Page 84 of Forsaking All Others

“Don’t go there, Jag.”

I look at the ceiling, all thoughts of screwing the Greek now wiped from my mind. I’ve slept with hundreds in the past thirty years, maybe thousands. But the image of one woman’s molten hair spilling over the pillows, her purple-blue eyes on mine as we’d made love, is the one that haunts me.

‘No, not made love. Fucked. Raped essentially. She was forced. She never loved me. Christ, why can’t I let her live her life and accept that it was never me, it was always him?’

“You’re right, Wolf. I apologise.”

“No need for that, man, it’s me you’re talking to. Look…we both know you fucked up in shagging Angie. There’s no two ways about it. But we also both know you’re a man of honour and you’ve done your penance. No one does self-flagellation as well as you. You stepped away, you accepted she chose him, and you accepted he wanted her — wanted her so badly he would have given up his seat for her.”

“Yes,” I murmur. “They belong together.”

“Falcon’s temper is legion,” he sighs. “When he gave the ultimatum for you to enter the Games he did it to punish you and probably regretted it instantly, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to back down.”

“No,” I shake my head. “He knows what it is to love her, and he knows my temperament. He won’t let me back into the fold until I can prove my interest lies elsewhere. It doesn’t matter that I stepped back; I’ll always love her. He knows that.”

“Yes,” Wolf snorts, “but you need to prove to him that your love is just devotion, not a longing to get her back in the sack. Your decision to enter the Games was a good one. Get through it, bring back some slut, and re-enter our lives. Falcon’s coming up with all sorts of unhinged strategies to protect his house at the moment, and no one can talk sense into him like you can.”

“I would have thought the more unhinged the better for you, Wolf.”

He laughs.

“My plan was to cement Suzume’s boyfriend into a block in the shape of a giant cock and cast him into the sea.”

“Shit,” I shake my head, “you two can’t be trusted to be left alone. I seriously do need to get back into that house and bring the voice of reason.”

“You do,” he laughs, “so don’t go flinging yourself into a vat of melted silver or anything dramatic.”

“No chance of that. Oh, and by the way, Asumpta paid me a visit, or rather, she paid some of the competitors a visit.”

“Jesus Christ, be careful, Jag, she’s mental as fuck. And that’s saying something coming from me.”

I chuckle quietly.

“I don’t fear her, brother. When I catch her, and I will, I’ll escort her back to the Queen’s dungeons. This time I don’t think there’ll be such a delay in delivering her sentence.”

‘And if she lays a finger on my contestants, I’ll dispense that justice myself.’

“I’ll let Falcon know,” Wolf snorts, “at least if she’s stalking her obsession she’s away from his door for a while. He’ll be relieved one less enemy is focusing on his house.”

“I’ll be back soon to shore up his battlements,” I sigh.

“Good. Meanwhile, just screw your way through this game and get the fuck back here before Lord Dragonspur raises an army to defend his daughter’s honour.”

“Bastard daughter,” I remind him gently, looking up as Vasiliki peers in through the doors, her eyes hot with lust.

Sighing, I accept his cat analogy might have some merit.

“Don’t give him any more ideas until I get there, Wolf. I’m coming.”

61

The sprawling resort we’re staying at in Vietnam is beautiful, and even our messy new roommate can’t detract from how gorgeous our room is.

From the air, you wouldn’t know it existed. It’s designed to have an unobtrusive architectural footprint, blending traditional Vietnamese village elements with striking contemporary minimalism.

I absolutely adore it, even though it’s like nothing I’ve ever stayed in before.

“Double king beds each,” Thorun laughs, collapsing onto one featuring stark white bed linen and a pink silk throw with matching pillows.