“They did,” he answered, and I tensed. “And you should have better associates.”
Wait. If Neal was somehow connected to Tobias, then wouldn’t he be connected to Alyssa? I curled my fingers around the neckline of Caden’s shirt.
“So, you’re the reason why Tobias is no longer among us?” Neal asked, and I was a little surprised that this fae would speak so freely in front of me. He had no idea who I was.
Then again, based on my current position, he probably wasn’t worried about what I’d say or do. He probably thought I was glamoured.
“I am,” the Prince replied.
He’d just lied.
Holy crap, Caden had just lied for me, and he could’ve said anything, but he took responsibility for what I’d done. I didn’t know how to process that.
Neal snorted. “Tobias was an idiot.”
“True.” His hand was moving again, and every fiber of my being zeroed in on its travels. “Why would Tobias be meeting with Aric?”
“He was?”
“And you don’t know why he was at Flux?”
“I figured he was there to fuck and feed as most do.”
I wrinkled my nose.
“And they can’t do that here?” Caden asked.
“My establishment is a bit more… high class than that.” Neal sighed. “You know, I have heard something else through the grapevine. From what I hear, Aric is wanting to test the loyalty of the fae here.”
“Loyalty to the Queen?” he asked, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
Neal didn’t answer vocally, but I was assuming he must’ve nodded, because the Prince asked, “Is Aric planning to find a way to contact the Queen?”
“That is something you’d have to ask him, but if I was a betting man, I would say yes,” Neal responded. “Aric wants to be more than a Knight. He wants to be a King.”
What the….?
The Prince scoffed at that as his hand crept farther under the dress, those fingers reaching the crease between my thigh and pelvis, causing me to gasp. His other hand squeezed the base of my neck, the touching oddly reassuring.
And that made no sense. So it had to be him. His scent was… it was doing strange things to my common sense, but he smelled amazing. A wicked spice and fresh scent that permeated. The skin of his throat was right there, scant inches from my lips. If I opened my mouth, I could taste him.
I shouldn’t be thinking about that. I should be paying attention to this conversation, priorities and all, but he was messing with me, and after what I saw at his place and what I’d done for him, that really ticked me off.
Fake it ‘til you make it? Isn’t that what he said? Screw that. More like make this just as uncomfortable for him as it was for me. He thought he had the upper hand? He was about to learn that wasn’t the case.
“Do you know where Aric—” The Prince’s voice cut off abruptly as I flicked my tongue over his skin. The grip on my neck tightened, and I grinned. He cleared his throat. “Do you know where Aric is staying?”
“I don’t.” Amusement clouded Neal’s voice. “You know that he knows how to stay hidden.”
“Unfortunately.” The Prince’s voice was deeper, rougher. Then I did something I would’ve never thought I’d ever do. I dragged the tip of my tongue up the side of his neck, and when I felt his chest rise sharply against me, I nipped at his ear. His chest then rubbed against mine, and I wanted to laugh. “There’s something I want to know,” he said, slipping his hand between my thighs, and the laugh died in my throat. I lost the upper hand that quickly. “Are you still loyal to the Queen?”
The question should’ve set off a million warning flags, especially since I was still convinced that the name Rica was just an anagram for Aric, but I couldn’t think beyond where his hand was, how close his fingers were to touching me.
“I was never loyal to the Queen in the first place,” Neal answered. “I am not loyal to Aric… or to you.”
“I never asked for your loyalty.” A moment passed and then he touched me with one finger, dragging it down the silk center of my panties.
I stopped breathing.
“You may not have asked, but don’t tell me you don’t want it. You’re the Summer Court’s—”
“I know what I am.” His finger toyed with the edges of the panty, grazing sensitive skin. Hazy heat swamped me. I couldn’t… I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been touched like this. “That does not change that I have never asked for your loyalty nor do I expect it.”
“Interesting,” Neal murmured. “Can that lovely little morsel in your lap handle both of us?”
Hold up.
Every muscle in my body locked up as I held my breath. I had no idea how the Prince would respond. What if he said yes? If so, things were about to get messy.
“I don’t share,” the Prince growled.
“Well,” Neal drawled. “That’s a shame.”
Part of me relaxed, but only an infinitely small part that wasn’t humming from the swipe of the Prince’s fingers. I was breathing heavy, my hands clenching at his shoulders at that sweeping heat. Two years ago I would have never imagined allowing something like this to occur, enjoying something like this.
But I was.
I couldn’t lie to myself.
“I’m finding this conversation fairly hard to follow,” Neal added, his voice thicker. “And the woman, although disappointingly human, to be rather distracting.”
“You and me both,” the Prince replied wryly while I wondered if he could feel how damp the thin piece of material was. He had to. So that meant I really would have to murder him. “There’s something else I need to ask you.”
“Make it quick.”
I bit down on my lip as his finger traveled down the center of my panties again, but this time with more pressure. It was no slight butterfly touch. Oh no, this one had purpose. The other hand left my neck and curled around my ass.
“Is Aric partners with you?” the Prince said, and I couldn’t stop my reaction as his thumb grazed over the bundle of nerves.
My hips twitched into his hand.
“If he was, wouldn’t I know where he is? I just told you that I didn’t nor was I loyal to him.”
“You did.” The Prince turned his head, pressing his hot mouth against my shoulder. The kiss… I don’t know. It did everything to me. Startled and confused me. Stirred up the heat and newly discovered lust.
“Are you suggesting what I think you are?” There was a pause. “That I’m lying to you?”
“I’m suggesting that Aric is involved in the missing younglings, because I know the missing males wouldn’t have willingly disappeared.” His finger moved as he spoke, lingering at the most sensitive spot before traveling along the center. It was driving me crazy. He put the slightest pressure against the crotch of my panties, and I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood to muffle the moan. The Prince still heard it. I knew he did, because he rewarded me with a hard squeeze with his other hand. “Not after so many of them lost family members during the battle with the Queen.”
“How many are missing?”