Page 120 of Kingly Bitten

Because in any other situation, I would have just let him handle it on his own and waited for such a warning.

However, Calina wasn’t a typical situation.

Calina’s mine.

“But I prefer to indulge in my desserts first,” Lajos countered, his tone all royal arrogance. “Jace won’t mind.”

“Actually, I do mind,” I replied, cutting off whatever Jasmine had just been saying. I gave up all pretense of listening to her when Lajos’s finger stroked Calina inappropriately.

Fuck, his every move had beeninappropriate.

Never once did I give him permission to so much as touch her, let alonethere.

It didn’t matter that I usually shared my consorts with ease. It didn’t matter that I’d never stopped him in the past.

All that mattered was Calina.

MyCalina.

Lajos’s eyebrows lifted. “Are you denying me a taste of your toy?”

It took significant effort for me to hold on to my composure and maintain a flat tone. “Calina is meant to be a dessert, just as Darius said. A delicacy to be enjoyedin private. If you’re interested in a nightcap, you’re welcome to return with us.”

Where we would have him alone.

In private.

And be able to question him properly.

Because fuck everything else.

Fuck the plan. Fuck the strategy. Fuck all of this.

He was not going to touch Calina.

Jace,she whispered.We can’t—

Not now.I was not in the mood to negotiate my decision. That bastard would not be touching myErosita. Lulling him into comfort was a waste of time. I’d much rather shoot him and torture the information from his lips.

Darius gave me a warning look.

I ignored him as I waited for Lajos’s reply.

“Calina,” he repeated.

Just hearing her name on his lips made me see red. By some miracle, I managed a shrug as I said, “It’s a name that suits her.”

“It’s very pretty,” he agreed, his finger stroking her once more. “Greek in origin, if I’m not mistaken. A variant from Selene.”

Calina fought the urge to close her legs, her body miraculously still as she waited with bated breath to hear what he would say next. She was trying to distract herself by reading his actions and words.

It was something I should have been doing as well, but I couldn’t seem to think beyond the bloody veil covering my eyes. All I wanted to do was rip his fucking head from his neck and pull Calina into my arms once more.

Get it together, I demanded.This isn’t you. And he’s going to notice.

Because I always shared.

I never claimed a consort for too long.