“No, she would never…” She glanced at me. “She did that?” She gasped, bringing a shaky hand to her mouth. She dropped her eyes to the floor, bracing herself on a nearby bookshelf. “Is she dead, then?”
“No,” I said quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up at me, her eyes pained, and my heart hurt for her. “No, she’s not. It’s… complicated. I’ll let her explain it to you.”
“Oh, thank Goddess.” She inhaled sharply. “But she-she hurt you? Attempted to kill you?”
I dropped my hand along with my eyes and nodded as I stepped back into Rogue.
“Am I allowed to see her?” she asked, her face tight but hopeful.
Both of us turned to Rogue and he sighed.
“The room is under guard, so as long as you remain in her room, I don’t see the harm,” he said.
As she turned to leave, I stepped to follow behind her, but Rogue wrapped an arm around my waist, snatching me back to him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he said into my ear, sending chills along my skin.
“To see Thana?”
“Give them time first,” he whispered. “There’s history there, and it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other.”
I stifled a smile as I remembered the way Thana blushed at Delphia’s compliment.
“Thank you for stopping me,” I said, wiggling against his grasp in an attempt to free myself.
“Mmm, this reminds me of our first night. The way you writhed against me—although, I don’t think you’re trying nearly as hard this time. Do you remember?” He slid his hand down my hip, setting my skin on fire in his wake. My heart jolted. Heat pooled in my core, and he inhaled at my neck.
He lowered his hand, skimming along the upper seam of my pants, pulling a gasp from my lips. I relaxed into his grip, letting my head fall back onto his shoulder.
“I do love when you surrender to me, little storm,” he whispered into my ear.
He withdrew his hand and released me with a chuckle. I gritted my teeth as I faced the wall for a moment, fuming, before turning and offering him a saccharine smile. I prowled closer, and his eyes widened ever so slightly before he regained composure.
I closed the distance between us, letting my fingers trail along the top of his trousers, over his hip, up his abdomen. My hand glided over his chest, and I could feel his heart racing beneath my palm. I continued upward until my hand found the harsh line of his jaw. He was frozen beneath my touch, barely daring to breathe.
I pulled his face closer and lifted on my toes to graze my lips along his, smirking.
“Such a good boy,” I purred against his mouth and released him, laughing as I spun on my heel. I left him there without another word.
A small spike of pride shot through my chest at his reaction to my touch. At my ability to distract him as much as he did me.
Chapter Twenty Five
Rogue
My jaw was on the floor, stunned, as she walked away, hips swaying. She had never returned my teasing and she had completely bewitched me with such a simple touch. Stifling a smile, I adjusted myself and followed behind her.
When I entered her chambers, Ara was already standing at her dresser with a drawer pulled open. She glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.
“I thought I might’ve actually shaken you off this time.”
I chuckled, closing the distance. Bracing an arm on either side of her, I leaned down, gliding my lips over the curve of her neck in the way that always sent goosebumps over her skin.
“You won’t lose me that easily. I thought you would’ve learned that by now,” I teased, nipping at the mate mark. Reaching my hand around her, I closed the drawer and opened it again, pulling out a navy silk piece of fabric that could barely be considered a nightgown. Her cheeks flamed as she snatched it from me.
“There is no way, in any hell, I am ever putting that on,” she rasped, shoving it back in the drawer.
Oh, you will. I smirked and the redness in her cheeks deepened.