21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Cyrus

I follow from the sky at a distance, unsure what to do. Finley made it clear she wants to be on this date, so I can't just kidnap her and demand she be with me and not Aeson.

Aeson! Really? This is who Jeslyn wants Finley to be with?

I could have told him she's my fated mate. But it didn't feel right to tell him before I tell Midas. I've tried calling my brother all morning, but unsurprisingly, no answer. I'm sure they're enjoying their family time before tomorrow's ceremony to welcome the little princess into the horde.

I should have told them while I was there, but it didn't feel right to do it when Jeslyn was in labor, and afterwards I felt like I would be stealing something from them by clouding the birth with my confession. Plus, she wasn't twenty-three yet, and I didn't know how they would react .

The goddess may have chosen Finley for me, but I don't think Jeslyn and Midas would have chosen me for her.

I watch Aeson's car from the sky and berate myself for messing this all up. If I had kept my distance completely and controlled myself, she wouldn't think I'm toying with her. But that would have been impossible. I could barely hold back as much as I did.

When they get to the little cafe—a mediocre date at best—I land in the alley and quickly put on the clothes I kept clutched in my talons while I flew.

Once they're seated, I enter and ask the waitress for a table in the opposite corner of the restaurant. Thankfully, the place is crowded enough that they don't notice me. At least not at first.

After getting their coffees and a cinnamon roll to share, Finley spots me. Her eyes widen, then narrow, and she subtly jerks her head toward the bathrooms.

I don't care if she yells at me, at least I'll get to be near her. So I quickly weave between tables to follow her. As soon as I'm close enough, she grabs my wrist and tugs me deeper into the hall, out of sight from the tables.

"You can't be here, Cyrus," she hisses under her breath.

"I can't stay away from you. "

"Yeah, well, could have fooled me."

Her bitter laugh grates on my last nerve. I'm so fucking done with not being able to explain things to her, with her not believing me when I try.

Pinning her against the wall in one swift movement, I drag out a breath. "I didn't lie to you before, Finley. Until today, you weren't of age in my culture. Being with you had consequences I didn't want either of us to face. But there's nothing holding me back anymore, and I'm not letting you go. Never again. We're meant to be together. You might not be willing to admit it yet, but you will." I press my body all the way against hers, locking her between me and the wall. "So go on your little pretend date, make whatever point you want to make, but you and I both know he's not the one you'll end up with." My lips brush the shell of her ear. "You're mine, little flame."

She shivers, swallows, gasps when I kiss a line down her neck.

"Cyrus… I…" Another shuttering breath as my thumb grazes the bare skin between her skirt and the crop top she's wearing. "I can't… I can't be with someone who only wants to be with me in the shadows."

Her gaze flicks around the dark hallway.

"Is that it?" I smile, the tension easing out of me. "You want me to let everyone know you're mine? Not a problem."

I let my fingers slide under her shirt and up both sides of her body, stopping when my thumbs skim the underside of her bare breasts. No fucking bra. I groan. "I'll shout it from the rooftops later, but right now, I need to touch you." I squeeze her ribs a little tighter. "If you want me to stop, tell me now."

She bites her pale pink lip harder, hesitates for a moment, and then shakes her head. I slide my hands to her breasts, thumbs brushing back and forth over her hard nipples. She arches with a soft gasp that makes my cock twitch. I stop, moving one hand up to wrap her neck and the other down to cup her pussy over her skirt. Our lips are so close, a hairsbreadth apart.

"Last chance, Finley," I rasp, panting as hard as she is. "Tell me to stop."

"Don't stop," she whispers.

The gap between us vanishes. Hungry lips meet mine. My touch moves around to the back of her neck, and I pull her closer, devouring her as she devours me. Her heat is everywhere, her body searing me like a brand. Hers .

I want to make her come. Need to make her come. Don't care if we get kicked out. It'll just cut her date short. Get her back to my bed faster. Not a problem.

Grabbing her ass, I lift her, and she instinctively wraps her legs around me. Mine. My mate, my flame, my heart. The new position lines us up perfectly. When I rock my hips against her, dry humping her right here in the hall, she moans into my mouth. So needy. So perfect.

I stroke her ass, fingertips rubbing along the thin line of fabric between her cheeks. It only takes a few seconds for her to come undone. She tenses and shakes. I push her thong against her tight back hole and she cries out too quickly for me to muffle it.

The sight of her coming is so beautiful it makes the base of my spine tingle, heat spreading, muscles tensing. I come in my pants without warning, like a silent shot fired in the dark.

Our foreheads drop together as we try to catch our breath. Slowly, I lower her back to the ground.

"Did you just…?" She pulls back to look at me.

"Yeah." I smile wide and proud. I'm not even embarrassed. I brush her hair out of her face and look into her eyes, cupping her cheek in my palm. "Don't worry. I have an excellent recovery time. It's just hard to control myself around you, Ra'ia."

"I understand the feeling." She drops her cheek to my chest. "Why can't I resist you, Cyrus?"

"Because you're mine." I kiss her forehead and it wrinkles under my lips. She doesn't understand. She won't until she knows what I am. But for now, I'll just keep reassuring her .

And I know exactly how I'll start.

Grinning, I sink to my knees, prepared to make her come again. This time on my tongue. Finley gasps as my warm breath hits her silk-covered pussy.

"What the hell is going on back here?" A voice exclaims.

"Fuck." Finley shoves my head back, stepping away from me. "I forgot where—I didn't—I'm so sorry."

I casually stand up, dig my wallet out of my pocket, then face the older woman at the end of the hall. She's got her hands on her hips and an outraged expression on her face.

"This is a family restaur—"

"Forgive us. It's her birthday, a very important one, and I got a little carried away."

"Get out. And never—"

"Don't finish that sentence." I hold out five hundred-dollar bills. She stares at my hand with an open mouth. "My girl likes this place. I promise to never come with her again—the temptation's too great. Something about the smell of cinnamon and syrup just makes me want to lick something. I'm sure you can understand. Please don't hold that against her. Like I said, I promise I won't come back, but I need you not to ban her." I push the money closer.

"I…" The woman looks over her shoulder, then back at the cash. "Fine." She grabs the small stack of bills. "But you get out of here. Now!"

Finley's still shaking, and I'm not sure if it's from the orgasm or the adrenaline of getting caught, so I give her a little support, keeping my hand on her back until we reach her table, where I pull out her chair for her.

With a stern look, I give Aeson my command. "Make sure my Ra'ia gets a good breakfast. She's probably hungry, and I plan on her using up a lot of calories later."

His eyes go wide. " Your Ra'ia?"

"Yes."

"You mean our Ra'ia, right? Because she's our queen's sister."

"No. I mean my Ra'ia."

Aeson looks like he's about ready to shift out of his skin from nerves. If she wants me to shout it from the rooftops, I will, even if I haven't told Midas yet. Hopefully, Aeson is smart enough to keep his mouth shut for now. Either way, I'm glad he's picking up on what I'm trying to say. He needs to know that pursuing Finley would be challenging me.

To make it extra clear, I don't bother hiding the stain on my pants or fixing Finley's askew shirt or the messy hair she's too blissed out to notice.

I give him one last warning look, then kiss Finley's forehead. "See you at home, my beautiful flame."