I leaned back on the sand, balancing on my forearms. “Doing whatever I wanted without being told what to do. To be free of them.”
“And that wasn’t military life.”
“No, it was not. I disappointed them both. Not only did I not join the military, but I had no other plans. I was kicked out of the home, and I traveled and enjoyed myself. I did odd jobs here and there to earn enough money to survive.”
She moved to stretch out on her side and face me, resting her head on her hand, elbow digging in the sand to balance her. I felt my skin buzz with excitement, being so close to her again. It perturbed me.
“So, how did you go from wayward traveler to captain of a fae military?” she asked.
“I joined the military after my father was killed. I thought it was from an enemy kingdom. I felt the military was one way I could get some sort of revenge. My father and I had our differences, but he didn’t deserve to die. It was years later that I learned that he was not killed by an enemy but by a rival within our own kingdom. People grow jealous of those in power and prominence. He was not a universally loved leader, so he grew to have some enemies.”
“What did you do when you found out?” she asked in a quiet voice, her face unusually blank.
She was most likely being careful of how to react to my story. I supposed I wasn’t the only one being cautious of trusting someone. With that in mind, she might not like what I had to say. “We killed them. Luca, Xander, and I took out the conspirators and actors.”
“You didn’t get punished?”
I shook my head. “We had proof. Unseelie fae have rules, but we are not as strict as the seelie. We make allowances when our own are threatened or hurt.”
“Street justice is what we call it. You don’t go to the police. You handle it yourself. Except, it’s still illegal in my world.”
“Correct. As long as the proof is plain to see, then the perpetrators will not be punished. It also helped that my father was favored by the royal court and the enemy was very close as well. They felt betrayed.”
“Based on what little I know of Xander, I can assume that whatever payback you did was messy?”
I gave a slight smile. She really was getting to know my lieutenant all too well. “We are killers. Even before the military, Luca and I were fighters. Especially Luca. He fought to survive in what you would know more as gladiator-style battles. He’d fought since he was a teenager. Xander had his own penchant for violence. Except where I was efficient in killing, and Luca was quick and brutal, Xander liked to make a mess, and he liked to prolong the pain with slow, agonizing deaths. We built a reputation after we sought revenge. My command, even now, is known as being full of the strongest killers and fighters. Does that scare you?”
She inched closer to me, and I could smell the scent of vanilla flowing from her, making me almost dizzy with desire. I wanted to taste it on her skin. I licked my lips as if already tasting her coating on my mouth. Her eyes lingered on my tongue, mouth parting slightly.
“No,” she replied. “Then again, I don’t scare easily. Still, I don’t fear you because you aren’t ruthless. If you were, you’d have killed me or turned me in by now. You have a sense of morality. A small sense, but it exists.”
“If you understand that, then you should know that you are safe with me.”
She leaned forward with a smirk. Her chest, full and soft, brushed against my arm, and I felt her erect nipples through the fabric. Instantly my dick hardened, and I fought to not adjust myself in that moment. She reached out to brush something off my shirt. I looked down at her hand, my fingers itching to touch her smooth skin. Memories of the prior morning still burned in my mind. I wanted to do much more than kiss her.
“I don’t know if I believe you,” she whispered.
“How about we prove to each other that we can be trusted? You be honest with me, and I be transparent with you.”
She squinted her eyes, silent for a moment as she considered my offer. “Why are you being less of a jerk right now?”
“Because I want you.”
She sucked in a breath, her chest still brushing against my skin, sending me into agony. “What if I don’t want you?”
I scooted closer to her until my forehead was tapping hers. “I don’t believe you. Not after yesterday.” I closed my eyes, inhaling her. I could scent her arousal beneath the vanilla. The scent practically coated my tongue, begging me to taste her. “You don’t know how good you smell. Give in to me, just this once.”
CHAPTER8
LILA
Iwas intrigued yet scared. I was very much attracted to this faerie, and that was confusing. All I could think about was our brief make-out session in the hallway. His mouth on mine felt divine. Just the thought made my core tingle. I wanted to hate him. He wasn’t helping me to find a way to return home. If I relaxed for a moment and gave in, could I at least enjoy myself?
I brushed my lips over his. The heat of his mouth melting me. “What does ‘giving in’ entail?”
He was quiet, looking me over as he bit his lower lip. I didn’t have to read minds to know he was thinking something very sexual, and that excited me.
I pulled away and cocked my head to the side. “It’s something naughty, isn’t it? I can see it in your eyes.”
