Forbidden Craving(75)

"-reason I would kick him out of bed," Martina was saying, pulling Shaye's focus out of her head, "was to do him on the floor."

Chuckles abounded.

Another girl said, "I've never been this happy! I mean, who cares if we are being used for sex. Sex feels good. We should only care if we're being used for cooking and laundry."

More chuckles.

Another comment arose from the midst. "I once had to explain to my ex that sex without foreplay was like going down a waterslide without water. I don't have to explain anything to my nymph."

Okay, maybe the card did apply to her circumstances. She wanted to scream: This isn't you! You're drugged by that stupid pheromone. You're better than this.

What a nightmare this was. The men were in danger, and no one wanted to talk strategy.

The conversation changed, taking a new direction. Apparently there was a new nymph in residence. One more handsome than any of the others, including Valerian. He liked to ask questions, and he could bring a woman to climax with only a look.

Ugh. Was Brenna here? Shaye really needed an ally. Someone to share her worries with-someone to help her remain calm.

"Brenna," she called.

The beauty shouldered her way through the crowd. "I'm here."

Thank the good Lord above!

At the sound of her raspy voice, some of the women shared pitying looks. Brenna noticed, and her shoulders rolled in.

Shaye considered throwing a pimp hand around. No one hurts my friend!

She pulled Brenna into the nearest corner. First things first. "How are you? Did Shivawn punish you for trying to escape?"

"Escape. This again?" A woman named Tiffany tsk-tsked. She leaned against one of the bars. "Please tell me you two aren't trying again. If you are, at least wait until everyone is sleeping and you have a chance of success."

"I still don't understand why you'd want to escape, anyway." The redhead who'd left Valerian's room that very first night stepped forward, unabashedly joining the conversation. "He's the best lover in the history of ever. I polled my body parts and they all agreed."

Well, well. Here was one of those testimonials Valerian had considered giving her.

Shaye's hands fisted as...yes, oh, yes-as jealousy speared her. There was no denying it or convincing herself another emotion was at play.

Diamonds were a girl's best friend until Valerian happened.

"I still dream about him," another woman said. Her blade of a nose gave her a regal air. She sighed dreamily. "Does he ever speak of me? I'm Ameena, by the way."

Shaye's teeth gnashed together as images of Valerian and Ameena-naked and straining-consumed her mind.





 

 
Jealousy was new to her, and she wasn't exactly sure how to deal with it. "No," she said. "He hasn't mentioned you."

"Oh." Ameena's shoulders sagged with disappointment. "Let me know when he tires of you. I give the best 'get over her and get under me' blow jobs."

When, she'd said. Not if.

I will cut first and ask questions never!

But...if Shaye were being honest, she'd admit she feared the same.

How long would Valerian remain interested in her?

Would she lose him soon after he awakened desires that she'd thought buried?

How long until his eye began to rove in search of someone else? Someone sweeter and more biddable?

He was a nymph, after all, and commitment had never before been his jam.

But he hadn't yet met me.

I'm a novelty, that's all.

Valerian would tire of her at some point. Already he'd expressed dissatisfaction with her. She complained, never praised.

A fair criticism.

Let's face it. Everyone she'd ever loved had either abandoned her or disappointed her so massively she had never recovered. No one stuck around. No one had ever wanted to work at the relationship.

Yet here she was, falling for Valerian and giving him more of her heart than she'd ever given to another.

Her first instincts had been right. She needed to leave him.

The pang in her chest said only one word: stay.

Clinging to hope, like a fool.

Well, it was time to destroy that hope once and for all!

"What makes you so certain he'll tire of me at all?" What did these women see when she and Valerian interacted?

Ameena shrugged. "Don't take this the wrong way, but he's a king and you aren't exactly queen material."

There was a right way to take that?

A dozen new cards took shape in her head. All of them about breaking up.

It's not you, it's me. I've finally realized you're terrible for me.

Don't cry because the relationship ended. Laugh because your ex is now someone else's problem.

Remaining friends after a breakup is like keeping your dog after it dies. FYI we're done. 

It's better to love and lose than to live with your scum of an ex.