The Raven Flame [The Crown Saga III] (First Draft)

Envious Love

My breath hitched when my back was pressed against the cold wall, spreading cold shivers across my naked shoulders.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Caiden's heat stung my skin in response to the icy chill spiking the nerves of my delicate armor.

"Caiden," I whispered, looking up to glimpse his mesmerizing eyes. They were shifting like the tide, silently debating which of my features to settle on.

He'd gotten rid of the blue blazer, undone the first two buttons of his dress shirt, and rolled up his sleeves, exposing more of his body than I'd seen in a while. The sight made my heart drum louder, but I stopped myself before I could submit to its desire.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered, shifting my eyes from his enticing lips to his bulging chest. It didn't help settle my heart, but I was trapped between his arms with nowhere to run. He'd see my cheeks turn golden if I looked up.

"Waiting for you," he whispered, goosebumps trailing down my neck as he leaned closer to my ear.

I held my breath when I thoughtlessly touched his chest to maintain some kind of distance between us.

His body felt warm underneath my hand—like a seductive invitation to a realm of passion and freedom.

Caiden looked down at my daring hand, then up at my flustered face again. His muscles flexed, and I felt his entire body tense.

The hand I held against his body was the one wearing Tarkan's heavy engagement ring. The crimson stones glistened in the warm, artificial light that surrounded us, catching the eye of anyone looking in my direction.

I'd wanted to take it off and throw it into an endless abyss more times than I could count, but I hadn't dared. I'd barely dared walk outside the boundaries of my room without it, fearing the ruthless eyes judging me.

Right now, however, the eyes judging me belonged to Caiden.

"You're still planning to marry him."

The words stung worse than the icy winter's frostbite. I wanted to say no, but the words refused to cross my frozen lips.

I couldn't even utter a sound.

Caiden moved his hand from the wall, and I had to bite my lip not to whimper as his fingers grazed my shoulder, tenderly following the invisible lines of my arm without whispering a word.

The silence made my senses particularly aware of his touch. His rough skin caressed my biceps, then my elbow past my wrist until he stopped before my fingers began.

I shivered when he intertwined his fingers with mine and brought my palm to his lips.

"Or did I simply misunderstand how you two acted in that dressing room?"

The spell of Caiden's touch broke the instant his voice turned hostile. He had no right to be angry with me.

"I told you two weeks ago," I snapped, ripping my hand out of his grip. "I have no intention of marrying your brother. Not then, not now. But why would you even care? You seem to have become somewhat affectionate with Piper as well. Maybe that's why I haven't seen a glimpse of you since—"

I regretted those words the moment I'd said them.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Caiden whispered as a veil of wounded sadness crossed his face.

I gritted my teeth, considering my following words carefully as I moved my eyes away from him again, pressing myself closer to the wall.

"I saw how you kissed Piper's hand," I whispered, my cheeks burning as I admitted to my foolish jealousy. "I—"