Page 46 of Third Offense

“It’s my job to distract you so you don’t ask any more questions,” he admitted, his grin positively devilish.

“Questions like, did he manage to ditch the security in the hallway?” I asked. “Or rather,howdid he manage to ditch them?” Because I knew my mate. He wouldn’t have allowed them to follow him like they had trailed after us last night.

They might have just been there to give us directions when we’d needed them—which we had since I hadn’t been shown the dining hall on my initial tour with my mother. But I’d suspected there was more to it than that, as had my mates.

“Questions exactly like that,” Novak said as he skimmed my lower lip with his teeth before sliding his tongue inside my mouth.

I knew what he was doing.

But as I lost myself to his devouring kiss, I found it difficult to care. Auric could take care of himself. And when he returned, I’d question him.

Time seemed to slip by as Novak taught me the skill of his tongue all over again. He didn’t fuck me. Instead, he tenderly adored me as his touch and kiss painted every inch of my skin. Whatever need that had consumed me the night before was temporarily sated, and I easily lost myself to a language without words.

One that Novak was absolutely fluent in.

When the scent of evergreen mixed with the delicious leather and smoke aroma that held me captive, I fluttered my eyes open with a sigh.

The sight of Auric with a gold-trimmed serving cart jolted me straight into the past, making me suck in a breath.

A mixture of evergreen and smoke scents assaulted me at once. But there was something else there… something that didn’t quite belong.

Something… rotten.

I frowned. “Did you bring eggs?” I asked, wondering if the sour smell was coming from there.

“Yes,” Auric said, momentarily calming me until he lifted one of the trays.

It became immediately clear that the smell couldn’t possibly be coming from the delicious breakfast he’d just presented to me.

Two delicate egg cups made of more golden-trimmed designs held the eggs in place with purple edible flowers as their garnish.

The meal was complete with thin slices of toast as well as a piece of golden-dusted chocolate for dessert.

“You brought my favorite,” I marveled.

“I know.” Auric grinned and took out the bed trays from the cart and settled the plate in front of me on the bed as I sat up against the headboard.

Novak leaned on his elbow with a funny smile on his face, seemingly content to watch me eat.

“You know?” I repeated, my gaze on Auric.

“Yes. I know it’s your favorite,” Auric said with a laugh. He completed the meal with a glass of pomegranate juice. “I brought this meal to you for years. Chocolate included. Always.”

My cheeks burned at the reminder of all those mornings that he’d showed up with my favorite breakfast.All those years I pined for him. Desired him.

And now…

Now I have him.

He used to regale me with the current news, telling me anything important happening with the Nora Court.

But today, he just started preparing trays for himself and Novak.

It all felt like a lifetime ago. A former life.

It was a time that he’d been supposed to be coaching me on various lessons, which he’d also often done, but our time together had always included a measure of good-natured conversation as well.

I later learned my father had allowed it only because I often confided in Auric, and some of that he would share with the King—but nothing that breached our trust with one another. I understood that he had to place duty above all else.