Captive Prince: Volume Two

‘I wasn’t sure you’d come back.’

‘I came back,’

Laurent was well made and capable, and Damen was a man, as other men. Half the soldiers in this camp wanted Laurent under them. The body’s reaction could be discounted, as it had been, determinedly, at the inn. Any man would have been roused by Laurent playing pet in his lap. Even knowing what was under the earring.

Damen’s palm slid over Laurent’s warm nape; slowly, very slowly, making his height an offering, not a threat, Damen leaned in and kissed Laurent on the mouth.

I’m alive,’ said Laurent. They were gazing at one another. ‘I wasn’t sure you’d come back.’
‘I came back,’ said Damen.

WANT YOUR best room,’ said Laurent, ‘with a big bed and a private bath, and if you send up the house boy, you’ll find out the hard way that I don’t like sharing.’

Damen knew the answer to that question. Laurent was not going to kill him. He was going to break him. Here, in front of everyone.

Damen felt it in his own body, a new pull in his chest at the look in Laurent’s dark eyes.

‘I wish it could have been different between us, I wish I could have behaved to you with more honour. I want you to know that you will have a friend across the border, whatever happens tomorrow, whatever happens to both of us.’

‘Friends,’ said Laurent. ‘Is that what we are?’

‘Your own father would be proud today.’

Hail to the Prince, and closer to, his own name repeated, Damen, Damen.

‘I need you to captain the men. Take the command from Jord. It’s yours. It should have been you,’ said Laurent, ‘from the start.’ The words were hard as he spoke of Touars: ‘He is going to fight.’