He chuckled darkly. “You like that? You like me rubbing off on you?”
“Pretty much the best thing ever,” I mumbled sleepily.
“I can think of one or two things that would be even better.”
“That right, Knight Commander? What do you have in mind?”
“Here,” he said. “Let me show you.”
His hand stroked down my chest slowly, fingers leaving heated trails in their wake. The muscles in my stomach jumped and fluttered as he scraped his nails against them. He rolled his hips again, and I didn’t even try to stop the whimper that crawled out of me. There was a huff of breath on my neck, and I said, “Stop teasing, come on, come on,” and then he circled my cock, squeezing it tightly. I thrust up into his fist, fucking his tight grip. It was dry and my skin burned slightly, but it was worth it. We’d get the oil in a little bit. For now I wanted to feel it as much as I could.
I said, “Gods, I love you, I love you so much,” and I’d never meant anything more in my life.
He said, “I have awoken, O human child. In this forest deep, in the dark of the wild. And I have seen what is in your heart. Take heed of my warning: you are not ready.”
Gooseflesh rose along my arms. “Ryan? What are you—”
I opened my eyes.
I stood before the Great Doors to the throne room in Castle Lockes.
I took a step back, jerking my head around.
I was alone.
“What is this?” I muttered. “How did I get—”
A low murmur of voices came from the other side of the Great Doors.
A feeling of dread trickled down my spine.
I thought about turning and walking away, trying to find Ryan. Or Gary. Or Kevin or Tiggy or my parents or Morgan or Randall or someone, anyone who could tell me what was going on, why I was standing in Castle Lockes in my best robes, a heavy weight gripping my heart, squeezing until I could barely breathe.
There was something else there, tickling the back of my mind, and I couldn’t quite grasp it to pull it forward into the light.
I pressed my hands against the Great Doors.
The wood vibrated under my fingers.
I didn’t want to go inside.
It felt like pain and grief.
I didn’t want that.
I didn’t want any part of it.
I pushed the doors open.
They groaned as they parted, a loud creak that echoed throughout the throne room.
Which, surprisingly, was full.
It was dim inside, the sunlight through the stained-glass windows pale and muted. There had to be a thousand people standing before me, their backs to me. They all seemed to be dressed similarly, in grays and blacks. The men held their hats in front of them. The women’s black-netted veils covered their faces. Their heads were bowed.
I was late, obviously, but for what? I hoped maybe I could get to the front without being noticed. Morgan would probably chew me out, but I could apologize and tell him I just didn’t—
Oh, Sam. You truly are beyond what I had hoped for. But I must remind you again: I have never lied to you. Can you name someone else in your life that can say the same?