Page 34 of Kit
Kit was no better. His own reaction stood out in relief in his leather trousers, his face so flushed even his tanned skin couldn’t disguise it. His lips were parted, red and wet.
“What?” Kit asked, the word plain, the tone deadly.
Nick couldn’t see who was on the other side of the door, but he felt them shrink back. A throat was cleared. “There are matters on board. Sir.”
Kit’s tail slashed. “I am on my way,” he snapped. The footsteps tracked away. Kit turned back to Nick, body shaking in agitation. “Once we are on the water, I will move you from here.”
Nick struggled to regain his composure. “Right.”
Kit’s tail feathered against Nick’s hands, and then, with a displeased growl, he turned sharply on his heels and left.
Once Nick calmed down, he was irritated that he’d been left with the blindfold on. It took an embarrassing amount of internal cursing before he realised he could just reach up and take it off. Nick walked the length of his tiny cell, pressed his ear to the door, but eventually just sank to the wet ground and sat with his back to the wall.
He estimated it was at least five hours before they set off. He heard the swish and creak of oars in the water, felt the resistance of the water as manpower propelled the boat up the mouth of the river, going from salt to fresh water.
Kit reappeared, expression flat.
“You have the honour of joining Lady Desre for dinner,” he said.
His mind flashed to their first meeting. To being held down flat on his back, and that intrusive touch grabbing between his legs. Despite himself, he cast a wary eye on Kit. He didn’t want to think there was to be a repeat, but he knew that would depend entirely on Desre. Kit had trembled during that last encounter, and Nick understood now that it was because he’d been on the receiving end of her touch. Except he hadn’t had a magical symbol that allowed him to resist.
Kit was a wall of tension as he led Nick onto the deck.
The river they travelled up was wide and slow moving, and the eerie shadows of tall trees lined the banks. Nick could easily make that swim, even if the current dragged him downriver a few hundred metres.
Desre and Captain Hin sat at a table set up in the middle of the deck, and of the two remaining chairs, one had chains. Nick was sorely tempted to walk right by it and plonk down in the other chair, but Kit was so tense and quiet next to him thathe couldn’t bring himself to do it. He sat. He let Kit secure the chains to his wrists. There would be no nose-breaking this time.
Desre watched with contempt. Her nose, unfortunately, looked entirely healed; there was not even the shadow of a bruise left, never mind any swelling.
“Kit tells me you have learned to behave yourself,” Desre said with a smile sharp as a blade; this one looked as much a sneer as all the others. It was as if she genuinely didn’t know how to smile. “I am glad to hear it. Kits may get away with acting like animals from time to time, it’s in their nature, but I won’t tolerate it in a man.”
“And yet you expect everyone to put up with you?”
Kit, halfway into his chair, froze. Captain Hin remained expressionless, but his gaze slid to Kit, studying his reaction. Desre’s eyes filled with something frigid and angry.
“Kit exaggerated your manners. Gag him.” She waved her hand at Kit, the gesture too controlled to be dismissive.
Kit stepped behind Nick’s chair, and before Nick could react, his jaw was grasped tightly and pried open, a leather strip forced between his teeth.
“Tighter than that, darling,” Desre said.
Kit adjusted the strip so that it pulled at Nick’s lips, holding them uncomfortably open.
“Tighter.”
Kit released one hard breath and yanked the leather taunt. Nick’s wrists wrenched against the chains as he reacted to the sharp pain, his jaw and cheek muscles immediately cramping.
“How we’ll make any use of him is a wonder,” Desre remarked as Kit took his seat. “You’re too soft on him.” She reached out, smothering her hand over Kit’s gloved one. “He needs to be intact to be useful, butthisis simply unmanageable.You can be a little harsher, darling. You know how much a sharp tongue can get on my nerves.”
Beneath the table, Kit’s tail latched on to Nick’s thigh, tightening enough to hurt.
“You may come to my rooms later,” Desre said. “And we’ll discuss it.”
Kit flinched away as her hand snaked onto the bare skin of his wrist. Captain Hin looked away, expressionless. At once, Kit’s tension disappeared. His face relaxed, and his eyelids drooped. The tail tight on Nick’s thigh lost its grip.
Nick’s heart sank. The symbol didn’t work.
Kit bowed his head. “Of course, my lady,” he murmured, his voice sweet and affectionate.
