Of Daggers and Deceit: Shifters of Asrar Book One by K.M Black

Author:K.M Black [Black, K.M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

RILEY

Iwasn’t meant to be out tonight. After I’d returned from the Alpha compound, Zander had directed Sly to keep me inside. Another night in his prison while he could leave to do whatever he pleased. It was beginning to grate at me.

Zander could be a desperate lover, going to great lengths to keep me close, to force me into the box he wanted me to fit in. I’d grown to look forward to defying him, even if he didn’t know. It helped me cling to a sense of agency and control.

I’d requested to go to the rooftop tonight to think beneath the stars. Sly had gladly followed me, all humour and smiles, clearly not intent on following Zander’s orders to keep me in my chains. I think he looked forward to the glimpses of myself I’d allowed him. I quite enjoyed that he looked forward to seeing the realest parts of me.

I seated myself on some pillows rimming the illuminated petals marking the walls of the rooftop, rubbing the excess moisturizer I’d recently put on deep into my skin. Sly had seated himself near the entrance, further away than usual, something I was quietly thankful for.

For some reason, when I looked at him, I just felt guilty and trapped, especially when I caught him staring at me with an expression I couldn’t seem to name. I watched as he fiddled with the cuffs of his suit, that little dimple in his cheek that I liked so much visible.

“Do you ever get bored being a guard and taking orders all day?” I asked, eager to disrupt my own thoughts of him and break the silence between us.

He looked up towards me with a soft smile. “Not so much these days. But I used to.”

I hummed and trailed my hand across a glowing petal beside me before flicking my gaze back towards him. He leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed, his face relaxed as he simply breathed.

I couldn’t help but watch him. He was beautiful, though I’d never thought too much on it. I’d never thought too much about anyone other than Zander. It had caught me off guard.

The corners of his mouth slowly lifted, as if thinking about something that brought him joy. I wondered if he was thinking about her, the lover he lost. My heart pinched.

I closed my own eyes, imagining a world where I was loved by someone like him instead of Zander. I wondered about the person I would be if I had that kind of freedom, and I wondered if he would be any different if he had that too.

A soft laugh bubbled up, and I quickly cut it off as I realised it had escaped me, my eyes darting open to find Sly staring at me.

My face shifted and smoothed reactively. He frowned. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” I asked curiously, unclear as to what I did that drew a frown to his face.

“Change. Mute your emotions. Hide your joy. Whatever you just did. I hate that.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.