Page 43 of The Forsaken Heir

“I went to a human school from the sixth grade. At that point, my parents already had their suspicions that I had no inner wolf. It wasn’t certain yet, and wouldn’t be until I hit puberty, but there were things that should have been happening that weren’t.

Even then, they were worried I would be an embarrassment.

They didn’t want me talking to their friends’ kids and ruining stuff for them.

“They moved me to a human school, and that sucked. Being the chunky new girl on the first day of fucking middle school? It was awful.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I said. “It must be tough. I had private tutors, so I never experienced school life. I always glamorized it. You know how it is in movies and TV shows?”

Elle snorted a laugh. “Yeah. Super realistic. Thirty-year-old supermodel actors pretending to be high-school kids.” She waved a hand through the air.

“Anyway, we were talking about classes. History. I liked it, especially when I started at the human school. It was fun to hear how they interpreted history compared to how we did. Shifters and fae, and to a lesser extent the rarer creatures, have done a brilliant job at staying hidden. There was no mention of the International Magic Treaty of 1034. Not a peep about The Great Wolf Civil War of the Middle Ages. That massive dragon battle in Russia in the early nineteen-hundreds? They all think that was some sort of asteroid impact or something. It was fun to listen to, and I like stories, so I remembered everything they said. I aced it all.”

The appetizers arrived, and I nodded my thanks to the server.

“You know, my dad knew the guys who were at that battle in Russia,” I said.

“The whole thing was a big misunderstanding. Big egos among the old country dragons getting out of hand. That was the last time any real fighting happened between us. Dad had to throw his weight around back then to get everyone under control and abide by what the crown said.”

“That’s how it always is, isn’t it?” Elle asked. “Rich and powerful guys get pissed off at other rich and powerful guys, and then the little innocent people get the shit end of the stick.”

“Unfortunately, there does seem to be a pattern throughout history. Human and shifter alike,” I admitted.

“Speaking of rich and powerful guys,” Elle said, her smile returning. “Vince’s dad?”

“Yes?” I asked warily.

“What the hell is up with his mustache? Does he realize he looks like a cross between 80s Tom Selleck and a 70s porn star?”

I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from spitting food everywhere. Once I’d gotten my laughter under control, I nodded and took a sip of water.

“That may be the best description I’ve ever heard in my life. Well played, Brielle Laurent.”

“These?” she said, lifting the rest of the small elk slider sandwich. “Are freaking amazing.”

“They really are. I get them any time I come here.”

“What’s your guilty pleasure?” Elle said.

“Excuse me?”

Her eyes gleamed with mischief. “Not that kind of pleasure. I meant food. What’s something you like to eat that you really shouldn’t?

With your shirt off, it looks like the worst thing you eat is celery with a dab of peanut butter.

But that’s the shifter metabolism. I know you,” she said, pointing a finger at me and narrowing her eyes like a movie detective.

“I’ve seen the way you are when you see something you want. You’re ravenous.”

A mental image of me devouring her pussy flashed across my mind, and my cock twitched.

“Let me think,” I said, dipping a cracker into the crab dip. “I guess it would either be mint chocolate chip ice cream or those little peppermint-and-chocolate patties.”

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I knew you weren’t perfect. Eww. You might as well eat toothpaste from the tube.”

“Hey, now. That stuff tastes nothing like toothpaste. It’s amazing.”

“Your breath will be amazing, other than that? Puke. No way.”

“Well, what’s yours? Come on. Spit it out,” I said. “What’s something you eat that you shouldn’t?”

“Hmm, I guess you’ll have to wait and see. If you play your cards right, anyway.”

We stared at each other across the table, that intense connection crackling between us as we sat in silence, both of us probably thinking about what we’d done to each other a few hours before.

Before either of us could respond, the server returned with the entrees, clearing the appetizers and placing the sizzling steaks down in front of us.

“Holy crap,” Elle said, eyeing the massive steak.

“Can I get you all anything else?” the server asked.

“Another bottle of wine,” I said. “Other than that, we’re good.”

“On the way,” he said.

Elle glanced over at my plate, her eyes growing even wider.

“That’s not a steak. That’s an entire cow,” she said, watching as I cut my first bite.

I pointed at her own plate. “Dig in before it gets cold.”

Our conversations bounced around from movies, to music, then to local politics, pack drama—even amusement parks we’d visited.

The whole time, I was amazed at how easy it was to talk to her.

Comfortable and smooth. She never treated me like I was a prince, or special in any way, and I found that an incredible breath of fresh air.

Each time I’d been with a woman before, things were always strangely tense.

Shifter women acted in deference to me, almost like subordinates, and I didn’t care for that.

As for the humans, they knew me as the heir to a multimillion-dollar business, so there was always a hint of fear with those women.

They were scared I’d brush them off if I got bored or found something better.

None of them could ever let go and be themselves.

None but Elle. Was I falling for this woman? I thought I might be.

“It appears you enjoyed the steaks,” our server said when he came to take away our plates.

“This was amazing,” Elle said.

“Are we still thinking of dessert?” he asked.

“Bring us the chocolate and hazelnut pie and the tiramisu. We’ll share,” I said.

When he left, Elle rubbed her stomach. “I don’t think I can hold any more.”

“There’s always room for dessert.”

“I don’t know about that.”

When the dessert came out, I was proven right. We tore into the sweet dishes, and within five minutes, there was nothing left but smears of cream and a few crumbs.

“Okay, seriously,” Elle said, leaning back in her chair. “No more. I’m gonna hurl.”

“Would you like to head back to the mansion?” I asked, my voice low as I swept my eyes across her body and up to her face.

The way she leaned back like that, her shirt stretching across her breasts, made my heart thunder. I wanted to taste her again. Wanted to feel her again.

Her eyes narrowed, and a playful grin spread across her lips. “And why would I ever want to do that? Do you have something special planned for me?”

“I have a few things in mind,” I said. “Maybe a second dessert. One that’s a bit more… interesting.”

Eyes still locked on mine, Elle ran her tongue along her lower lip, and my breath caught in my chest. I wanted that tongue on my cock.

“That sounds intriguing,” she whispered. “How soon can we get back?”

Without even looking, I dragged my wallet out, pulled out a wad of bills, and tossed it down. I didn’t bother counting. The server would end up with an extremely generous tip, but I had places to go and things to do.

“Let’s go.”

We were like two giddy teenagers as we hurried down the street to the office building.

By the time we’d gotten up to the roof, the sexual energy between us sizzled like the steaks had an hour before.

Elle reached for me, running her hands down my chest, my back, and squeezing my biceps.

I gripped her ass, her waist, then ran my hands through her hair.

“Ready?” I asked as we stood at the edge of the roof.

“I am,” she said.

I shifted and scooped her up, then took flight. Below us, through the clouds and fog, the city nearly disappeared as I rose ever higher.

Elle ran her fingers along my scales and the softer flesh of my chest and belly as we flew through the sky.

Each touch of her fingers sent lightning bolts of desire through me.

I wanted her. Being in my dragon form only made it more difficult to concentrate.

My inner dragon had more control and more agency when I was transformed, and I had to fight to keep him from landing in a random field somewhere so we could have her then and there.

Landing at the castle, I set her down with as much grace and gentleness as I could muster, then shifted back.

“Good flight?” I asked, my mouth dry and my heart beating fast.

“Yeah.” She pressed her fingers to my chest. “We were going to your room, right?” she whispered, her fingers trailing down to my belt buckle before she pulled away.

A low growl of hunger and desire escaped my lips. “A nightcap cap sounds good. If you’re willing.”

Elle stepped forward, pressing her breasts into me, closing what small distance there’d been between us. “If I’m with you, I’m always willing.”

Sweet mother of God. This woman will be the death of me.

It took everything in me not to scoop her up into my arms and carry her back to my room—that wouldn’t be proper of the crown prince.

I tugged her along, walking as fast as I could without actually running to the room.

Even as we traveled the corridors of the mansion, I had a hard time not imagining what I’d do to her once I had her alone.

Thankfully, the house was mostly silent, and we came across no one on our frenzied trip to my quarters.

I locked the door when we were inside my room, and moved to the small minibar beside my dresser.

“A brandy? Maybe a glass of port?” I asked.

“Whiskey,” Elle said. “Neat.”

I glanced back at her over my shoulder. “A lady after my own heart,” I said. I took two shot glasses out and poured the whiskey into each, then turned and handed one to Elle.