Behind me, Kyor’s sudden tension is unmissable, but he doesn’t verbalise any complaints.
‘Thanks. I suppose we should try it, if only to make sure you can do it again. And I’d like to see if I can do a few other things, too.’
‘Other things? Like?’
‘Like burning without a flame, maybe? I was trying on wood. Seeing if I could just up my heat enough to do that. Maybe it’ll be impossible, but I won’t know until I try, right?’
‘Ahh yes, nothing says macho like burning your initials into a tree.’ Kyor snorts.
I twist in his arms to give him a flat look.
‘What? I’m just saying that if your power can be replaced with a lighter or a flick knife, then it really doesn’t have much point, does it?’
‘You’re right,’ Ruben says, seemingly unflustered by the belittlement. ‘Maybe I should work on heating up something else.’ He bites down on his bottom lip as if he’s contemplating the idea. ‘Maybe Rose and I could experiment together. I’m sure I remember there were certain parts of her I got pretty hot when it was cold in the slums, right?’
I sigh. I have no idea what Ruben is up to. We talked, we agreed he and I were never going to happen, and yet here he is, deliberately riling up the prince.
And the worst part is, some traitorous part of me likes it. Likes the way Kyor’s grip tightens on my waist, the way his breath turns sharp and possessive against my neck. It’s insane, craving proof he cares, even in the form of petty jealousy.
It makes me think that maybe Kyor did truly care about me, even if it wasn’t love.
And that is the kind of thought that fractures a person.
Kyor growls behind me. ‘You clearly didn’t do that good a job,’ he bites back to Ruben, ‘or she wouldn’t have ended up in my bed, would she?’
‘Oh, don’t worry, I’m in it for the long game, which from what I’ve heard isn’t your forte.’ Ruben tosses Kyor a patronising wink.
‘Enough!’ I snap. ‘I really don’t need this dick-swinging conversation right now.’
As Ruben falls silent, Kyor mutters something.
‘What was that?’ I ask. My eyebrows rise so high they all but hit my hairline as I glare at him. ‘Something you want to say, Kyor?’
‘He said, “Is his dick even big enough to swing?”’ Loch calls from behind us.
Benny and Caz burst out laughing. I can see the hope in Benny’s eyes, that Loch may have turned a corner in his recovery.
I eye the older man, who is smirking slightly.
Fucking typical. The first intelligible thing Loch decides to say, and that’s what he goes with?
Unable to cope with the lot of them, I squeeze my heels into Elska’ssides a little. She turns her head towards me and growls. Oh-kay. No trying to control Elska. Noted.
Kyor seems amused, and the confrontation with Ruben hasn’t left him stewing like it might have done in days prior, so that’s something.
‘Why are you being so calm?’ I ask.
He leans forward, his breath tickling the shell of my ear. ‘You’re in my arms, not his. And before long, you’ll be back in my bed, not his. We’re inevitable, Rose. Like the rising sun.’
I huff. ‘No, we’re not. I need someone I can trust,’ I tell him pointedly for what feels like the millionth time, but my body moves against my will, leaning back into him just a little more.
Kyor’s chuckle skims a breath against my ear. ‘You should keep wriggling against me, Thorn. I like it.’
His fingers splay and squeeze at my waist, and combined with the gravelly husk in his tone, it’s enough to cause all the muscles in my body to sink even deeper into him.
‘Fuck!’ I mutter as I feel just how much he likes it. I bite my lip, doing all I can to stop a moan escaping, and he laughs again.
‘I did warn you.’
