The Summer King Bundle 3 Stories - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,66

not from the Prince. From Caden.

He folded his arm around my shoulders as he drew back. His lips moved against my cheek as my chin lowered. “You don’t have to say anything, sunshine. You understand?”

I tensed so badly I wondered how I didn’t break a bone. Trembling all over, I nodded.

Caden made this sound that should’ve been frightening, but all it did was set my blood on fire and then his finger was under the thin material, skimming through the dampness and heat. I jerked against his hand. No one—no one had touched me in so long. Years, actually, and I knew then that this was no act.

I shifted, spreading my legs and giving him more access and he took it, smoothing his fingers over me and then inside me. I cried out, letting my head fall back as I lost myself to his touch—to him. My hips began moving again, rocking against his hand. A fierce heat surfaced, overshadowing anything I had ever felt before. Building and building till I feared it would consume me.

And then he did something with his finger, hooking it and finding that spot. The tension coiled and then erupted. I came hard, hips bucking against his hand as my forehead dropped against his.

I don’t know how long it took for everything that shattered to come back together and the room to come back into focus. When it did, I could feel him hard and throbbing under me.

Maybe it was the pleasant haze of post orgasmic bliss that gave me the courage. I lifted up ever so slightly and reached for the button on his jeans.

“Hey.” His voice was soft and thick as he caught my wrist, stilling my hand. “You don’t need to do that. What I just did, I did without expecting anything in return.”

“I know.” My forehead was still resting against his. “But I want to.”

He groaned deeply. “I wouldn’t be satisfied with your hand or your mouth. I’d want to get inside you and not only is this not the place for that, I sure as hell don’t want to be inside you when you look like this. I would want it to be you.”

I sucked in air, shuddering at his words. No one wanted me for who I was but Caden.

“We need to get out of here.” He cradled the back of my neck. “Okay?”

Unsure of how to really process him pumping the brakes on this, whatever this was, I nodded. “Okay.”

He drew my head back and then I felt his lips press to my temple. He kissed me there, and I don’t know why, but that act squeezed at my chest like my heart was in a juice grinder. It was sweet and intimate and… It was everything.

Caden helped me to my feet, where I swayed a little as I made sure my wig was in place. He stood and extended his hand. I took it, threading my fingers through his. We both turned—

The door swung open without warning. Standing in the center was the damn female fae. Alyssa. And she wasn’t alone. Behind her were two Ancients, and behind them was another.

“That’s her,” she said, lip curling. “I knew I recognized her. That’s the bitch from Flux. The one who went into the room with Tobias.”

Chapter 23

“Crap,” I muttered.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Alyssa sneered as one of the Ancients shoved another dark-haired Ancient forward, into the room. “Are you working with them too, Neal?”

It was that moment when I realized that Neal was an Ancient. He didn’t look all that concerned as he faced Alyssa and the other two Ancients, but I was.

There were two bald-headed Ancients eyeing Caden and me like they wanted to rip us limb from limb, and as I eyed Neal, I really didn’t trust the Ancient, because I kept seeing the name listed as co-owner.

“I really have no idea what you’re talking about and I really don’t appreciate being shoved around.” Neal lifted a brow. “In my own bar, no less.”

Alyssa, wearing the same black sheath, crossed her slender arms. “Do I look like I care?”

“You should,” Neal replied, straightening the cuffs of his suit jacket.

The female fae smirked as her gaze flickered from Neal to Caden and then finally to me. “Do you think I didn’t know why you were asking about Aric?” she said, speaking to Caden. “You’re the Summer Prince. Wasn’t like I was going to trust you.”

“But you trust Aric?” Caden still held my hand. “You