Page 38 of Queen of Diamonds

Because I believed him, and after everything I’d given up to keep them safe, I would never risk it.

Ace had won.

Even if I did escape one day, somehow, the final dream waiting for me on the other side was dead.

14

KNIGHT

Glade was…? I frowned. Was she showering?

It was the next day, and I’d spent the night tossing and turning about the stupid-ass situation Zed had got us into.

And now, Glade was apparently showering, which didn’t make sense because there was no hot water in that room. Zed was in his bedroom, and Kyan was in the warehouse—which was what we called the massive multi-purpose space beyond what we used as the main living room.

I dug my key from my pocket—I had one and Zed had one—and approached her door, expecting a trick. I opened the first door, peering around to see the bathroom one shut, but the sound of the shower was louder from here.

“Glade?” I asked, knocking.

Nothing.

At least… I thought it was nothing. I pressed my ear to the door with a frown.

Was she… crying?

In a cold shower?

No. The hairs on my body stood on end, instincts dragging a growl to my throat, hand closing on the doorknob in an instant. Through the door I could definitely hear the low, desperate whines of my mate.

Was she hurt?

I paused a second longer, then shoved the door open, holding onto the meagre threads of sanity I had left.

What was…?

Shit.

She was on the shower floor, curled up and panting as she clutched her stomach.

I crossed toward her, but her eyes snapped open, finding me, and she shoved back, crashing against the shower wall.

“What’s wrong?” I barely noticed the frigid water streaming over my back.

She shook her head, eyes wide with terror, another low whine slipping out. In this small space I was drowning in her scent, dark cream cardamom like an…

Shit.

Her scent was an aphrodisiac. It was impossible not to notice she was wearing nothing but an oversized T-shirt, the beautiful brown of her smooth legs on full display.

“Heat?” My voice was hoarse.

Fucking heat?

Right now?

What the hell were we going to do?

My mind went blank as another low moan tore from her and she doubled over. I almost reached out, but caught myself. I hadn’t lost myself completely, probably because of the icy water washing her scent down the drain.

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