Page 22 of The Stygian Crown
Apparently Logan’s disguise at the ball hadn’tallbeen a ruse meant to trick her, but it still rankled. “What happened in the desert, Jon? With Logan and the princess?” Would he tell her the truth of it?
Jon rubbed the back of his neck. “I…I don’t know. She’s the flirtatious sort, was after him like a dog with a bone. I think it was a sticking point for her that he didn’t immediately succumb. She’s bent out of shape about her betrothal and looking to rebel.”
“Did anything happen?”
“I sincerely doubt it, Kara. The man’s crazy about you. He set a devilish pace across the Karashae, determined to get back here before the month was out. And it’s not a hospitable climate, to say the least.”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s too late.”
“You’ve…keened already?”
Kara glanced away from him. Let them believe what they wanted. She rose from the chair, propped her leg up on it, and slid her dagger from its sheathe on her inner thigh. It was the only place to hide a weapon when she wore form-fitting gowns, and she had a small bruise where the pommel had rubbed against her skin.
Jon made a strangled noise in his throat. “So that’s where you’ve been keeping those. I’m sore you never thanked me, by the way.”
Kara stilled, swinging her eyes to his. “They were from you?” She’d half-thought Logan had been lying about not getting them for her this whole time.
“Who else?”
Who else, indeed? “How extravagant,” Kara said, crossing the room to him on bare feet. She held his gaze with hers. His throat bobbed as she neared, eyes darkening. “Excessive.” She ran her finger under his jaw and tilted his face up to hers. “And lovely.”
And then Kara kissed him. She didn’t know what she was thinking. She was drunk on power, drunk on his lust for her. She wanted something to fill the gaping hole in her chest. She wanted to destroy.
Jon's hands clenched the edge of the couch when her lips touched his. He was still at first, unresponsive. Kara’s demon roared. She lowered herself into his lap and wrapped her hands around his neck. His muscles went taut beneath her. A silent war waged within his body.
Then his hands dove into her hair, and his lips awoke beneath hers, kissing her back. His kiss was slow and sensual, explorative. He nipped at her lips, coaxing them open for his tongue. Where Logan’s kisses were a streak of flame straight to her loins, Jon’s was a slow burn. A steady blaze to Logan’s wildfire.
Jon pulled away, his expression heady. “We shouldn’t do this.”
“Was that thank you enough?”
The sound of splintering wood echoed through the room.
Kara jerked her head up. Logan stood in the doorway, eyes ringed red, pieces of the broken door frame clenched in his fists. Rage pulsed off him in waves.
“Logan—” Jon started.
“Don’t,second.” His voice was dark, furious. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he twisted his neck, stretching it out. Then he closed his eyes and whispered under his breath.
Was he…counting?
Logan’s shoulders bunched, every muscle in his body shuddering. Then he turned around and strode away. A few seconds later, a loud thud came down the hallway.
Kara stared at the shattered doorframe in shock. It was made of thick, solid pieces of timber. She rose off of Jon’s lap on shaky knees, and he stood up behind her.
“Fuck. This is not good. In fact, it’s very, very bad.”
“Are you going to talk to him?”
“Mother Night, no. I’d like to keep my head attached to my body. I’m amazed he was able to walk away.” Jon ran both hands through his hair, gripping the ends in his fists. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty. It’s nothing he hasn’t done.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw him kiss Ariana.”
“How—you know what, I don’t want to know. Did you kiss me just to get back at him?”
