My erection began to deflate, and I focused my attention on the corner where Orion had a woman pressed against the wall. He was pounding into her like he had a grudge.
All afternoon he’d been rougher than usual.
Practically feral.
My deflating cock swelled as I watched his passion.
I slammed my hips harder into the woman beneath me, but when my balls pulled up and the familiar tightening had my ass clenching, I stopped watching my Revered.
Turned my head.
Arabella was lying upside down on John’s bed. Fully clothed with her hoodie up over her head.
John lay beside her, shirtless with his pants low on his hips.
They were taking turns blowing smoke animals and watching her deranged crow fight them.
She smiled broadly like she didn’t have a care in the world.
It seemed innocent.
Two friends hanging out.
But two hours ago, John had had his sweatpants down around his knees as a girl choked on his dick.
It hadn’t escaped my notice that Arabella had watched.
After he’d come down her throat, John had refused to do anything else with the woman, even as she begged him for it.
He’d never once refused someone, male or female, because his lust rivaled ours. And now he was lying next to our slave, looking positively chummy as he ignored the stream of men and women that came asking for his dick.
I didn’t like it.
Toxic emotions swirled in my gut as I pistoned my hips harder and focused on the way Arabella’s lips wrapped around her pipe.
She leaned her head back with her eyes closed and a grin on her lips. Her delicate neck was extended over the side of the bed as she blew out smoke.
Did she know what she looked like? What that position made me want to do to her?
I wanted to destroy her.
Orion turned his head to stare at her. The girl beneath him slapped against the wall harder.
Arabella exhaled smoke slowly, bee-stung lips hissing, and Scorpius swore as he came.
Bloodshot eyes opened.
Her gaze locked on mine, and she smiled broader.
My stomach cramped because I could tell she was faking it.
She was clearly in pain, yet she masked it. She put on a front for everyone.
For some reason the fact that she was pretending pissed me off.
She used sarcasm as a shield.
I slammed the belt down as hard as I could.
I fought the urge to grimace with disgust at the person beneath me, and I turned to glare across the room.
Arabella studied her palm with a confused expression like she found something interesting on her hand.
Then she flipped up her middle finger and glared.
Dark-blue eyes were cold as ice.
Emotionless.
I bared my teeth at her, and she smiled back at me mockingly.
My lips curved up in a genuine smile, and I couldn’t stop the chuckle that burst out.
The woman beneath me moaned annoyingly loud.
I stopped laughing.
Arabella raised her brow and shook her head as she took a long drag from her pipe. Smoke curled slowly out of her ridiculous mouth.
My balls tightened as a jolt of pleasure streaked down my spine.
Leather cracked loudly as I slammed it down.
Arabella flinched but her congenial expression didn’t fall.
I smiled back.
My expression was as fake as hers.
Chapter 19
Aran
SECRETS
The Legionnaire Games: Day 30, hour 11
The haze lifted.
For a few blessed hours, the world was a warm, bright place filled with Sadie, John, and warm hugs.
I laughed with John as three fake fae lunatics bowed and kissed my knuckles.
For once, everything was going my way.
I had an overwhelming urge to light scented candles and gossip with Sadie about how stupid the kings were. Go for a nice breezy jog. Paint my nails red and put on lip gloss.
In my mind I was fashionable and carefree.
In reality, there was no reality. I played pretend.
Malum even retracted his earlier statement and said we could rest. Blessings were truly raining down around me.
I shuffled down the lightning-streaked hall, leaning against John. To an outside observer, it would seem like we had our arms across each other’s shoulders in a friendly embrace.
John was fully supporting me.
Whatever they’d done to slow our healing was really screwing up my joints.
I hobbled. Stabbing pain shot through my hips and knees as cartilage popped and snapped.
Sweat dotted my brow as John leaned to his right so he was basically carrying me.
“Dude, I’m fine,” I said casually and tugged away from his grip.
John smirked. “Sure, dude.” His grip tightened, and he didn’t release me.
I didn’t fight him.
How did I get such loyal friends?
John had hauled my ass out of the freezing ocean, fought next to me in battles, matched my pace on runs, and helped me get away with murder. And Sadie had almost started an inter-realm war in her quest to save me from this academy.
I was lucky.
My heart was full of warmth.
So lucky.
Malum stopped in front of our door, and his harsh features pulled up into an evil sneer. “Change of plans. We’re going to let off some steam.”
His meaning doused me with a bucket of cold water.
Then Malum grabbed my arm and said I couldn’t go to the library.
My spirits sank further.
I was bound to them and couldn’t leave.
Then, to add insult to injury, Scorpius devoured Orion’s mouth and distracted the only devil that might have been on my side.
I ignored the streaks of pain that lit up my back as they kissed. And I didn’t dwell on the images of Orion and Scorpius kissing while I lay between them, which flooded my brain.
I needed a bottle of unidentified enchanted pills and a week of therapy. ASAP.
When Malum asked if John wanted a man or a woman, a horrible feeling crushed my chest. I felt sick, which was completely irrational. John was just my friend. I didn’t care who he had sex with.
You’re still so lucky, I reminded myself as I climbed into John’s bed.
A few beds down, the demons crawled under their sheets as they attacked each other with kisses. Proof that romance wasn’t dead for everyone.
Just some of us.
The door opened, and four women entered the room in a cloud of perfume.
They were a gaggle of smooth, unblemished skin, bright eyes, long glossy hair, shiny lips, and expertly applied makeup.
They sparkled.
From their coy smiles and effervescent laughter, they still possessed a will to live. I made a mental note to ask them after the party where they got their energy from.
Was it journaling, drinking green juice, or hitting men that kept the light shining in their eyes?
I’d try anything.
I pushed my pipe between my lips and turned my hands over.
Swollen knuckles and gnarled fingers stared back at me. Raw cuticles and ravaged nails. A long gash snaked across the top of my hand and trailed down my forearm. It puckered grotesquely.
Green-and-black bruises.
The sick sensation twisting in my lower stomach intensified.
I pulled my hoodie up. Covered my wild curls. Tucked my knees under so I was cocooned in soft fabric and tugged the sleeves over my hands.
Hid myself.
Leaned back against the wall.
I inhaled twice in rapid succession, then exhaled slowly.
Sixteen, twenty-five, thirty-six, forty-nine, sixty-four, eighty-one, one hundred, one hundred and twenty-one, I counted upward in square roots.