Page 12 of Serpent In White

My hand is moving on its own, flashes behind my eyes of unbridled lust for the man I can’t have. The man who’s as forbidden as forbidden gets around here.

But that doesn’t matter right now, because I’m about to…

“Come…” I growl, beating my dick so hard it hurts. “I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come…Fuck.”

My orgasm takes over and aching pulses shoot out all over my bed and my abs as I press my lips together to hold in my whimpers of bliss. I’m in a whirlpool of pleasure I’ve never felt before, the high lasting minutes longer than any climax I’ve ever experienced.

And when it’s over, and I suck in a long breath, hold it and let it go, I realize I’m completely fucked.

I just jerked off to fantasies concocted around the Head Priest of The Principality.

Yea… I’m definitely going to Hell.

When I was small, my birth mother said something to me.

At the time, I didn't understand it. But as I grew up, after she died and I was left to the care of the state of Michigan, her former words bloomed in my mind, like a sunflower. Fast andbig.

"Nothing happens by accident."

I'm sure you can understand my childhood confusion. I was only six when she said this to me, and I was eight when she died. But it wasn't until four years later, when I was twelve and landed with foster parents whom I believed would be myforeverfamily, though they ended up becoming much more than that in my story, that it finally clicked.

I was born in Forest Park to a single mother who was a dope fiend. She died of an overdose when I was a child, and after that, I bounced in and out of various group homes until I was sent to live with the Lannisters.

TheLannisters, however, were not good people. But it was in their home, surrounded by sudden, unexpected torment and emotional plague, that I met him... My brother.Drake.

The events of the following years were what solidified my birth mom's words. As much as I would have loved to believe it at the time, none of those things happening to me occurred byaccident. No coincidence, no happenstance or dumb luck.

Nothing happens by accident.Not even the worst kinds of pain, apparently.

My life, my struggles and my redemption were planned out long before my mother got drunk and had a one-night stand with a stranger nine months prior to my arrival on this big, stark-raving mad planet. I'm only guessing this is what happened, since she never told me who my father was, other than amistake.

Yet still, I was manifested as an idea before creation, in the large scope of the universe.

Sure, to anOutsider, I probably sound bat-shit crazy right now. And maybe that's part of it. Actually, I'msureit is. The theoretically sane ideas of the world are typically recycled and plagiarized, in my opinion, anyway. You want real thoughts, you're gonna have to raise a few eyebrows.

I've continued on this path since I was a teenager, following my destiny alongside the one person I could never have survived without...

Glancing up across the dinner table, my eyes linger on the empty place setting. The chatter is lively tonight, and for some reason, it's irritating me. Well, I do know why. I know damn well...

“She said she wouldn't be that stupid yet there she goes again.” Alissa's voice catches my ear, and my gaze darts diagonally across the table. "It's always a matter of time with her."

I roll my eyes. I really shouldn't do it. I'm the Head Priest, and Head Priests shouldn't roll their eyes, but I can't help it. She gossips too much. The rest of them don't participate often, I assume because they know I don't like it, but still. Alissa's judgmental ways could influence others in the Regnum, and we can't have that.

"Alissa," I snap, and her voice cuts out, face turning to mine with a purely guilty expression resting on it. "Is there something I should know about Jane? Something that could negatively affect The Principality?"

My wife gapes at me for a moment, as if stunned, and a bit confused by my question. She even looks to Lauris for a moment, who is sitting at my right, as usual.

"Don't look at Lauris. Look at me," I demand, quietly, though the bite is there, and I know she can feel it. "Answer my question."

"No, sir," Alissa squeaks, her reprimanded tone such a contrast to her typically loud persona.

"Good," I hum and lift my glass of wine. "Then let's keep the conversation productive, shall we?" I sip, eyeing her over the rim of the glass while she nods in acceptance.

I hear Lauris whisperamen to that, and I have to shoot her a quick look, though there's amusement dancing in my eyes. Those two aren't exactly besties, and I'm well aware it's all too satisfying to Lauris, and Gem and Emithel as well for that matter, when Alissa and Kiara are brought down a peg.

I sigh internally. Mywives... all so different. You'd think the variety would give me some much-needed satisfaction, but it doesn't.

Speaking of satisfaction...I glance at the empty place setting once more.