"Free time?" Roy exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes, Roy, free time." Ezra flattened his smile to give the appearance of sternness that would get through to the small boy. "Save some of it to make sure you're clean for dinner."
I wasn't sure if the nodding boy heard a single word he had spoken as he dragged kai and his sister out behind him, too excited to be given an extra chance to explore the never-ending twists and turns of the castle.
Ezra shook his head as he began to collect the abandoned books, papers, and writing utensils they had left behind. I eyed him for a moment in thought before deciding to use his moment of distraction to sneak up behind him, tired of waiting for answers to come to me.
It was time to go after them.
Starting with the weakest link.
For once, I wasn't the one being cornered. Ezra jumped, turning to face me when my hands landed on the table on either side of him, caging him in. The tactic wouldn't have worked on any of the others. While Ezra looked down at me with widened eyes as he swallowed thickly, anyone else in his place would have laughed in my face.
But they didn't have as much on the line as Ezra. He was the only one who remained unbonded, and given everyone's reaction to Axel and his wayward teeth, I didn't fear Ezra resorting to the same methods. Not when he'd disappear to 'fight with Jaxon and Axel on Aradonna' if he did.
Bullshit.
Every time they told the lie or tried to avoid it altogether, it was like I could taste the sour note it held on my tongue. I was tired of them trying to gaslight me.
If they were going to lie, so could I.
Raising a hand, I started playing with the top button of Ezra's shirt, making sure my fingers grazed his bare skin beneath. He shivered, trying to hide it but failing.
I leaned in towards him, twisting the button between my fingers.
"Ezra," my tongue darted out over my lip, trying to hide my awkwardness at the seductive tone I was forcing. "Are you avoiding me?" I tilted my head slightly to the side as I looked up into his eyes.
The embarrassment the memory would bring in the future was worth it when it produced the wanted response from the green-eyed man my heart still ached for with the hidden glances I caught myself sending his way. Ezra's cheeks flushed red and he tried to take a step back, forgetting he was trapped by the table behind him.
I felt a small thrill at the sudden power I possessed. I hadn't been entirely sure how he was going to react when I had begun, but my doubts were quelled as I watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed again. It was a welcomed change.
One that left me craving more.
I leaned into him further, forcing him to place a hand on my hip in an attempt to stop me.
"What are you doing, Nea?" His brows rose, disappearing under the curls that fell onto his forehead.
I widened my eyes and blinked up at him, putting on a face of cluelessness to reflect how stupid they all must have thought I was.
They couldn't lie when the bonds revealed the truth.
"What do you mean?" My finger hooked beneath the button, my nail lightly dragging over his skin. I dug it in harder, continuing to pull down until the button snapped open.
I couldn't help but visibly swallow myself as I continued to trail my finger down, my eyes following it as I parted Ezra's shirt further, forgetting my initial objective for a moment. The problem was solved by the target himself.
