A Death to Seek (Thornes & Roses 3)

“I wouldn’t tell anyone,” I whisper as I take him in. His usually cocoa eyes are black, the pupils have hidden the irises, and he looks like a hunter who’s caught his dinner for the night. “But why wouldn’t you want to be with him?”

“What I want doesn’t matter in this life,” he tells me, and the sadness that drips from his voice makes my chest ache. “If I told my father I was bisexual, he would disown me.”

“How do you know that?” I query as my brows furrow together. “You cannot know what someone else would do unless they do it.”

The corner of his mouth tilts, the smirk salaciously mischievous, and his hand reaches for my face. He cups my cheek, his thumb swiping over my lips, tugging my lower lip to the side. His gaze burns with curiosity as he takes in my features.

“Such a wise little princess,” he remarks. Then, he leans in even closer. “How long were you standing there watching us?” The question feels as if it’s loaded with intent. He knows I was there for a while because if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be grinning manically at me.

“N-not t-that long,” I stutter, but Finn chuckles, the sound vibrating through me.

Finn regards me, his head tipped to the side, his eyes narrowed. “Then why are your cheeks flushed?” He trails his hand lower, gripping the column of my neck, while his thumb rests on my pulse point. “And why is your heart racing?” Both questions are filled with answers already.

“Perhaps she liked the show.” Another voice comes from behind Finn. Jarred. “Maybe the little princess is all wet and needy now that she’s seen just what her husband has hidden behind his zipper. Or maybe, just maybe, she was standing there wanting to play with her pussy while she watched us enjoy ourselves.” Each and every word Jarred utters is laced with amusement, and with every remark, he comes even closer. And now that both men are looming over me, I’m shaking.

It’s not fear.

It’s desire.

The emotion courses through me like a magnetic field. I picture it like sound waves, my mind awash with scenarios that could play out right now.

“Mmm, so if I were to touch you right now, I’d find you wet,” Finn says, it’s not a question, because Finn doesn’t need to ask permission. If he did touch me, I wouldn’t deny him. My body would never say no because I am attracted to him. And he knows it.

“And if I were to press a kiss to your neck right now, your pulse would react in kind,” Jarred remarks, and my gaze flicks to his. In those silver eyes, I find an electric storm so dangerous, it threatens to annihilate me right where I stand.

“Like I said, I wouldn’t tell anybody,” I repeat as I keep my eyes on Finn.

Finn doesn’t release me. His hold only tightens. It’s a warning. One that I won’t ignore, and one that I’ll never dismiss. “Pack a bag,” he says then before his hand finally releases my neck. “We’re going away in a few days.”

“Going away?”

“Yes, I have some business to deal with and you’re coming with me and Jarred.” He turns on his heel and leaves me with Jarred. I glance at the man beside me, taking him in. He’s beautiful. Like one of those princes in a Disney movie. Only, he has ink running over his skin, which makes him appear dangerous, like a rebel. And I can’t help but smile.

“I know I’m right,” he tells me as his mouth quirks. “I know you enjoyed the show.”

I want to deny it, but I don’t. “I didn’t think there was anything wrong with me exploring the grounds of my new home,” I inform him before crossing my arms in front of my chest. “In the future, I’ll stay away from the shed.”

“I didn’t say that, Princess.” This time, he’s the one who has my pulse racing when he leans in to whisper in my ear, “Next time, you should join us. Have you ever had two men worship your body?” His question is hot on my neck. The breath he releases has goosebumps dotting across my skin. A shiver wracks through me, filled with need and lust.

I don’t tell him I’ve only been with one boy. When I turned eighteen, I allowed myself to fall into the trap of believing a guy actually liked me. But all he wanted was to tell everyone he slept with me. He wanted fame and recognition, which I gave to him on a silver platter. When we broke up, I knew I’d made a mistake.

“I think you should leave,” I tell Jarred, “I need to pack.”

He chuckles before he pulls away from me and moves to the door that leads to the bathroom. Once I’m alone, I can breathe again, but even as I inhale deeply, the scent of both men lingers in my bedroom. I’m not sure where we’re going, but maybe getting out of the Thorne manor will change things. It will put both Finn and me on equal ground, so he doesn’t have the home advantage.