Page 65 of Realm of Thieves

“Fuck,” I grunt against her mouth, my hand making a fist in her hair, holding her tight until she gasps, a sound that shoots straight to my cock. Gods, I don’t think I can hold back, I don’t think I can stop myself from kissing her, touching her, fucking her raw.

Then Lemi lets out a snuff of air.

Brings a kernel of strength back to my resolve.

I pull back, my jaw clenching,everythingclenching as I try to breathe in deep.

“I think it’s time we say good night,” I say hoarsely, my forehead pressing against hers, my breathing labored.

“You don’t want me,” she says, so quietly, with a wash of shame that feels like it’s removing one of my ribs.

I take her hand in mine and place it on my cock, stiff, hot and pulsing against the material.

“Does this feel like I don’t want you?” I manage to say, pressing her hand there, fighting the urge to thrust against her palm. It wouldn’t take much for me to come, not now, not after all of this.

Lemi lets out another snuff, another sign to move on.

I give him a sharp look. “You can be a cockblocker this time, doggo,” I say gruffly. “One time is all you get.”

He stares at me with wild, loyal intensity, not budging. If I didn’t know any better I’d think he was close to growling at me.

I look back at Brynla, wondering what she’s going to say. But her hand drops away and her eyes are falling closed. I’m moments from telling her that this is the second time she’s fallen asleep after giving me an immeasurable hard-on, but I don’t want to rile up the spirit inside her. This is for the best, for everyone’s sake.

“Okay,” I say quietly, gently placing her on the bed. I go to the end of it, pull off her boots, thinking twice about taking off the rest of her clothes, and then pull the quilt over her, tucking it under her chin.

I place my hand on her head, staring at her with this overwhelming tenderness that’s taking me like a storm, tearing my heart to pieces, and I lean over, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Good night, Brynla,” I whisper against her skin before pulling back. “Please don’t hate me tomorrow.”

—

The Banished Land appears on the horizon like something out of a barren dream. A white haze barely visible beyond the shimmering heat lines and the sea. The closer we get, the more the haze takes shape into a dune-colored land that slopes up gently from the shore. A line of sharp cliffs and canyons runs along the north, a natural divider between the Banished Land and the rest of Esland, while the land slopes to the south. Far in the distance are chalklike mountains that lead to a giant volcano. I believe it’s dormant since there’s no smoke rising from the crater, but it’s a formidable beast all the same.

And somewhere, in the empty lava tubes left behind by that volcano’s last eruption, is the Dark City.

“It looks so pretty from a distance, doesn’t it?” Brynla says as she sidles up to me.

I glance down at her, surprised to see her up already. Most of the crew is sleeping still.

“I thought you’d sleep in,” I tell her, noting the dark circles under her eyes and her uneasy pallor, though she still looks absolutely stunning, even under this harsh desert light.

“I woke up to a racing heart and the urge to vomit,” she admits. “Thought fresh air would be the best thing for me.”

“You’re probably right. Though Toombs should start passing out the hair of the dog soon.”

She grimaces and squints into the sunlight. “I guess I owe you an apology.”

“For what?”

“For acting like an utter fool last night.”

“You weren’t a fool,” I tell her. “You were just drunk.”

“Same difference.”

“Nah,” I tell her, tapping her elbow with mine. “Believe me, Iknow. You were fine. In fact, you were better than fine. It was nice to see you with your hair down, so to speak.”

At that her eyes go wide. She swallows.

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