She kneed me in the nuts!
Not only did the fact that she’d done it shock me, but I was also astounded that I hadn’t seen it coming. I’d been so entrenched in bending her to my will and making her agree to stay away from the minstrel, that I let her slip past my defenses.
And because of that, she’d rearranged my cock and balls… three of my favorite things.
Shit.
I leaned against the wall and tipped my head back as I sucked a breath in through my teeth and tried to will away the throbbing in my groin. Gradually, the pain started ebbing, and I could focus more on the music, my surroundings, and how wrong everything had gone.
Thiswas not how my next conversation with Ellery was supposed to go. I’d expected to straighten things out between us before spending a few days in bed, making up for lost time, and having a very stiff dick, not a broken one.
I’d gone wrong somewhere… but couldn’t pretend I didn’t know where. I shouldn’t have ordered her to do anything.
Commanding Ellery was like telling the waves not to crash. She would do it anyway, and probably with more enthusiasm than she would have before.
She might be kissing that man right now just to spite me.
The possibility caused me to shove away from the wall and walk awkwardly toward the tapestry. From below me, a thud sounded, and I realized a servant was trying to come out of the trapdoor.
When I stomped my foot against the floor, a yelp came from the other side, but they didn’t try to push through again as they most likely retreated to one of the other pillars. I cursed my recklessness at dragging Ellery in here. I shouldn’t have done it.
I had to talk to her, but I should have waited until I could get her somewhere else and I had calmed down. Instead, I’d been so infuriated over seeing her with the string picker that I’d let emotion rule me.
It couldn’t happen again. I had too much on the line with her for me to lose control once more.
Not only did I have to try to talk with Ellery, but I also had to learn more about the earl’s castle and what I could take from here tonight. I would lighten the earl’s coffers and take the stolen pieces to Tucker.
Those things could never make it right that the earl had bought Tucker’s family home from the king while he was fighting the Ghoul War and trying to save Leo. One day, I would give Tucker his home back, but until then, I would give him pieces of the earl.
Pulling back a bit of the tapestry, I made sure no one was around before slipping out of the alcove. I tried to ignore the ache between my legs as I blended back in with the crowd.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Ryker
Jealousy,anger, and discomfort lingered, but so did Ellery’s parting words. Everyonewastrying to take something from her… including me.
But I was trying to take more than her friendship with a man who wanted to bed her; I was after her heart. I was afterforever with her.
I’d spent the past couple of months telling her all I sought from her was her powers, knowledge of the Revenant Woods, and uncanny ability to steal. Over and over again, I’d told her I wantednothingelse from her, so, of course, she believed it.
I’d also let her believe I was out there screwing numerous women while she was trying to survive my father, the taxes, and life. I should have set her straight on that while I had her in the alcove, but I was too jealous to think straight.
That Ellery rattled me as easily as she did irritated me. She was the reckless one, and I was the controlled one, but when it came to her, I was a moron.
Before Ellery, I prided myself on my control. That was how I stayed alive through the Ghoul War and my time in Doomed Valley, but one look at Ellery could completely unravel me, and seeing her with another man did exactly that.
She could push me to the brink of insanity, but I loved her more than I’d ever believed possible. I probably should have told her that, too, while I had her cornered.
I dragged a hand through my hair as I tried to process how everything had gone so wrong andwhy. I wanted to blame the lute player, but he didn’t cause this…Idid.
It would be safer if I left her alone for the night, but with as stubborn and defiant as she was, I might have propelled her into the lute player’s arms. She loved me; I believed that, but love made immortals do stupid things, and she was the most recklessly impulsive woman I’d ever met.
Mingling with the crowd, I sipped some champagne while examining the artwork decorating the walls. It came from many different realms and was an eclectic mix of styles. And they were all worth a small fortune.
I’d seen them before but never with the eye of someone seeking to pilfer something. Things were different tonight.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t leave here with one of the paintings tucked under my arm. I shifted my attention to the crowd again as I searched for Ellery and tried to figure out what I could steal from the earl.
