Page 5 of The Call of Crimson
I sit with the silence for a while before muttering, “Yes.”
Elijah’s voice is hesitant as he suggests, “You know… Ayden could help with the nightmares.”
“He’s keeping more secrets than Aurelius—which is not a surprise since they’re brothers—but I don’t trust him anywhere near my mind.”
“You’ll have to trust him eventually. He’s your fiancée.”
“For now. I’ll figure out how to get out of that arrangement.”
“Of that, I have no doubt. But I have a feeling he’s not your enemy.” Something in the curious way he says that snags my attention.
“He sure as hell seems like my enemy right now,” I say through a yawn. My body finally relaxes in his arms. I take a deep breath, finding peace in his embrace. Slowly, my eyes drift shut, and sleep finds me for the first time in days.
I wake to furious brown eyes glowing in the moonlight.
Aurelius.
Crimson specks dance in his irises, and his chest heaves like he’s been pacing.
Elijah’s arm is still curled tightly around me, his soft snores the only sound in the room.
My mind races, searching for clues to why he’s here. I had made it clear—repeatedly—that I wanted nothing to do with him.
“Breyla, please. Hear me out?—”
“I have no desire to listen to more of your lies, Aurelius. My father signed a marriage contract with Prince Ayden behind my back—butyouknew.”
“Yes, but I?—”
“You what? Not only did you know about it, you were the one who facilitated the match on his behalf. You had every opportunity to tell me, yet you said nothing. Instead, you just fucked me and filled my head with pretty words,” I snarled, turning on my heel to leave him with his lies.
The memory of our last encounter leaves my blood boiling. Not wishing to engage with him, I flip him my middle finger and mouthget fucked.
His hand darts out, catching the offending finger. In an unexpectedly gentle move, he raises my fingers to his mouth and kisses them. I pull back, my emotions warring inside me. Anger and betrayal are at the forefront, but warmth fills my chest at his touch, leaving me confused. I latch onto the anger and let it drive me.
“I said get fucked.” Shadows twist around his throat, constricting at my command. Aurelius drops to his knees, putting us at eye level. “Don’t make me say it again,” I seethe in his ear.
The shadows around his throat do nothing to stop the rest of him as he yanks me from Elijah’s grasp, pinning me beneath him. “Gladly, Princess,” he growls, voice rough with restraint. “Just open those pretty thighs so I can taste what’s mine.”
He gasps the words as the shadows continue to squeeze—but they don’t stop him fast enough.
Elijah jolts awake. A protective snarl spills from his lips as he shoves Aurelius off me and onto the floor. His fist collides with Aurelius’ temple in the next breath.
“Elijah!” I shout, trying to stop the chaos.
The distraction is enough for Aurelius to retaliate. He rolls them over, landing a vicious punch to Elijah’s cheek.
Blood splatters my floor, the crunch of bone reverberating through the room. Hard pants and a pained groan fill the spaceas I scream at them both to stop. Both too lost to the adrenaline, they ignore my shouts of protest as they trade hits back and forth.
It continues for what feels like hours—but is really only moments—until the door bursts open.
An irate Ayden glares at us all. The look is not one I have ever seen him with, and it doesn’t suit his beautiful face.
“Perfect,” I groan. “Just what I need right now.”
It takes Ayden less than a second to assess the situation. With barely contained fury, he strides across the room and hauls Aurelius off Elijah, throwing him hard against the wall.
Aurelius hits with a grunt, blood smearing his lip as he sneers, “This doesn’t concern you, Prince.”
