Page 100 of Vicious Kings
"Children," Caelyx says, and the word drips with contempt. He still hasn't taken his eyes off Corvinus, and there's a tension between them that goes beyond sibling rivalry. This is some primal alpha territorial bullshit thing. The kind that ends with someone bleeding.
But Corvinus doesn't seem to notice. Or if he does, he doesn't give a shit. He actuallysmilesat Caelyx, warm and genuine, like he's happy to see him.
"Brother," Corvinus says, and there's genuine affection in the word, unlike the way Caelyx says it. "You've been scarce lately. I was starting to worry."
He means it. The stupid idiot actually means it.
Corvinus has no idea. Nofucking ideathat the brother he's smiling at wants him dead. That the warmth he's offering is being received by someone who'd use it as kindling.
"I've been busy," Caelyx says, his smile not reaching his eyes. "Clearly, so have you."
"Billie and I were just?—"
"I can see what you werejust." Caelyx pushes off the doorframe, and the temperature drops. He's taller than Corvinus by maybe an inch, and right now he's using every bit of that height advantage. "A word of advice, brother. Be careful what you taste. Some things are sweeter than they should be."
Corvinus's brow furrows slightly, confusion flickering across his features before he smooths it away.
"Always so cryptic," Corvinus says lightly. He reaches out and clasps Caelyx's shoulder, a gesture of fraternal affection that makes Caelyx's jaw clench so hard I can see the muscle jump. "You should join us for dinner this week. Tallon's been asking about you."
"Perhaps." Caelyx's gaze slides to me for the first time, and whatever's in those red eyes makes my blood run cold. "Take care of yourself, Miss Moreau."
Then he's gone, dissolving into the hallway like he was never there.
Corvinus watches the empty doorway for a moment, a rueful smile on his lips when he turns back to me. "He's always been like that. I keep hoping..."
He trails off, shaking his head. And I see it clearly now, the thing that makes Corvinus so dangerous and so vulnerable at the same time. He loves his brother. Genuinely, stupidly loves him. Sees the sharp edges and thinks they're just armor protecting something worth reaching.
He has no idea the armor is all there is.
And I have no way of knowing if that frigid stalker routine was just part of the show we're selling Corvinus, or if he really is pissed I took things into my own hands.
Or rather… Corvinus did.
Fuck.
"I need to go," I say, and my voice comes out steadier than expected given that I just had an orgasm on a bathroom sink. "I need... space. To think about…" I paused, waving my hand in the air before I add, "this."
For once, he doesn't argue. Instead, he nods, something almost tender in his expression.
"Of course." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and I let him, because his tongue has already been all over my pussy and that seems like an odd place to draw the line. "Take all the time you need."
I grab my bag and leave without looking back. My legs carry me through the hallway on autopilot, past students who stare and whisper, past buildings I barely register.
The dorm room is empty when I get there. Olivia must still be in class, which means I have the space to myself. I lock the door, kick off my boots, and collapse face-first onto my bed.
The pillow smells like vanilla. Olivia's spray, contaminating everything on my side of the room no matter how many times I ask her to keep it contained. Drowning out Corvinus's scent.
I press my face into it and scream.
It doesn't help.
Neither does remembering Corvinus still has my fucking panties.
Twenty-Eight
BILLIE
"Are you even reading that?"
