Page 137 of Autumn Queens & Shadows

“Then what’s wrong?”

“That's all I keep thinking about.” What was the point in lying, and besides, what secret did I keep from him anymore?

His grin grew stupid and ridiculous. “You covered my claim,” he said, touching the mark he’d left on my neck, his smile fading.

“I am a queen.”

“I’m sure they all know their queen gets sucked and fucked.”

“Malik!” I shrieked.

“Like a little whore even.” He gripped my jaw. “Begging to be filled up.”

I hid behind my hands again.

“This might just be my new favourite thing,” he said, pulling them down.

“Torturing me?”

“Second favourite thing then.”

“What’s first?”

“Fucking you.”

“I’d like to kiss you,” I said more courtly than I’d intended.

“Yeah? I’d like to bend you over this table and make you scream again.”

I squirmed in my seat, and he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my mouth. Like always, they started so innocent and chaste, but always ended with his tongue on my mouth and him devouring me entirely, not even letting me breathe.

A hard knock landed on the door, but he didn’t stop, and neither did I.

He pulled back to drop a few kisses on my face and then down my chest. “Maybe the fucker has come to apologize.”

“Who?”

I gasped when he sucked on my skin and then gasped once more when I saw the new purple bruise he’d left right above my breast. “The one who owes you one.”

Neo glanced between the two of us, and Mal’s jaw ticked when his eyes raked over my dishevelled hair, swollen lip and the fresh mark that was now definitely visible.

“What?” Malik barked and Neo’s expression darkened.

“Thought you finally returned from your hiding spot to actually help her.”

“I am helping her. I’m a man capable of helping her in many ways.”

He was.

Neo didn’t think so. “How are you helping her dealing with the Isliners inching in Modr currently as we speak?”

“I’m not your daddy, Neo. If you need help, call for help. You have twelve of the men I raised and trained. Have things gone so downhill after you took over that those men are incapable of containing some elemental Aura?” A nerve twitched in his temple. “Ah, I forgot about your other activities.”

“You should be out there. Aiding,” Neo insisted.

“He is where I tell him to be,” I said, standing. “Why are you not out there then, if it is so urgent?”

“I needed to speak with you.”