Page 91 of The Pleasure Contract

“Az!” Lois calls after me as she trails behind.

I burst into rooms, checking for the new target of my anger, terrifying innocent patients as I go.

“Down here, Prince Az,” a familiar deep voice calls from the other end of the corridor. I peer around the doorframe of the empty patient room I’m in to see Zyre standing there, jerking his head toward a particular room before he disappears into it.

I growl under my breath.

“Az, don’t do anything stupid,” Lois calls as she tries to catch up, but I’m already striding down the hallway, an angry thumping in my ears.

As soon as I enter the room, I practically launch myself at Zyre, but something big and strong holds me back. I struggle, trying to fight back, but it’s no use; the grip on me tightens.

Turning my head, I see Thax, and beyond him Ral, Varrex, Rykor, Sevan, and Jorren. My whole team. “What the fuck are you all doing here?”

“Trying to get to the bottom of what the fuck actually happened in that game,” Vex says, crossing his arms.

Ral pipes up. “Yeah, and to confirm whether you committed murder or not today.”

It’s only then that I actually look around this room. My team is here, as well as Zyre, and his father, Senator Glex, is standing strategically behind one of the staff healers seeing to Pax, who is lying in the bed. He’s not awake. He’s bruised and swollen.

“He ok?” I grunt, jerking my chin toward the male I used to count on like a brother.

One of the healers gives a timid nod in response as he goes about his work on his patient.

It’s not that I think Pax didn’t deserve these consequences for his actions, but I know that I really did lose myself back there. I am not normally a violent male, and some shame starts to creep in around the edges of my psyche.

Then the mental image of those monsters pawing at my frightened Lois appears in my mind’s eye. Clawing at her. Snapping her neck.

Never mind, maybe I didn’t punish him enough.

“Az-” Lois says, bursting into the room a little breathlessly. She quickly surveys the situation – mainly the fact that my team is here and holding me back – and her shoulders visibly relax.

Then she spots Zyre.

“What the fuck was it that you showed me the other day?” She says, marching up to him, her accusatory finger pointing right up into his face. “Because I know for sure that wasn’t my Az.”

My Az.

Holy Four, I might come in my pants right about now.

Which would be very inconvenient, considering this room is packed with males.

Still… my Az.

I need to beg her to say that more often.

Preferably while I’m inside her.

Zyre lifts his hands, palms outward, completely surrendering to the small, angry, glorious human. “I need to apologize for that,” he starts, his eyes glancing between my female and me.

“No, you do not need to say anything, son,” Glex pipes up.

I try to struggle out of Thax’s hold, but he does not relent.

“Yes, I do, father,” Zyre snaps back. “They’re owed an apology from me, Pax, and you.”

With that, the healers wheel the unconscious Pax out the door on his bed, murmuring something about a full-body healing chamber. I suspect they just made a clever excuse to leave in case there’s a repeat of my arena outburst.

For a moment or two, no one volunteers to start any kind of discussion. It’s just Zyre looking chagrined, his father burning a hole in his head with a warning glare, and my beautiful Lois looking like she’s getting ready to break off both their horns if someone doesn’t start talking soon.