Page 48 of Castor

I grabbed his wrist as he stood from the sand. I didn’t want him thinking he was like the other guys I’d fucked. He was so, so different.

“I like you, Kyo. And not just for sex.” I brought his hand to my cheek. “To be honest, I’m a little crazy about you.”

“I…” He broke eye contact and pulled out of my grasp as he turned away from me. “I’m tired. It’s been a long day.”

My heart sank.

I guess he didn’t feel the same after all.

Chapter Ten

Kyo

Castor was quiet as we walked back to the villa. He stayed a step or two behind me, and when I looked back at him, his expression was hard to read. I saw the pain in his eyes though. A painIcaused.

“I’m a little crazy about you.”

Dammit. I was crazy about him too, despite my attempts to keep him at arm’s length. When he confessed that to me, I’d wanted to throw myself at him and say I felt the same way. But I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair for me to. Not when I was promised to someone else.

Of course, all of this could’ve been avoided if I would’ve told him the truth the moment my brother told me about the marriage. Instead, I was selfish. Castor would’ve walked away from me once learning the truth, and I hadn’t been ready to let him go.

Now, it was too late.

Emotions were involved.

“I’ll fly us up to the balcony,” Castor said, stopping in the courtyard beside the villa. “Walking freely through Baxter’s house might ruffle some feathers. Best to avoid that.”

“Okay.”

When his arms came around me, a bit of my heart chipped away. I was no stranger to fire, yet Castor’s touch burned me. The flames seeped into my skin and shot through my veins, setting every part of me on fire. Body and soul.

Even when duty threw me into the arms of another man, I’d never forget the warmth of Castor’s skin or the memory of being nestled against his chest as he lifted us off the ground, his large black-and-gold wings taking us higher into the air.

Castor released me once we were on the balcony, and the warm night suddenly felt colder. He walked inside, passing through the double balcony doors, and I stared after him. I wanted to say something, but words failed me.

I faced away from him and focused on the long stretch of ocean in the distance. Water had always brought me a sense of calm. As a water dragon, it was where I was most comfortable. Yet, it did nothing to soothe me right then.

Alastair, Bellamy, and Raiden were sharing the room beside ours. They had been offered their own rooms but decided to stick together. Tensions remained high between them and Baxter. Neither side trusted the other.

Castor and I had been given the same room. At the time, I had imagined all the sexy things I’d do to him once the door closed, but now I could hardly even look at him without being consumed by guilt.

“Are you going to stay out here all night?”

I turned to see Castor standing in the doorway, arms relaxed at his sides and moonlight kissing his bare chest.

“Castor… I…”

“Don’t,” he softly interrupted, shaking his head. “You made it clear from the beginning you only wanted sex. It’s my fault for getting the wrong idea. But don’t worry. I got the hint. I won’t be saying shit like that again.”

My heart fucking wept at that, which confused me. That’s what I’d wanted, right? For me and Castor to have a fling and then part ways once all of this was over? He would then go back to fucking randos in the club while I married Warrin. An easy break. No complications.

“It’s not fair,” I said, feeling like I was about to crumble apart. Silver light bounced off his red hair, and his green eyes held my gaze, sending a rush of warmth straight through me. He was devastatingly beautiful. And so far out of my reach.

“What isn’t fair?”

The backs of my eyes burned as I tore my gaze from his. “Never mind.”

“You don’t have to talk to me, Kyo. Fuck knows I’m bad about keeping shit locked up inside my head too.” He stepped back out onto the balcony and grabbed my hand. His touch drew my eyes to his surprisingly gentle expression. “But you can talk to me if you want. Fucking and gambling isn’t all I’m good for.”