one of them. Thankfully, Balor thinks I’m drunk. I can act out with some leniency.
“Don’t be a dick, Balor. I’ll put you in yourplace,” I slur. Del’s chin turns sharply to me, eyes on fire with maybe a little malice this time.
Balor’s pallid face flushes as he takes a step toward me, and Del’s fingertips wrap around my arm, pulling me into him.
I try not to be distracted by the strong hips pressing into my leathered backside, or the fact that I want to melt into the stone chest behind me.
I kind offeela little drunk, actually.
“Watch your mouth,” Balor growls.
“You can’t speak to a queen that way,” I insist.
“Says who?” he asks with a sneer, spinning around in the empty hallway.
“Saysme, asshole,” Second bellows from behind us. “Get your hand off her, Del. Right the fuck now.”
Del drops me instantly, and my step lurches.
I feel woozy. Like a hangover, but different.
Second snaps next to me, and I prop myself into his side.
“I was just about to deliver her back to your rooms,” Del drawls at Second. “She had a bit too much, I’m afraid.”
“I see. How disappointing,” Second says, shaking his head at me.
An honest reaction for the situation I’ve put us in.
