Page 47 of Kiss of Seduction (Court of Chains #1)

Natalya ran her fingers through Evie’s hair. Evie didn’t speak. She just kept gasping as Natalya undid the chain that connected the wrist cuffs. As soon as she was able, Evie pushed herself nearer the couch so she could lean against it, still sitting between Natalya’s legs. Still breathing heavily.

While she caught her breath, Natalya used the cloth and water bottle she’d set out on the nearby table to wash Evie’s face.

Her red lipstick was smeared, and Natalya cleaned it while she came to.

By how she sighed and closed her eyes, she was fully present but was staying silent so Natalya would keep tending to her.

She didn’t mind doing so. In fact, seeing Evie smile as Natalya carefully cleaned her lips was a sight she would have enjoyed looking at for hours.

“Do you still feel needy?” Natalya asked. Evie chuckled and leaned her head against Natalya’s leg.

“I think you ruined my underwear,” Evie said. Natalya leaned forward enough that she could give Evie a kiss.

“I know I did. And I don’t feel bad about it.”

That made Evie laugh again. “You’re mean. And bossy.”

Natalya joined the laughter, though hers was briefer and lighter than Evie’s. Still, it was a rare sound. One this woman produced easier than anyone.

She ran her fingers through Evie’s hair as she leaned against her leg. Evie was relaxed enough that a nudge of calm could have sent her over into sleep, even with the club music still blaring.

“Do you really have to go?” Evie asked after a long moment. Her voice wouldn’t have been audible to most people. Natalya heard her easily.

“Why do you ask?”

“I’m just… worried. The last time you went out, you got shot.”

“And do you remember how that affected me?”

“It didn’t. I guess.” Evie put an arm around Natalya’s leg. “Sorry. I’m just worried.”

“Is that all it is?”

Evie leaned more of her weight against Natalya. “No. You’ve been busy lately. I miss you.”

Natalya had been annoyed with Evie’s comments at the bar, partly because it was in public and partly because she disliked when people told her she shouldn’t go somewhere.

For most creatures, the need to have Natalya nearby came from the possessiveness her being instilled in them. It made them want to keep her close so they could watch her. Yearn for her and dream of what it would be like to be with her.

Evie was afraid Natalya might get shot again. She was just worried. And she missed her, of all things.

“It’s only a meeting. It’s not dangerous,” Natalya said.

“Who are you meeting with?”

The question reminded Natalya of the conversation she’d just had with Aleksander, and she tensed.

She’d done it again. Same as the dance studio, she’d come to see Evie with a purpose far from sexual, and then it had turned into this.

It started guilt in her again, a guilt she had to remind herself was unwarranted.

Though she could summon desire with an accidental look, it didn’t work like that with Evie.

Knowing that made the feeling fade. Then just nervousness remained.

The box with the purple Chain pendant was still in her pocket, suddenly heavy and impossible to ignore.

She’d effectively disobeyed a direct order from Aleksander by taking Evie to the Royal Lounge.

It hadn’t seemed important. All she wanted was to be with Evie, and with that, her orders were easily forgotten.

From the floor, Evie turned to look at her. She’d stopped stroking Evie’s hair as she thought.

“Is something wrong?”

By reflex, Natalya gave her a calming smile. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

“But it is a concern?”

Evie’s ability to catch the hint of information in what people said and did was as frustrating as it was impressive.

“Nothing is wrong, darling,” Natalya said more sternly. It was a voice that usually made people lose theirs. It usually did that to Evie, at least when Natalya donned her Mistress mantle.

But the mantle was off, and Evie was worried. She moved from the floor to sit next to Natalya on the couch.

“Is it something I did?” Evie said. “Or is it Court stuff? And you can’t talk about it?”

Evie wasn’t asking if something was wrong anymore. She’d seen the answer to that on Natalya’s face, and now she wouldn’t let it go. An annoying skill that Natalya had used on Evie more than once.

She gestured Evie closer. “Come here.”

When Evie looked hesitant, Natalya gave her a smile.

“I just want to hold you, darling. Just for a little while.”

Evie moved over so she could rest her head against Natalya’s shoulder. Natalya put her arms around her, pulling her close.

She was a little startled by how calming the act was. Before Evie, she hadn’t really held anyone. It required such intense focus that it was nigh unbearable. With Evie, it was the simplest thing. It was relaxing.

“I’m meeting with a Night vampire,” Natalya said, and Evie stiffened at the words. “A man named Hasan Khara. He’s an envoy from the East Coast.”

“Why are you meeting with him?”

“He wasn’t forthcoming on the details. Suggests there’s more at play than just pleasantries.” She kissed the side of Evie’s head. “I’ll be alright. Like I said, it’s just a meeting.”

“Is that all you’re worried about?”

Natalya sighed. Rather than look at Evie, she looked ahead at the club beyond the Lounge.

What was she going to say? She couldn’t ask Evie about being hers now. Especially not now. Not with what they’d just done. It wouldn’t be right.

And the fear filled her too. Fear that Evie would say no. Or worse, that she would feel forced to say yes.

Did Evie even know what the contracts were? Natalya wasn’t sure if they were ever mentioned to her outside her first day in the high-rise. Maybe she thought it just meant protection, and that was it. Maybe she’d want it when she learned what it was. Maybe she’d be scared and run.

Maybes, maybes, maybes. Natalya never worried like this before Evie came into her life.

“Natalya?” Evie put a hand on her waist, reclaiming her attention. “Please talk to me.”

Evie trusted so openly. She worried so honestly. It made Natalya’s chest ache to see her so concerned. It made her dare to hope.

“What do you know about our Ribbon contracts?”

The words sent ice down Evie’s spine. She’d heard a little about the contracts from Lily, and though she didn’t know much, she knew enough that they scared her.

They made her remember her old chamber at Varro’s.

The clothes she’d been made to wear. The tattoo on her ribs.

All things forced on her by the man who owned her.

“It’s the Claimed thing.” She tried to sound confident, but her meek voice betrayed her. “A human is Claimed by someone at Court, and then they protect them. And then the human lets them…”

Evie couldn’t say the words. Feed on them and fuck them was what she was thinking. The thought made her blood run cold. It made her afraid as well as worried.

“Do I have to do that?” she said quickly. “Have someone Claim me? If I want to stay? I know you have rules here, but if it means that I’ll be owned again, then—”

“Evie, stop.” Natalya grabbed her chin, making her stop talking. “Never. You hear me? You never have to be owned again. You belong to yourself before anyone else. You don’t have to be Claimed if you don’t want to be.”

“I don’t want to be.” Evie’s voice was shaking. “It would be like before. It would feel like at the estate. I can’t do that. Please. Natalya, don’t make me—”

“ Evie .” Natalya’s voice was stern, and it silenced her panicked ramble before it could begin in earnest. “I will never make you do anything you don’t agree to first. I will always respect your decision to stop.

And I will never force you to do something against your will, including being Claimed. Never. Do you understand me?”

Evie’s breathing was uneven. Just the thought of being owned again had nearly made her panic. Natalya’s hold on her chin, firm but gentle, and her beautiful eyes made her calm down.

She nodded slowly.

“Do you believe me too?” Natalya asked.

That was a more difficult question. Or it should be, perhaps. Evie knew the answer immediately.

“I do. I believe you.” She was relieved for a moment. Right up until Natalya let go of her chin. “Why did you ask about the contracts?”

Natalya’s stern expression faded, a gentle smile appearing in its place. A smile that looked sorrowful. It was a brief thing, quickly replaced with a mask of calm.

“No reason. None for right now anyway,” Natalya said. “I’m already late. And I do actually have to go.”

“Oh. Right.” Evie had forgotten Natalya was on her way out the door when they went to the Royal Lounge.

They fixed themselves to be presentable before heading down the stairs again. Before they parted, Natalya leaned close enough that her lips brushed against Evie’s ear.

“Go have fun, darling. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

With a final, beautiful smile, Natalya walked into the crowd. It parted for her, allowing Evie a clear view as she went to the exit and vanished. It left her confused and concerned, for more than one reason now.

We’ll talk ? What the hell did that mean? It didn’t sound good, whatever it was. It was hardly ever good when someone said they wanted to talk .

Evie ran through a list of all the possible topics Natalya could have on her mind. She’d asked about the Ribbon contracts, but after she’d just assured Evie she wouldn’t have to be Claimed, she didn’t know what else that could be about.

Maybe she wanted to talk about Varro again. Though plenty of useful information was revealed through the interrogations, none of it was significant enough to explain why Varro wanted her back.

It could be about how Evie was progressing with the therapist. Her sessions with Georgina were going better now that she was opening up, though they left her feeling fatigued.

Natalya had found her crying after the most recent session.

She hadn’t even asked what was wrong. She’d just held Evie as she wept.

That was probably it. She was leaning on her too much, and Natalya never wanted that.

Protect her and keep her safe, yes, but comforting her after a tough round of therapy wasn’t on Natalya’s list of responsibilities.

Maybe her asking about the Ribbon contracts was Natalya trying to hand Evie over to someone else.

Maybe she didn’t care as much as she was pretending to.

But it felt so right to be in her arms. It felt so perfect.

It wasn’t perfect if Natalya didn’t want it.

Shaking off the confused feelings and replacing them with irritation, she walked through the crowd to rejoin Blake and Sam at the bar. Blake was grilling Sam about something, reminding Evie of a cat playing with a dying mouse.

”What’s with the doe-eyes, Sam?” Blake said. She’d taken to Sam almost immediately, and her way of showing endearment was through teasing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sam was busy inspecting the shot glass in front of her. “I’m not being doe-eyed.”

“Nah, I recognize flustered when I see it,” Blake said. “Can’t blame you. Drago’s hot.”

She said it loudly enough that Drago, only a few feet away, definitely heard. He didn’t react, but Sam’s face turned bright scarlet.

“ Shut up ,” she whispered.

Seeing that Sam’s apprehension was teetering into panic, Blake decided to be merciful. She turned to Evie, who had just sat down next to her.

“She returns,” Blake said. “Did you have a good talk ?”

“It was great,” Evie said tightly. Blake frowned.

“Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine.” Evie grabbed a shot and emptied it in one swig. Blake whistled.

“Your tone and behavior certainly match everything being fine .” Blake raised her hands in surrender when Evie shot her a look. “Never mind. Not my business.”

“Your girlfriend’s still scary,” Sam said, glancing at Evie.

“She’s not…” Evie’s eyes trailed to the exit Natalya had just disappeared through. “… my girlfriend.”