Page 75 of Courting the Dragon Prince

“And even when I try—” Luther cut himself off with a jerky shake of his head.

“Even when you try …,” Onyx prompted.

Luther let out a breath. “I’m just blabbering.” He gave a light laugh, and he smiled, chasing away the vulnerability and hurt that had been on his face a second before.

But Onyx had seen it. Seen it and didn’t want to let it go. He’d seen beneath the smiling façade to something else. Something he hadn’t seen on Luther’s face before. He wanted to study it.

“I don’t know what I’m saying at the moment.” Luther laughed again. “I’m tired. It’s been a busy time.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “And I need to sleep.”

Onyx took in the red-rimmed eyes and the bags beneath. He wondered if he understood them as well as he thought he did.

“I’m going to my room.” Luther stretched. “I need to lie down before I start saying anything else ridiculous.”

“My room is closer.” The words burst from Onyx’s mouth before he had time to think through them. But he didn’t want Luther to leave his sight. Not when he’d just seen a glimpse of something in Luther that he wanted to understand.

Luther chuckled. “As tempting as it would be to return to your room with you, I need to sleep.”

“I didn’t mean …” Onyx trailed off. “My offer was for you to sleep, just sleep in my room.”

Luther crossed his arms, gazing into Onyx’s face. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.” If Onyx wanted to understand Luther better, he needed Luther close.

ChapterThirty-Three

“All right,” Luther said, disoriented by the sudden shift in Onyx’s behaviour.

One moment, Onyx had been calling Luther a selfish prick. The next, he had been offering to let Luther sleep in his room.

“This way.” Onyx turned.

Luther silently followed him. But why had Onyx invited Luther to sleep in his room?

When Onyx had initially suggested it, Luther assumed it was because Onyx wanted to fuck. Whilst Luther normally would have been interested, right now he didn’t think he could manage. He felt wrung out like a wet cloth.

Had they really only gotten married yesterday?

Since their wedding, they’d fought and fucked and fought again. Now they might have made up. It was hard to keep track.

Especially since Luther had spent the night fucking Onyx, flying, dancing, and trying to exhaust himself, only to return to the monastery and realise he was late to a surprise tea party.

Why had they even had tea together the morning after their wedding? What if Onyx and Luther had had a sleepless night because they’d been busy fucking? It all seemed extremely inconsiderate.

At least Onyx appeared to have forgiven Luther for forgetting about his sister’s death. Luther speaking to the grand warden had seemed to soften him.

Luther stared at Onyx’s broad shoulders as he walked ahead of Luther. The man clearly cared for his mother and grieved his sister.

Luther understood grief.

“What’s the bag for?” Luther asked, noticing the pack slung over Onyx’s shoulder.

“Oh.” Onyx glanced at the bag as if only just realising it was there. “I … ah … I was thinking of riding out to the mountains.”

Luther blinked. “But not anymore?”

“No. Not anymore.” Onyx didn’t elaborate.

And Luther didn’t press.