Chapter 17
No, is the answer to his question. What the hell is he playing at?
I don’t want to dance with him.
I want to scream at him. Claw at him. Run a sword through his cowardly ribs so he can feel just a fraction of the pain that my heart is suffering.
Only I can’t do any of that.
Especially not here at my sister’s wedding announcement, and he knows it. Manipulative shit. It’s the very reason he asked me. It’s a fucking test of the cruellest type. A reminder that whatever I once thought we were, I am now nothing but his royal subject. That he has always held every inch of power in this farce of a relationship.
‘I actually just asked the gifted to dance myself,’ Benny says, trying to give me an out. ‘I’m sure she’ll make time for you later.’
Kyor doesn’t so much as blink in Benny’s direction. ‘She promised me a dance. One dance.’
I did. Back when I thought he loved me.
‘One dance, gifted, unless you find yourself wanting more.’
A dry scoff breaks from me. ‘Unlikely,’ I tell him. ‘Fine. One dance. And keep your handsto yourself.’
‘When dancing it is customary to touch,’ he says drily. ‘I’ll have to put my hands on you somewhere.’
I wish the thought didn’t fill me with adrenaline, but my damn body’s a traitor. It always has been with him.
And it’s even worse now that it knows what those hands can do. Even worse than when I just imagined the feel of his fingers against mine.
Fuck, why is it impossible to keep my thoughts straight?
Leaving Benny watching on, I allow Kyor to lead me across to the dance floor.
He’s dressed formally, yet his sleeves are rolled up, exposing his forearms in a way that makes me think he could be ready to fight at any moment.
Fight or maybe something else. HeknowsI love the sight of his muscled forearms. The prick is playing dirty.
‘So,’ he whispers as he interlocks our fingers and presses his palm against mine, ‘is this touching okay?’
I stifle the urge to hold my breath. We’re just holding hands, I remind myself. People hold hands every day.
But with the feel of his skin against mine, my mind all but disintegrates. All I can think about are the best parts of us. Lying with my head against his shoulder. Laughing as we descended a cliff together in the fourth trial.
How is it possible to still love someone so much even while knowing all the hurt they’ve caused you?
I am a fool.
‘It’ll do,’ I say shortly.
He frowns. ‘Really? I’m not sure this is the most comfortable position to dance in. We’ll draw attention, Kultavaris, and we don’t want that, do we?’
Annoyingly, he’s right.
I jerk my head in a nod. ‘Fine,’ I spit.
‘How about I just slip one hand around here …’ He releases my fingers and slips his arms around my waist. With his hand on the small of my back, he pulls me into him. There’s no stifling my gasp as it flies from my lungs.
‘Gods I miss hearing you gasp like that,’ he whispers, voice husky. ‘Gasp. Moan. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.’ His breath grazes my lips in the most intoxicating almost-kiss I could dream of. A millimetre closer and I’m not sure I’d be able to resist. ‘I’ve missed breaking you in ways you can’t imagine.’
His choice of words whips me out of the moment, and a bitter scoff cracks from my throat. ‘Believe me, I know well all the ways you can break me. Speak to me inappropriately again, and audience or not, Iwillknee you in the bollocks. What little you have.’
