Page 10

Chapter Nine

When I wake, a hard body is pressed against me. August is spooning me from behind, one of his arms under my head and the other on my waist. He’s holding me to him tightly like he’s scared I’m going to disappear.

I might not know him, but my body sure feels like it does. I don’t know why he stopped last night, but I was so wet I almost begged him. The kisses we have shared turned me on so much I didn’t even know it could be like that.

His mouth.

Wow.

I can feel his morning arousal pressing into my ass, and I can’t help but move against it.

“Milana,” he warns in a deep, husky growl. “I only have so much restraint.”

“No one is making you stop,” I reply, grinding back onto him.

He pushes into my touch, seeking more.

He wants this too.

He suddenly grips my neck in a possessive hold and brings his lips to my ear. “Do you trust me? Until the answer is yes, I don’t think we should.”

A slight whimper escapes me. I’m so fucking turned on, and I don’t like being told no. In fact, it makes me want to break his resolve even more.

“Trust is built… through experiences.”

He makes a sound deep in his throat—a mix between a laugh and a growl—and then starts to play with my nipples. I can’t think straight at this stage. It’s been so long since I’ve had a male worship my body, and the last one who did was a waste of a body count.

“Yes, I suppose so. But we don’t know each other that well, do we?” he rasps, kissing up my neck. “But we’re about to. I’m going to make you come all over my fingers.”

“Yes,” I plead.

He lets go of me and rolls me onto my back, sitting up on his elbow.

“Eyes on me, love,” he demands while he slides his hand under my nightdress. “I want to see your face when I make you come for the first time.”

He’s so intense and sexy I can’t help but follow his orders.

“So wet for me,” he murmurs, sliding two fingers inside me while his thumb rubs delicious circles around my clit.

It doesn’t take long.

My thighs start to tremble before the pleasure hits me, making me gasp. August doesn’t look away from me, taking in every detail of my reaction. I hope my face looks sexy when I orgasm, but I’m guessing not.

“Good girl,” he growls, pulling out his fingers, only to bring them to his mouth and lick them clean.

My eyes widen.

Holy crap.

He’s so fucking hot, and I think I could come again just from that action alone.

“So perfect,” he whispers, lowering his face to kiss me. I taste myself on his tongue as I push him back and straddle him, much like last night. But this time, I lift his tunic until he takes the hint and sits up, gripping the material at the back of his neck to slide it off.

I nearly sigh at seeing his body, using my hands to explore. From his chest down to his abs, I feel each hard muscle before tracing it with my tongue. By the time I slide his pants down his hips, he’s so hard his cock just about slaps me in the face. Wrapping my hands around him, I slowly start to work him up and down. His brown eyes stay locked on mine, a soft growl leaving his lips.

When I kiss the head, his hips move upward of their own accord.

“Fuck, Milana.” His voice is gravelly.

Smiling, I slide him into my mouth as deeply as I can. He’s a perfect size, big and thick, but not too much that it’s going to hurt.

His fingers tangle in my hair but don’t push down—they simply grip against my skull in a delicious way. With my fist at the base, I suck up and down until he tries to stop me.

“I’m going to come.”

Good .

I appreciate the warning, but I’m going to swallow every drop either way.

“Fuck, just like that. That hot little mouth is so fucking perfect,” he rasps, his hips jerking as an orgasm hits him. Golden magic almost suffocates us, urging us to bond. We both have to make that decision but now is not the time.

When he’s done, I suck gently, and his entire body shivers. I fucking love that. Call me evil, but I feel so powerful in this moment. He gently cups my cheek, and I slowly let go of him. Our eyes connect and hold.

“I was trying to be good,” he murmurs, his lips twitching into a small, lopsided smile.

“You were good,” I reply, and he laughs, dragging me up his body until I’m pressed against him.

When I glance up at him a few moments later, he’s still smiling.

“Is this what we’ve been missing out on?” I ask, planting a kiss against the middle of his smooth chest.

“Not looking back, remember?” he reminds me, soothingly running his fingers down my back. “What do you want to do today?”

“You said you’ve always wanted to come here, so why don’t I show you around?” I suggest, sitting up and turning to face him.

He traces a line down my cheek with his thumb. “I’d love that. We just need to keep an eye out in case Rion somehow finds us.”

“So don’t forget it’s not a holiday?” I tease, and he grins, flashing me his straight, white teeth.

“It can be a holiday for you. I will stay on guard because I’m not letting anything happen to you now that I’ve finally gotten you.”

Fates, he is sweet.

We force ourselves to get ready and head outside. We go to the ocean first, and he’s blown away seeing all the mermaids and mermen swimming around. Halia told me they have their own city and the palace where she lives underneath the water. They can go back and forth between land and sea, but they much prefer the water. She said that being on land is kind of like being underwater for us, beautiful and curious, but you don’t feel like you belong there.

We walk along the white sand, hand in hand, and up the stairs to the main town.

“It’s like another realm here,” he comments, his eyes wide as he takes it all in. “It’s beautiful. I could sit at the beach all day, just people-watching.”

“I know. That’s why I usually visit Halia here instead of her coming to me.” I grin, pointing to my favorite little inn. We walk up the cobblestone steps, and August opens the door for me to enter. When we sit, he even pulls out my chair.

“Thank you,” I murmur.

We’re looking over the menu when I hear a familiar voice.

“Milana?”

Lifting my head, I turn to see Reef. He’s someone I’ve slept with in the past, a merman Halia introduced me to, one of her many cousins. He’s handsome with white-blond hair, ocean-blue eyes, and a muscular body, but he pales in comparison to August.

“Reef, how are you?” I ask, turning to August and clearing my throat. “August, this is Reef, Halia’s cousin. Reef, this is August.”

Blue eyes dance with amusement. “Pretty sure I’m much more than just Halia’s cousin to you. I’ve had your?—”

Shit.

“August is my mate,” I blurt out, cutting off whatever vulgar thing he was about to say.

August stands up in front of Reef, blocking him from seeing me. “She’s mine . Don’t look at her, and don’t fucking bring up whatever you had because it’s done with.”

He reaches for his hip, and I realize he’s used to having a weapon, likely his sword, right there with him.

I glance around August to see Reef raising his arms in surrender. “I had no idea you’d met your mate.” His eyes drop to August’s bare wrists. “Although I can see you haven’t bonded just yet.”

“That’s none of your fucking business,” he snaps, grabbing Reef by the throat and lifting him off the floor.

Oh boy.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” comes an amused masculine voice.

I turn to the left and look into cold, lifeless, light-green eyes. The male has black, almost shaved to his skull hair, a scar down his cheek, and an aura of fuck-around-and-find-out. He looks kind of familiar, but I can’t remember where I recognize him from. Then it hits me. This is Saylor’s brother, the one she called to help get me out of August’s room. He broke through the wards for her and helped me escape.

“What are you doing here?” August growls, letting Reef drop.

Salem glances between August and Reef, then cracks his neck from side to side. “I’m here on a mission.”

“The Assassins’ Academy rehire you?”

My eyes widen. He was fired by the academy? I’ve heard of them. They train the most ruthless killers in the realm.

Salem scowls, shaking his head. “No, those fuckers don’t know a good thing when they see it. I’m still on probation, but Sage gave me one of his jobs to do, so I’m here on his behalf.”

I glance around, gasping. “You’re going to kill someone in this inn?”

Salem smirks, pulling out a dagger and flipping it in the air. “No, I’m here for the strawberry cheesecake.”

“Oh.” I don’t know what to say to that.

“If you see your sister or Bane, can you tell them I got out of the dungeons and I’m all good?” August asks him, and Salem arches his brow.

“I’m seeing Saylor tonight, so I’ll let her know… for a price.” He smirks, turning to point his dagger at Reef, who is still standing there like an idiot. “We going to have fish for lunch?”

“Let him go,” I say, widening my eyes at Reef and telling him to get the hell out of here.

August flattens his palm against my stomach, pulling me tight against him. “Stop trying to protect him, Milana.” His tone is deathly.

I don’t want an innocent person getting hurt, but I don’t say that not wanting to push any of them further.

Salem throws his dagger in the air and catches the sharp part in his hand, not even flinching. There’s something seriously wrong with him. “Unbonded males are very dangerous creatures.”

“What price do I have to pay for you to let my friends know I’m alive and safe?” August asks Salem once more.

Salem slowly smiles. It doesn’t reach his eyes, so it makes him look even creepier. “Have lunch with me. No one likes to eat alone.” He pulls out a chair and sits, placing the dagger on the table next to the fork.

Reef finally runs out of there.

And I’m left to have lunch with my mate and a shifter who is too crazy to be employed by The Assassins’ Academy.

Wonderful.