Page 64 of The Gathering

“We’d have to find you a new suit,” Lex said.

“What’s wrong with this one?”

“Well,” Lex paused, gaze sweeping out to the horizon before coming back to land on Bala. “I can’t say that I intend to let you keep that in one piece.”

And Bala couldn’t help her smile at the come on.

“How rude, Hilexi,” Bala said. “This was a gift from your Queen. I don’t think she’d approve of it being ripped after only a night.”

“I can promise you that’s the only acceptable way she would see your taking a gift from her,” Lex said fast. “If it were thoroughly enjoyed.”

Bala pushed off the wall, thighs squeezing as she stepped to the Belwark. Lex’s lustful gaze poured over her, her bent leg sinking to the ground and opening up for Bala. Bala didn’t move her eyes as she dropped straddle over the Belwark’s lap.

Lex hesitated as Bala took hold of Lex’s hands and pushed them around her waist. Lex lifted her chin, leaning forward as though she would kiss Bala as the intensity rose between them. But Bala caught Lex’s bottom lip with her teeth, and she tugged it hard.

“Give me thirty minutes,” Bala told her. “Then come upstairs.”

Lex's arms wrapped entirely around the Venari, and then she kissed her.

Bala groaned, heart skipping. Her fingers threaded in Lex’s soft hair, body rocking up against the Belwark as she opened up to her. The grasp Lex had on her made her breath tighten. She nearly let the Belwark take her right there, exposed for the rest of Haerland to see, but she finally forced herself away and stood to her feet.

Lex kissed Bala’s hand. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“HEY—HEY!” DORIAN shouted down the hall after seeing his Second in the shadows.

Corbin didn’t stop.

Dorian had seen Corbin watching him from the corner of the room while he spun the Scindo twins around on the dance floor. It was the same look of disapproval he’d had on his face earlier when they’d spoken. The snide comments Corbin made about the twins had Dorian itching to know what was the matter.

They’d had progress two days before, a smile even, and suddenly they were back at square one.

Dorian prepared himself for whatever fight they were about to have.

“Hey—what’s your problem?” he shouted again.

Corbin paused, turned, and huffed amusedly at the Prince. “Go back to your dancing, Prince,” he said with a shake of his head.

But Dorian wasn’t backing down. “I asked you a question, Second,” and the dark tone he used came from his lips before he could stop it. He grabbed Corbin by the arm as they reached the turn, and Dorian yanked him back.

“What—“ Dorian slammed Corbin into the wall, “—is your problem with me?”

Corbin shoved Dorian, glaring with the lift of his lashes, as he said, “No problem.”

“It would seem you have a problem,” Dorian snapped. “You always look at me like I’m doing something stupid or offensive. You didn’t check in yesterday after I thought we were making progress the day before. And today… Today you’ve done nothing but glare at me. What have I done to you to make you hate me so much? And why, if you do hate me, did you want to become my Second?”

“I don’t hate you,” Corbin said.

“You’ve a fuck of a way of showing that,” Dorian grunted. “Why glare at me as you do—why look at me with such disdain if you don’t hate me?”

“What would you like me to do, Prince?” Corbin said, stepping towards him.

“Tell me why you put yourself near me if you hate me so much? What have I done?”

A pause rested in the silent hall. Dorian’s heart was pounding. He didn’t understand what he’d done, and he wanted answers.

But Corbin’s tongue darted out over his dry lips, his head shaking as he shifted slightly—