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Asinia joined us a little later, a dark scowl on her face, her clothes soaked and dripping. I gaped at her.

She squeezed out her tunic. “Your brother pulled me in. He thinks he’s amusing.”

“Uh-huh. You must have stayed in the water with him for a while.”

She squinted at me. My mouth twitched. “Sorry. I mean, ‘How dare he?’”

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed new clothes, stalking away to dress. Demos returned not long after, his expression blank, eyes smug.

Cavis had wandered away to find a pool of his own, while Thol had already returned and was busy eating dried meat by the handful. I glanced at Lorian. He was already moving, reaching for my hand and tugging me out of the cave after him.

The pool Lorian led me to was several caves away, and he laid our weapons on the stone within reach. We undressed silently, slipping into the warm water, Lorian’s light orbs floating in the air surrounding us. His eyes were half wild, and he stroked one finger along my cheek. He touched me like I was precious, breakable. Like he couldn’t believe I was real.

My breath hitched, and I moved into his arms, straddling him, our faces so close they were almost touching.

“You don’t bring out the worst in me,” he said.

Ah. So he had heard that.

He pressed his forehead to mine. “Something in me died the night I lost my parents. And then I met you. You brought me back to life, Prisca.”

My eyes filled, a tear escaping to trail down my cheek. Lorian pressed his lips to it.

I wouldn’t let him throw away his future for me. No one had ever protected him before. Oh, Conreth had sheltered him for a few years, but the moment he’d seen Lorian’s potential, he’d sent him away to be trained. Then Conreth had ordered tokens to be delivered to Lorian—the same way Hestia used to drop treats at her cat’s feet when she was attempting to train her.

Lorian deserved more.

“What are you thinking, Prisca?”

I’d promised myself we would make the most of every moment we had together. So I leaned down, gently pressing my mouth to his.

Lorian slid his hands to my hips, guiding me down until he was nestled against me. Our kiss deepened, tongues twining together, until I was writhing, grinding against his cock. His big hands held me in place, limiting my movement.

“Gently. Slowly,” he murmured against my lips. “I want to savor you, wildcat.”

He moved my hair aside, running his mouth down my neck. I shivered, my hands sliding to his hair, holding his head to me. He leaned me backward, kissing his way down to my nipples, stroking, caressing. I moaned for him, and he tightened his hands around me.

One of those hands slipped down to my clit, one finger slowly stroking me, until I wanted to scream my impatience.

I knew what he was doing. We’d always fallen into each other’s arms so easily, even when we couldn’t agree on anything else. Now, he was forcing us both to pay attention to each tender moment. Moments that would end soon.

My breath hitched, and he lifted his head. He continued to move his hand, rubbing and playing, and he watched my every reaction, his green eyes alight with lust. Lust, and something else. Something I couldn’t place.

I closed my eyes, and he nipped my lower lip. “Look at me,” he growled.

“You’re so demanding.” The words were breathless, and my thighs trembled, my head falling back as a groan left my throat. He slid his hand into my hair, holding my head up, and I opened my eyes to half-mast.

“I’ll take everything from you, wildcat. You’re mine.”

I ignored the way his words made my stomach flutter, leveling him with what I hoped was a stern frown. From the way his lips twitched, I wasn’t successful.

“Mine,” he said again. I narrowed my eyes, but he was already tightening his hand in my hair, holding me steady as he plundered my mouth. He kissed me like it was the last time we’d ever be together, and I kissed him back, basking in the feel of him.

His tongue slid into my mouth, and I licked it with mine. He growled, further tightening his hand in my hair, and I panted against him, desperate to feel him inside me. He was still stroking me, achingly gently, and I let out a needy moan, attempting to grind into his hand.

“Lorian.”

He loosened his grip, guiding me onto him. My breath caught as he pressed against my entrance, pushing inside, his thick cock stretching me. When I attempted to slide all the way down, he tightened his hands again. “Slowly.”