Page 43 of Veil of Shadows

I leaned into him, my breasts squashing against his hard chest.

His breath sucked in, and a low sound came from his throat. His fingers curled even more around me, his touch hot and possessive. It didn’t have the ownership upon it that I always felt with my former guardian, but something else clung to his touch, something that made my breath catch and my insides turn molten.

The king watched us when we passed, his attention dipping to our close proximity, and Goddess, he even inhaled, making me wonder just how potent my arousal had become. But at least it played into the game Jax and I had woven.

Still, I had to remind myself on our walk back to the main doors that even though Jax’s touches showed the realm that he was my new guardian and lover, I knew that underneath it all, he was simply playing his part, even if he did desire me on some level.

And a part of medidwonder if there was some genuineness to his acts as Alec had claimed. Because every time the king hadlooked at me with envy, Jax’s side had pressed closer to mine, as though shielding me.

And every time the king had approached the subject during the past hour, of perhaps using me as his lorafin once more, the aura around Jax had swelled to a feverish pitch.

Throughout it all, Jax’s decision had held firm, keeping the king at bay. One thing I knew for certain, he’d made it clear to the king and anyone watching that in no unspoken terms, I was his and his alone.

And more than once, thathadn’tfelt like an act, making me wonder if a part of Jax truly did view me as his.

CHAPTER 13

“That seemed to go well.” Alec sauntered along the paved walkway outside of the palace. Bright sunlight shone down on us as we crossed the lawn, and a few pastel clouds had formed in the sky, but it was still mostly clear. “Even I believed you two have spent time between the sheets. If I didn’t know better, I dare say I would be jealous.” He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I had the strongest urge to roll my eyes at him.

“Alec, calm yourself,” the prince said tightly even though Phillen snorted, Trivan snickered, and even Lars muffled a laugh. “You are not to flirt with Elowen anymore. It would blow our cover.”

“Of course, my prince.” Alec fell into a deep, mocking bow. “I agree. We must take our rolesveryseriously.” The Graniteer House noble winked subtly at me, and Ireallywanted to roll my eyes at that gesture but managed to refrain myself.

The prince glanced my way, but the earlier irritation he’d worn around his friend had faded.

“And, Elowen,” Alec continued. “Why the scent of your lust was enough to fill the room back there. I daresay you had the king completely fooled. You almost hadmefooled.” He releaseda low whistle. “I must say, you’re quite good at acting. Because it was an act, correct?”

A blazing blush bloomed in my cheeks just as the prince growled at his friend.

“Yes, of course it was,” I replied a tad defensively. “I mean, I’ve always taken my roles quite seriously too.”

Trivan barked out a laugh, and their teasing was growing so insufferable that I tried to put some distance between Jax and me, just to fend off my embarrassment, but his arm tightened, refusing to let me do so.

“Enough,” Jax said to his friends. “Elowen and I need to stay in our roles the entire time we’re here. She doesn’t need to be constantly teased about it.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Theentiretime?”

Jax’s lips curved in a satisfied smile. “The first lesson you have to learn if you’re to be working with the Dark Raider is that we never break our roles. We stay in them until we return to Stonewild. Always.”

“But you’re not the Dark Raider here,” I said beneath my breath. “You’re the prince.”

He shrugged. “It’s only a technicality on this visit. What I’m doing here has nothing to do with princely duties. We’re to stay in our roles.”

“You actually mean theentiretime?” I licked my lips. “Even at night?”

“Yes.” Fractured sunlight twinkled in his eyes when he cast me an assessing look, as though gauging my reaction.

“But...” I sputtered. “It could take days or evenweeksto find Bastian.”

“True. Will that be a problem for you?”

I tried to picture what being Jax’s supposed lover for an extended length of time could mean. Constant touches.Frequent, heated glances. Occasional kisses and caresses. And, Goddess, possibly even a shared chamber at night.

It was essentially foreplay for, well, possibly days on end.

Kill me now.

“Um, no, that will be fine, my prince.” Somehow, I managed not to groan. If I was as aroused as I was now, after only an hour of play acting, I couldn’t even imagine what I would be like by the time we left.

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