Page 121 of Godless Saints

Aleksei leaned back in his chair, one eyebrow raised. “This is what bonding looks like?”

Mikhail snorted into his drink.

I slid back into my seat beside Vivienne. Picked up my chopsticks. Forced down a bite. Sawyer dropped into the chair on my other side.

One table. Three Aster heirs and three Thorn heirs. And the most interesting part? Kaelan had helped Sawyer drag Declan down to that basement.

Interesting.

Fuck. That reminded me. “Sawyer, don’t sit down. Go untie Declan.” I caught the back of his shirt and yanked him up. He almost face-planted.

“Okay, okay, fuck—you’re bossy today,” he laughed, backing away.

They all stared. I kept eating, chopsticks steady, ignoring every last one of them.

For the first time in days, the urge to run didn’t claw at my ribs. I stayed. And I’d won the Patronage Seat. Fuck hiding. Let them look. Let them remember exactly whose son I was.

CHAPTER 30

CILLIAN

Moonshine:

We’re going out tonight. Are you coming?

Fuck. My boy asking me out. He doesn’t ask anyone.

You asking, or ordering me because I’m already yours?

Neither. Informing.

Pretty boy, you don’t inform me. You summon me when that tight little body gets needy.

Then consider yourself summoned.

My mouth went dry. My cock thickened against my zipper.

My eyes found the photo on my desk, the one I took of him on that beach in Saint Lucia, head tilted back, completely lost in the stars.

I can’t.

Nothing. No dots. Nothing.

You can’t?

I have to leave for a few days.

Where?

Ireland.

Why?

Family business.

Fuck, I hate lying to him.

Tonight?