“True, but I think there’s a bigger scheme behind it all.” Zeph set his mostly full bottle down and braced his arms on his thighs. “Shade’s a dick, don’t get me wrong, but that fucker doesn’t do anything without a reason.”
“I don’t know. He seems to do things all the time just to piss everyone else off,” I muttered in reply. “That’s part of what makes him such an ass.”
“Yeah, but those are small irritants. Taking an Elemental Fae mate—specifically, Aflora—is a catastrophic decision for him and her. Why would he do such a thing? It has to be more than just wanting to piss off his father, or your father, or the Council. He’s up to something.”
Which brings us full circle, I thought, recalling the way our conversation began about what game Shade was playing and why. “Something tells me we won’t know until his plan unfolds.”
“Which is precisely why I suggest you say nothing and observe. Let’s see what he does with her.”
“You want to use the Royal Elemental Fae as bait?”
He flipped his hands, palms up. “Shade signed her death warrant the second he bit her, and we both know it. This whole observation game is just for the paperwork so they can validate killing her. We might as well figure out what the hell Shade is up to in the process and make use of what little remains of her life.”
I released a humorless laugh, his words a repeated punch to the gut. “You’re a cold son of a bitch. You know that, right?”
“I’m thinking defensively. It’s what I do.”
“Yeah, and while you’re great at it, could you for a moment try to remember that she’s a person, not a pawn?” Technically, she’s a future queen, I corrected myself. Much more important than a pawn.
“Shade put her in this mess, not me. I could choose to pity her, or I could choose to use her to ensure he never pulls that shit again. I vote for the latter. You should, too.”
“It’s not black and white, Zeph.”
“Why
? Because you want to fuck her? Just get your dick wet, sate the need, and move on. It’s what you do best.”
My jaw ticked at the barbed insult. “Right, and you’re not at all interested in fucking her?” I knew he was, because I’d caught the flare of intrigue in his gaze while looking at her. Oh, he hid it well, but I knew him better than he gave me credit for. A few months apart would never change that.
Besides, we both had a type, and Aflora checked all our boxes in spades. She also posed one of the biggest challenges I’d ever encountered, mostly because flirting with her was keen to flirting with death. One wrong move and we’d end up on the chopping block right beside her. Which only made her more alluring as a prospect since it added the element of true danger.
“We’re not talking about this,” Zeph said, his voice deepening.
My lips quirked up. “You’re right. We don’t need to. I already know you want her. And you brought it up—twice—not me. I’m just throwing the ball back in your court. If you want to share her, just say the words.”
“Stop.”
“Why? Because I’ll push your limits?” I taunted. “Because the whole headmaster role adds yet another element of the forbidden to an already intriguing situation?”
His green irises swirled with embers. I’d either just royally pissed him off or turned him the fuck on. Probably both.
Zeph enjoyed harsh sex.
Anger was his aphrodisiac.
Fighting served as foreplay.
And we’d fought a lot these last few months, both mentally and physically.
Our earlier quarrel still simmered between us. He’d gotten in a few good hits, but so had I, and it’d left us both infuriated and a little bruised on the inside. Hence, I’d opted to avoid the bonfire. But the alert on my phone, activated by Aflora’s collar, had sent me to Zeph’s door. Then Tray’s text had forced us both outside.
Now Zeph and I were alone again.
Two decades of experience hanging between us.
Five years of that spent between the sheets with multiple women and occasionally just each other.
I didn’t date or do girlfriends. Yet Zeph had always been my one constant.