Page 101 of Between Two Kings

Her dress was off her shoulders. Caspen’s free hand found her breasts, squeezing them until she yelped against his palm. She came with a whine that made Caspen’s eyes turn completely black. A moment later, he came too, and Tem clenched her center, making sure he felt every inch of her as he pulled out. When they drew apart, they were both panting.

Caspen tucked his cock back into his trousers, and Tem was sad to see it go. She knew he could get hard again in a moment, and she wished they could simply go on forever. But there was dinner to be had.

She was just adjusting her dress when a voice said, “Tem?”

Leo stood at the top of the staircase. His face was pale.

Chapter Seventeen

Tem stared up at him in shock. Did he know what they’d just been doing? They were both out of breath, both flushed with desire. Tem’s dress was barely on—Caspen had yanked it aside so aggressively that her entire thigh was bare, her breasts nearly exposed. Leo knew very well what Tem looked like when she came. Would he recognize it now? If the roles were reversed, she would recognize it on him.

“Leo,” she said, because she didn’t know what else to say.

Just then, Evelyn appeared. Her eyes ran first over Leo, then Tem, lingering on her askew dress. A cruel sneer twisted her mouth. “Shall we eat?” she chirped.

Nobody answered, but they walked to the dining room in silence, Caspen’s hand around her waist. His thoughts were especially loud: she saw him taking her in the foyer, on the stairs, against the dining room table. Tem could barely put one foot in front of the other as he sent her vision after vision of them together, all over the castle, for anyone to see.

You’re out of control tonight.

Can you blame me?

Tem couldn’t. She sent him a vision back: the two of them in the middle of the ballroom, surrounded by people. Their own mini-ritual.

Do not tempt me, Tem. I will rip that dress off right now and fuck you in front of them.

I doubt that would help relations.

I doubt I care.

They’d arrived in the dining room. Tem sat slowly, aware of the wetness between her legs, arranging her dress to cover her thighs. Underneath the table, she placed her hand on Caspen’s and squeezed. Behave, Caspen.

He threaded his fingers through hers. Only if you do.

The vibe between Leo and Evelyn stood in stark contrast to the one between Caspen and Tem. Things were strained between them. Tense. Evelyn was glaring at Leo as if he’d deeply wronged her. Tem understood suddenly why they were late to dinner. They’d been arguing. The thought thrilled her.

“So,” Tem said lightly. “How are you two tonight?”

Leo cleared his throat. Evelyn said nothing.

Tem tried again: “How are the wedding preparations coming along?”

It was the last thing she wanted to hear about. But she was in the mood to push them, and the wedding was sure to get Evelyn talking. Sure enough, she answered, “They are somewhat stalled.”

“Oh?” Tem sat up straight. “And why is that?”

“Things are…difficult right now.”

“Difficult how?”

Evelyn glanced at Leo, who was staring at his whiskey. “Now that the bloodletting has been abolished, the kingdom is struggling. It was our main source of income.”

Income. As if the bloodletting was a job that produced a paycheck. To compare the basilisks chained up in the dungeons to employees was laughable.

“What does that have to do with your wedding?”

“Well,” Evelyn tutted. “It has affected our budget, of course.”

Rage surged through Tem. The church had burned down, and they weren’t even discussing it. The only thing that mattered to her was money.