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“To talk to Grimm before we go,” I said, hooking the button on my cape.
“I’m coming with you,” he said, hurrying, hopping in across the floor a few steps when his foot caught in the leg of his pants.
I stuffed my mirror inside the cape’s pocket just in case I needed to peer into it during our journey.
When Shadow was dressed, he came to my side, embracing me in a sweet kiss that came and went all too soon.
“Do it again,” I said.
But he smiled, patted me on the ass, and suggested we leave.
Outside in the corridor, I encountered Phantom exiting his room as well. His mouth opened as if he meant to greet me, but when Shadow came up behind me, standing familiarly close, something flickered behind Phantom’s eyes. Was that rejection, shame, and jealousy, forcing his glance away? He marched down the corridor without a word, throwing his jacket on.
Thousands of tiny daggers stabbed my heart. The last thing I’d wanted was to hurt him. I cared for him more than I liked to admit. Every time he was around me, my heart sang. I had the same reaction around Shadow, leaving me awash in confusion, torn between the two, pining for the approval and affection of both. All this time, I’d thought it wrong to pursue both or either, knowing how it might affect my relationship with the other. Last night, I’d made my choice, and now I had to live with it. Knowing Phantom might never speak to me again, that our relationship may never be the same, that his feelings for me might dwindle, nearly broke me in two.
Shadow pressed me up against the wall, bending his head to kiss me in a display that declared he owned me. What if Phantom turned around and saw? I didn’t want to rub it in that I’d chosen Shadow.
The air stifled around me, squeezing me along with Shadow’s weight. Phantom’s dejected face weighed heavily on my heart. I turned my face away from Shadow’s promise and wriggled out of his grasp, hurrying away.
What I’d just done was not fair to Phantom. His expression—the pain behind it—left me feeling like an even bigger bitch than my stepmother. I’d kissed him back in the cave, for crying out loud! Led him on. All this time wanting more but being frightened to take that leap. Instead, I’d risked it with Shadow. I had to fix this. Make it right with Phantom before I lost him.
But first I had to meet with Grimm.
On our way to the slave camp, I could pull Phantom aside and confess to him how I felt and find out if he was willing to share me with Shadow. Because right now, I did not want to choose between the two. Greedy as it sounded—selfish, even—I wanted them both. Why couldn’t I have exactly what I wanted? Of course, first I’d have to find out if Phantom still reciprocated my affections and would agree to be my joint consort. And Shadow would need to agree to share, too.
“Wait up, Snow,” Shadow said, catching up and walking beside me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I lied. “We better get to the council room.”
“You’re upset about Phantom?” Shadow pressed me. “I saw it in your face. You have feelings for him, too.”
Sea God!After our magical night last night and the breakthroughs I’d had, I was not in the mood to spoil it with the direction this conversation had the possibility of going.
“Shadow, not now,” I said, walking faster, hoping he might take the hint and drop it.
In typical Shadow fashion, he didn’t let the matter go and grabbed me by the shoulders, spinning me to face him.
“I’ve wrestled with this for days,” he started, wiping his mouth with his thumb and forefinger. “You and I had an instant connection. My panther recognized it. I don’t want to lose that. But I perceive the one you have with Phantom, too.”
Flipping hell.We were going there. All my muscles tightened with the bomb I anticipated he’d drop.
“While a small part of me wants to punch his teeth out for looking at you the way he does,” Shadow continued, “I saw the way hurting him cut you up back there. I don’t want to keep you from what makes you happy.”
The knives wedged in my heart twisted. Was he going to back off, too, like Phantom had? What an ugly, tangled mess.
“If sharing you with him makes you happy—” Shadow broke off and swallowed hard. “Then I’ll do it for you.”
Taken aback, I leaned against the wall, catching my breath and rubbing my forehead. I couldn’t believe after all the sparring, the hostile glares, the tension between the two panthers, that Shadow was open to this. Relief exploded inside me at the prospect of having them both.
“Really?” I said to him, basking in the fresh glow radiating in my chest like the morning sun.
“The offer’s closing soon, mysterious beauty,” he teased, hooking his arms around me. “Better accept it. Three…two…”
“I accept.” I stretched up to plant my lips on his, kissing him deeply and firmly.
Shadow’s fingers combed my hair as he traced my lips with his tongue. I sighed into his mouth, sucking him in, every last drop of his tongue. That steam from last night returned with full force, wetting my panties, but it would have to wait.
He broke our kiss to take my hand and lead me to the council’s chambers. “That’s just a little taste of the pleasure I promise you upon our return.”
