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“They will be on him like sharks.”
“Yes.”
Winter sighed. “Stephanie likes him. She looks up to him despite what her house thinks. He likes her in turn. Nate, I don’t think he’s aware of just how cruel your brother can be. Maybe if he was healthier and paid more attention….”
“It’s too late now. The golden child’s bursting at the seams, and they both refuse to see it.”
“Maybe we can make them see it.”
“Evidence. My brother’s plan. Exposing it—whatever it is—is the only way.”
She opened her mouth to argue, then pointed at bushes. He turned, glimpsed the glow, and looked around until he found Nicholas in the corner, sniffing the air and grumbling to himself.
“Damn woman, always with an escort. Did you see where she went?”
“She was with the king. They were headed here from what I heard.” Nate recognized his brother’s friend. “What is this about, anyway? Are you trying to seduce her or something?”
“Or something,” Nicholas smirked. “But I would prefer it if you told people thatyouwere planning to seduce her.”
“Right. House politics and all that. We can’t have the crown prince gallivanting exclusively with one of the daughters,” the other man teased.
“Exactly. Go, spread the news while I conquer her pretty legs.”
Or murder her, leaving the other man pinned with the crime. Nate’s heart pounded, but he called on calm and waited for the glow to die down.
“Go back to our area. Stay there until I’m back. Use the path we used.”
He marched to follow and was stunned when she fell in step with him. He glowered at her, but she didn’t say a word and stubbornly gestured at him to hasten it up. Understanding there was no time to argue and she wasn’t budging, Nate let instinct take over once more and found shortcuts where his brother couldn’t spot them, effectively reaching the king and queen’s area. They went past it until they glimpsed Stephanie, walking alone.
Nicholas came into view next, prowling and waiting at a distant but visible stop. Nate watched his brother lock in on his approaching target with an anticipation that was nearly tangible and knew there would be no seduction in play. A pull went over his body, then it registered that Winter was dragging him to somewhere in the middle that wasn’t in either’s line of vision. There were no words as she backed into a wall and positioned his body against her, her face telling him what her intention was. His brows furrowed, the question hovering in the air.
Are you sure?
She nodded, then let out the sweetest, loudest moan there was. Another nod, an insistent tug, and he knew they had attention—and they couldn’t lose it just yet. Her eyes flashed.Hurry, Nate,they seemed to say.
Nate crowded her in, mouth hovering over her ear at her next sound. It was soft, too soft, and just a tad bit unconvincing that the next step was needed. So, he blew on her ear, tugged on the lobe, and sucked until a moan flowed off her lips. His thumb brushed the underside of her breast, just enough so that her next sound would indicate to anyone listening that they were up to no good.
A hand went to his waist, and a body arched into his. The action shifted his hand until he was fully touching a mound, and a hiss slithered off him when he felt a stiffened nipple. The sound egged her on as she kissed the corner of his mouth in turn, then latched on to his jaw and sucked for all she was worth.
His cock rampaged in his trousers. His hips surged forward, rocking hers. Her breath hitched against his skin, so much more real this close, until he was losing his mind and emptied of anything but the thought of touching her. Common sense still wrestled for control, desperately reminding him to just touch what would look believable, to not dip under her legs and see if he would make her as wet as he wanted her. He was pretty sure he groaned at some point, but nothing made sense anymore but the need to end this torment and just capture those lips in his, trail his hand lower and make them both feel so good.
Then Winter angled her head upward and the tide turned. Desire pulsed a different brand, her pulse roaring in his ears and her throat ready for the taking. A second later and there was a slash, thin and small, with enough blood trickling that she scooped up and smeared on his chin. His fangs came out, ready to risk it all…but the look in her big, blue eyes locked him in place, swirling with trust and uncertainty.
Nate buried his head in her neck but angled his mouth away from her wound. He tried very hard to be the better man, but temptation had a way of wrangling even the strongest of convictions into surrender. So, he covered her wound with his hand, then urged her head down. He covered her mouth with his, giving in to one temptation and hoping it would alleviate the more dangerous one.
“Moan for me,” he said against her, cajoling her open. “I want to hear it.”
For show,his mind supplied. Then the rough, shaky sound opened her up for him until he was tasting every bit of those plush, warm lips and sinking into a world that knocked him inside out.
“Nate.”
Her breathless voice saying his name was an explosion to the senses, so he kissed her to emit more of it. He kissed her to not think of her blood, kissed her until he forgot why he was kissing her and was only doing so because there was no stopping him now. Awareness coasted over him when her tongue brushed lightly against his, then when their rocking bodies couldn’t seem to be still. A chuckle echoed in the air, light and airy…familiar, and it sent a chill down his spine.
He circled back to the purpose of the kiss, returning to the ground bit by bit until his mind was no longer blank. He stopped moving but kept his body on Winter’s, shielding her from dark eyes that watched them with the smugness of someone who liked what he was seeing. A kick of possessiveness gushed out at the ravenous look Nicholas held. The man licked his lips and settled on her neck.
“Mine, brother,” Nate said, voice booming in the catching of breaths and consequential silence. His fangs bared, and his body braced to attack.
Nicholas continued licking his lips while watching Winter before finally meeting Nate’s gaze.
