Page 34 of Queen of Diamonds

“No?” He took a step back. “Shame. I’d have taken a photo. Would have kept me nice and warm tonight.”

“Fuck yourself.”

His grin widened as he placed a hand on the doorknob.

“Wait—” Shit. He was really leaving? “I n-need a fucking towel.”

I was shivering. The mattress had the thinnest of blankets, and it was freezing in here.

“You aren’t getting shit.” He was opening the door.

He had to be joking.

I threw myself after him just too late.

“If you don’t give me a towel, I’ll get sick and then you’ll have to deal with—!” My voice raised to a screech but he slammed the door in my face.

12

ZED

She was as dangerous as Knight had warned. I realised that far too late.

Not just because of what she’d just dragged me into, but because I had been wrong. I hadn’t been ready to see her.

I’d only ever been in love with one person in my entire life. When I’d loved, I’d opened up every door in my whole world, so when she’d set fire to it, there had been nowhere it hadn’t spread.

I hated her.

I hated her, and I loved her all at once and it was twisting me up.

Never in my life, had I ever experienced being so angry and so… fucking hurt at the same time. Not until today, when I’d seen her again, in those first few moments.

I sat down on the couch alone, staring at the gym bag Kyan had grabbed from her room.

She’d get what was inside.

As fucking pissed as I was at this mess, making the imprisoned Omega sick was not on the agenda. But she could curl up believing it for another few minutes.

We’d solved a few problems, even if entirely un-ideally. First off, I didn’t think Knight was near a rut anymore. If a regular fuck was enough, Kyan would never rut. But you needed an Omega for a rut, or a massive outlet. Of course, Glade had gone and perfumed—her scent was still filling the space—and none of us wanted to admit it, but it might have settled him.

And then there was Kyan. Another thing Knight had been right about.

He was obsessed with her—again.

Which wasn’t fucking good.

But he’d listen to Knight and stay away from her—well, as long as Kyan decided the dominance play lasted. We should have a few days at least.

The two of them were in Knight’s room right now and would be for a bit longer. Knight didn’t fuck Kyan like that and not deal with it after—even if he had to be as forceful in the aftercare. I had no idea what that looked like, but I was sure it was just as wild as the sex.

Somehow, it worked between them. Kyan snarled and fought, and then he was just… happy afterward. Yet their strange love was as absolute and consistent as anything I’d seen.

It was extra impressive because getting close to Kyan was like a minefield in a desert. The terrain was rough, and any step that looked right was a mirage that might blow up in your face. I got by, but Knight had managed to figure it out somehow—properly figure it out. I’d never been a part of their relationship outside of being pack lead. I called the shots, Knight enforced them.

Well, I watched sometimes. Kyan never cared—actually, I think he loved it—and I’d never complained, so it was up to Knight if he put on a show. It was kind of comforting. I didn’t have to want to fuck Kyan to be a part of the bond.

There was something intimate about watching, and I was sorely lacking on anything on the intimacy front.

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