There’s a mischievous lilt to Valen’s tone that sets me on edge. Maybe I should’ve confirmed what they want to settle before agreeing.
The moment my left foot touches the ground, Valen pulls me into his hold. I yelp, my right foot still elevated on the ladder step, my leg fully exposed from where I tucked my skirt into my belt. My back presses flush to Valen’s front, my hands reaching back to clutch his slacks. His hands slide up my sides possessively and my body shivers awake when he breathes against my exposed neck, “You’re such a good girl, Astoria. Now show the magician how well you come for me.”
My eyes flare and lock with Lucas’. He leans against the opposite stack, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable. But his eyes. There’s a heat in them that has my core clenching.
“Valen—” But my former lover presses two fingers to my lips and I can no longer remember what I was going to say.
“Let me make you sing.” His lips press against my neck to gently suck. I shiver, my left leg going weak, but Valen’s firm hold keeps me upright. He murmurs between his trailing kisses, “Do you remember when we used to hide away in here?”
My lips part in a gasp, desire flooding me. Lucas doesn’t blink and I can’t look away. My heart hammers, adrenaline amplifying this exhilaration that quakes me. What are we doing? I swallow, licking my lips, and my tongue catches Valen’s fingers. All the reasoning for why this is a bad idea fails to surface and I say instead, “I remember sucking your cock with my hands tied behind my back.”
It’s worth it. Lucas’ breath catches, his gaze darkening. I shiver all over when Valen chuckles darkly, “You did take it so well,” and he slips his fingers into my mouth. I suck greedily, as he pumps. His sinful words lure me deeper and deeper into the heady madness that is being with Valentin Bauer the Sixth. “So hungry. Swallowed me down so eagerly for your reward.”
His fingers slip free and he trails his hand down my front. “You were so close earlier. Allow me to finish what we started.” And he slips his hand under my skirt.
I gasp, knees buckling, but Valen holds me tight, his hand sliding smoothly up and down my pussy. He groans, teeth sinking into my neck, “Fuck, Astoria. You’re soaking.”
My right boot slides along the ladder’s rung in time with my low moan. Pleasure thrums through me as his skilled fingers refamiliarize themselves with every inch of me. They circle my entrance, my back arching, before sliding in deeply in a slow, confident pump that has me convulsing in his arms.
Through all of this, my eyes never leave Lucas. It’s as if his honey brown irises have pinned me in place and my pulsing heartbeat throbs through my body under the intensity of his stare.
Valen’s fingers draw me higher and higher as he alternates between thrusting and rubbing my clit in a maddening, unpredictable rhythm. Frustration builds and my gasps turn into near snarls, my hips snapping. It’s not enough. I need consistency.
“Valen…” I growl, grabbing his wrist to hold it in place for him to finger fuck my aching entrance.
My skin prickles when his magic surges. My hands are drawn back and pinned against Valen’s sides. He huffs a low, sensual laugh. “Now, now, Tori… patience.”
I don’t want to be patient. I want to come. “Please…”
He groans, “You beg so nicely. Do it more.”
“Valen, please!” He pumps and I nod furiously, “Yes, like that. Don’t stop.”
Oh fuck, I’m losing my mind. I’m so close and Lucas won’t stop looking at me. My body flushes and I want to rip open this dress so he can see all of me, especially the way Valen fingers mydrenched cunt. But the skirt blocks his view and I whimper from the sheer want of it.
Lucas pushes off the bookshelf and crosses the space between us. I gasp, eyes wide, my chest fighting the corset. My heartbeat is in my ears. Is he going to drop to his knees? Oh fuck, do I want that? Yes. Desperately. I clench around Valen’s fingers with a whimpered, “Please…”
Lucas stops before me, his head tilting down so he doesn’t break our eye contact. I can’t breathe. My head is spinning. All I want is for Valen to spread me so that Lucas can suck my clit. Consequences to our partnership be damned.
Lucas cups my cheek, his deep baritone a soft whisper, “Don’t come, Tor.”
I gasp, blinking. “What?”
Valen doesn’t stop his thrusting, triggering the beginnings of a pulsing rhythm within me. I shiver violently and Lucas’ thumb glides along my cheekbone. “Don’t come.”
I pant. “Don’t?”
He shakes his head. “Don’t let him win. Don’t come, Torment.”
Rage surges in me and it mixes confusingly with my building pleasure. Is this their contest? Fuck this. I am not suffering for their egos. But Lucas wouldn’t do that to me. He wouldn’t edge me, just to make me suffer needlessly. I search his face and ask desperately, “What do I get if I don’t?”
Valen chuckles darkly, his teeth catching my earlobe. “Oh, my dear, sweet, eager love. Were you not paying attention?”
My face burns and Lucas’ lips part to answer me.
“Don’t you dare,” Valen snaps.
Lucas doesn’t appear to be breathing and I join him. Valen’s fingers are soaked and each thrust is audible now. Embarrassment flushes me and my aching pussy clenches painfully in response. There’s no way Lucas can’t hear.
