Текст книги "Berries and Greed"

Автор книги: Lily Mayne

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Текущая страница: 30 (всего у книги 33 страниц)

Chapter Forty-Five

Beryl

The strap-on’s harness was sitting comfortably on my hips, the bedroom was softly lit with candlelight, and Greid was naked on the bed with his dick hard and a desperate look in his eyes.

Perfect.

I’d opted against handcuffing him this time for two reasons. One: this was a new experience for both of us, and I didn’t want him to get overwhelmed or panic if he decided he actually didn’t like it. And two: I was pretty sure I was going to need his help figuring out a viable position for this, seeing as he was so much bigger than me.

There’d be plenty of time later to restrain him and blow his mind while I had my wicked way with him. But I was a little nervous too, and this had to be enjoyable for both of us.

Parting his knees, I settled myself between his long legs and smoothed my hands up his thighs. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m… I’m okay.” He was already shivering with lust, yellow eyes wide and gleaming in the low light as they trailed down my front and locked onto the big pink dick between my legs.

My mouth curved into a tiny smile. “Nervous? Excited?”

He swallowed. “Both.”

I knew for him to truly enjoy this, I had to help him get out of his head a little. And I knew the best way to do that was to get bossy.

“Come here.” I leaned forward for a kiss, and Greid struggled up onto straightened arms to curl forward so our lips could meet.

The dildo bumped against his hard cock, making him jerk and break the kiss to look down with wide eyes. “Damn, th-that feels weird.”

I huffed in amusement, rocking my hips to slide the length of the dildo against his dick. “In a good way?”

Greid shuddered, his tail flicking anxiously between his spread thighs. “Y-yeah, I… don’t know. I think so.”

Lunging forward to give him one more kiss, I murmured, “Well, maybe you just need to get better acquainted with it.”

Resting my hands on his shoulders for balance, I carefully stood up on the mattress, wobbling only a little as I shifted my feet until they were either side of Greid’s hips. I could hear his shallow breaths, and when I looked down, my clit pulsed at the sight of the dildo just inches from his mouth.

Greid was staring up at me in silence, breathing fast. Just waiting.

“Lick it, Greid.” My voice was low and throaty as I fisted the base of the dildo in one hand and tilted it toward his mouth.

His yellow eyes darkened before dropping to the length jutting from my hips. I saw his throat bob with a nervous swallow, but he leaned in and obeyed so sweetly, his tongue emerging to slowly, hesitantly swipe over the dildo’s head.

I moaned as if I could feel it. “Good boy. Again.”

He licked again, starting lower this time so his tongue connected with all the little barb-like bumps on the shaft. This time he lingered on the head, swirling his tongue timidly around the tip and letting out a hoarse sound. I wondered if he was imagining how it felt when I did the same to him.

I tapped the cock against the flat of his tongue. “Suck it.”

Greid drew in a sharp breath, but shuddered as he closed his mouth around the tip of the dildo. One of his hands lifted from the bed to slide up the back of my thigh, fingers digging in tight when he reached my ass.

“Bet you can’t wait to have this inside you, can you, greedy boy?” I purred, threading my fingers through his hair. “It’s so big. It’s going to stretch you open so wide. I’ll have to get you ready first.”

He moaned hoarsely as I rocked my hips the tiniest amount, making the dildo slide another half-inch into his mouth. Then I pulled it free, sinking back onto my knees as I grabbed a pillow. “Lie back.”

Greid was trembling as he obeyed, breathing fast, his cock jutting over his stomach. The tip already glistened with the first hint of pre-cum.

More fluid pulsed out when I ordered, “Grab behind your knees for me, Greid.”

Sharp teeth sank into his lower lip, a muffled whimper escaping him as he reached down to curl his hands around the backs of his knees, tilting his hips up off the bed. I folded the pillow in half and carefully stuffed it under his lower back.

My eyes flared with heat when I sat back and surveyed him. Rubbing my hands up the backs of his thighs, I rasped, “God, you look so hot like this.”

He shivered, fingers twitching and tail thumping against the bed as my gaze dropped to between his legs. His balls had lifted and his hole was exposed. When I licked my lips, he whimpered, his cock lifting up off his stomach then smacking back down.

Shuffling back, I grinned at him as I lowered my head and gave the unbarbed base of his cock a lingering lick. Then I curled my tongue around one of his balls, sucking briefly before continuing lower.

“Oh fuck.” Greid’s chest started to heave, eyes wide and locked on me. “Beryl.”

Grabbing fistfuls of his ass, I tilted his hips up a little more and feathered my tongue over his hole. A guttural sound burst from Greid, his head falling back onto the pillow.

Moaning, I licked again, firmer this time, swiping the flat of my tongue over him. Then I used the pointed tip to circle his rim, around and around, until his thighs twitched.

“F-fuck.” Greid was already starting to writhe as best he could while keeping his legs up in the air. “Oh my god.”

I grinned against him, delivering another slow lick. “Has anyone ever done this to you before, Greid?”

“N-n-no.” His hips jerked, ragged breaths sawing out of him. “Fuck.”

“How does it feel?” I asked in a low purr.

“S-s-so good.” His fingers shifted restlessly against the backs of his knees. “Beryl, pl-please.”

“Please what?” I licked again.

A grunt burst from him as he jerked. “I don’t even f-fucking know. Just… pl-please don’t stop.”

Well, that had been the wrong thing to say. Deciding to mess with him, just to see him get all desperate and pleading, I turned my head and pressed a kiss to his inner thigh. He shuddered and whimpered, the sound laced with frustration, but didn’t dare protest.

Lifting my head, my belly lurched with arousal when I saw just how far down Greid’s front his cock reached while he was in this position, his lower body curling inward. It almost looked like…

“Can you suck your own dick?”

Greid’s eyes popped open. His hectic breaths calmed a little as he stared at me uncertainly. “Is… is that a trick question? Is there a wrong way to answer?”

I chuckled. “No. It just looks like if you craned your head forward, you’d at least be able to lick the tip.”

His ears went wild, giving me my answer.

Grinning wide, I dipped down to kiss his inner thigh again. “You can, can’t you? You can suck your own dick. You know you can because you’ve done it before.”

“I—You—” He let out a shaky breath, eyes darting. “I mean, m-most people have probably at least tried.”

“Maybe, but you can, can’t you?” I danced my fingertips over his tight sac. “Tell me, Greid.”

He shuddered, eyes squeezing shut as his head fell back onto the pillow. Swallowing, he gave a tiny nod and admitted, “Yeah, I can.”

Oh my god, that is so hot.

“You’re going to do it for me right now.” I ducked my head to lick his hole again, grabbing hold of his ass to tilt his hips higher once more, bringing the leaking tip of his dick even closer to his face.

Greid made a hoarse sound. “I am?”

“Yes.” I raised a stern brow at him and licked again, which made his hips jerk. “Be a good boy and suck your dick for me, Greid.”

“H-holy shit.” His wide gaze shifted to his cock. He swallowed, then tentatively let go of one knee to fist it.

I quickly cupped the back of his knee to keep it in the air, my eyes locked on him as he licked his lips nervously and lifted his head off the pillow.

Craning his neck, he let out a breath before swirling his tongue around the head of his dick. Instantly, his thighs twitched. His eyes slammed shut, brow furrowing with pleasure. I moaned hoarsely against him, licking feverishly, wishing I could reach down and furiously stroke my clit. I knew it would take hardly any time at all for me to come if I got to watch this while I was doing it.

Greid’s lips closed around the tip of his cock. He shuddered, clawed toes flexing in the air. Good job he was so flexible, because he was practically bent in half, especially when his shoulders lifted off the bed so he could engulf the entire head of his dick in his mouth.

“Oh my god, that looks amazing.” I was desperate for some stimulation as I watched his lean cheeks hollow, but I busied myself with licking and swirling my tongue over his hole, unable to tear my gaze away.

I knew it wouldn’t be good for him to stay hunched up like this for long, even though he was very bendy, so after another minute I sat up and carefully eased his hips back down to the bed, adjusting the pillow beneath him.

Greid was panting, shuddering as his cock pulsed on his stomach. He readjusted his grip behind his knees and gazed at me plaintively.

“Good boy, Greid.” I reached for the lube waiting on the bed. “Have you ever come into your own mouth?”

He let out an embarrassed groan and turned his head to the side, ears fluttering madly. “Oh my god, Beryl.”

“What?” I chuckled as I lubed up my fingers. “Tell me.”

He squirmed. “Yeah, I have, okay?”

I hummed and dipped my freshly lubed fingers to stroke his hole. “I want to see that one day.”

He jerked, biting his lip as his fingers twitched against the backs of his knees. “O-okay,” he whispered, then melted into the bed with a groan as I carefully pushed a finger inside.

I’d successfully been able to locate his prostate before, but only just. It was a little higher than a human’s, so my fingers had only just managed to reach it. I sought it out now, grinning when Greid twitched with a groan.

He’d explained before that demiurgus muscles were more pliant than humans’, so it wasn’t long before I was tunnelling two fingers inside him, then three. Then four, just to be safe, because my fingers weren’t all that big but the dildo was.

By the time I started lubing up the dildo, Greid was a trembling mess on the bed.

“Pl-please.” He tightened his grip on the backs of his knees, tail swishing restlessly against the bed.

“Shh.” I shuffled closer and palmed the fronts of his thighs, ducking down to kiss his shin. “I’ll look after you, Greid. You’re just going to lie there and take this big dick like a good boy.”

“Nnngh.” His cock strained on his belly. “B-Beryl—”

“Just relax,” I whispered, gripping the base of the cock and looking down so I could line it up with his hole. I was glad there was some light in here, because it wasn’t like I could feel it when the tip was in the right position.

Greid’s breath caught when he felt the tip of the dildo against his rim. He knew what to do, bearing down and exhaling a slow, shaky breath as I carefully pushed my hips forward. After a few fraught seconds, the flared head sank inside in a rush, and Greid let out a clipped moan as his hips jerked.

My heart was pounding, lust and nerves and excitement all swirling together. God, I hoped he enjoyed it. I hoped I possessed some kind of rhythm so I didn’t end up just jabbing awkwardly into his ass.

But how was I supposed to know if I was doing it right? I couldn’t actually feel anything. Although that didn’t stop my clit from pulsing with arousal as I stared at the bright pink length sinking inside Greid.

I had to shuffle my knees out a little wider to get the right angle as my hips finally pressed flush against his backside. Palming the backs of his thighs for leverage, I looked up to gauge his reaction.

He was panting, clawed toes flexing as his cock twitched on his belly. It was still hard as a rock, which hopefully meant he wasn’t in any pain, but I asked to make sure.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded quickly, swallowing as his eyes met mine. His gaze was tight with desperation, but there was a hint of shyness there mingling with pure pleading. He wanted me to move. He wanted me to fuck him, but something was still holding him back.

Determination swelled, making me grip his thighs tighter. He had no reason to be embarrassed for what he liked in bed, and screw anyone who had ever tried to make him feel ashamed for it.

I was going to fuck that doubt right out of him.

“Tell me what you want, Greid.” I squeezed his thighs, wishing I could kiss him right now.

His throat bobbed, lips parting. But he only croaked, “B-Beryl…”

“Tell me.” I pulled my hips back an inch, only to sink back inside. He gasped, eyes widening.

After another swallow, he whispered, “I w-want you to fuck me.”

I smiled and delivered my first proper thrust. “Good boy.”

His breath punched out of him, legs twitching. When I thrust again, his eyes rolled back as a trembling moan left him.

It took me a little while to get into a rhythm. It was kind of odd, knowing there was something inside of him that was attached to me, but being unable feel it. Greid seemed to be enjoying it though, even if my first few thrusts were a little clumsy and uncoordinated. His chest heaved, a moan tearing from his throat every time my hips smacked against him.

Eventually I hit my stride, and my thrusts started coming smoother and faster. Even though I couldn’t feel it, the motion of pumping into him—the knowledge that I was actually fucking Greid’s ass—was turning me on so much. I could feel how hot and slick my pussy was, lust swimming through my veins and making me pant almost as hard as he was.

I braced myself on the backs of his thighs as I pounded into him, unable to slow my hips now as I watched him, hungrily taking in every sign of pleasure painting his features. His eyes were closed, brows drawn in desperation and lips parted around the constant moans escaping him with every thrust.

His cock looked painfully stiff, leaking all over his stomach as it jerked with the movement of my thrusting hips. I wanted to tilt it up off his belly and suck on the tip, but I was thrusting too fast to let go of his legs and unwilling to stop.

“Oh fuck.” Greid’s eyes popped open as he started to shake. “F-Fuck, Beryl. I-I’m—”

He let go of one of his legs to fist the sheets. It fell heavily against my shoulder, his heel knocking into my back. I moaned, gripping it tight, and kissed the inside of his knee, watching avidly as his body wound tighter and tighter and he twisted the sheet in his grip.

His head craned back, eyes scrunching closed and mouth falling open with a hoarse sound as his hips jerked and cum started to shoot from his cock. It pooled on his chest and in the hollow of his throat, the dark fluid’s oil-slick sheen shimmering in the light.

I could see his stomach clenching with every heavy spurt, his tail lashing frantically over the bed beneath my thrusting hips. He shook wildly, tiny, breathless moans leaving him.

Sliding my hand down his quaking thigh, I kissed his knee again and crooned, “Good boy.”

That, amazingly, was enough to make Greid come again. He cried out, back arching as several more spurts decorated his dark skin. Once his body sagged, he released his tight-knuckled grip on the sheets to clutch desperately at my hip, fingers digging into soft skin and tough straps.

“B-Beryl.” Yellow eyes gazed desperately into mine, hazy with pleasure. He shuddered as I delivered one more firm thrust, cock twitching over his belly. “Can I… I want to—Please.”

I knew what he was asking for. Carefully sliding free—which made him moan and tremble again—I hurriedly loosened the harness and shoved it down my shaky legs. I could feel how unbelievably wet I was, and my heart was pounding fast as I clambered gracelessly up Greid’s wrung-out body to straddle his face.

He moaned, immediately sliding his long fingers up my thighs and gripping my hips tight. The moment I lowered myself and my pussy met his eager mouth, I shuddered and fisted his hair.

Greid’s long tongue licked feverishly through the folds of my cunt before he latched onto my clit and started to suck. The vibration from his constant groans made my hips twitch with pleasure. I was moaning with every panting breath, head tipping back as my hips started to rock.

Greid shuddered as an aftershock wracked his frame, hips shifting behind me on the bed. With a pleading sound, he held his tongue in place so I could slide my clit over it, riding his mouth faster and faster as I panted up at the ceiling.

“F-Fuck, Greid.” Loosening my grip in his hair, I petted the silky black strands. “It f-feels so good. You’re doing so good.”

He moaned desperately beneath me, tongue curling to get deeper before he gave my clit a wet, sucking kiss. I cried out as my hips snapped forward. He wrapped his long arms around my thighs, but didn’t try to control my movements as I practically humped his mouth, hips thrusting wildly to increase the tug of the wet suction on my clit.

Heat gathered in my core, making my thighs shake. I couldn’t suck in a full breath, my chest heaving and my skin hot as tingles raced out from my clit and made my pussy throb.

“Don’t stop,” I panted, grabbing the headboard with my free hand. “You’re so… I’m coming. I’m—”

A hoarse cry left me as my hips spasmed and unimaginable pleasure exploded across my whole body. My clit pulsed against Greid’s lips and tongue, and he let out a guttural groan as he licked frantically until I went limp and sagged on top of him.

His tongue softened as I gasped for breath, but he kept lapping until oversensitivity made me hiss with a chuckle. My legs trembled wildly as I lifted myself off his face and sat back on my heels beside him. His mouth and chin were shiny, and he looked utterly blissed out as he shivered and dragged his fingertips through the release pooled on his chest.

Cupping his cheek, I leaned down to give him a long kiss, not caring about the wetness coating his face. He sighed into my mouth, tongue gliding softly against mine.

After pulling back, I smoothed my thumb over his sharp cheekbone. “That was amazing, Greid. You did so good.”

His yellow eyes lit up from the praise, making my chest ache. How could anyone not appreciate how wonderful and sweet he was? They were all fucking idiots, especially Agma. I kissed him again, then shifted onto my side so I could wrap my arms around his head and pull him into my chest.

“Beryl.” He buried his face between my breasts, a long arm curling around me and a knee pushing between my calves. After kissing the top of his head, I kept my nose there to breathe in the scent of his sweat-damp hair.

“You were perfect,” I murmured, and felt him shiver against me before he burrowed even closer. “You’re perfect, Greid,” I added quietly.

Because he was.

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Chapter Forty-Six

Beryl

“Hey, buddy.” Mani appeared beside me at the register, waiting to ring up the glass of wine she’d just placed in front of the demiurgus lady sitting alone at the end of the bar. “How was your weekend off? Get up to much?”

Ron had been the manager on duty during my shift the day before so Mani could have a rare day off now that the previously flu-struck employees were trickling back to work.

“Hey.” I held out the card machine to my waiting customer with a smile so he could tap his phone to it. “It was great, thanks. I went out for drinks with my friend Corva on Saturday.”

“Here?” Mani asked. “I was working. I didn’t see you.”

I gave her a sheepish look as I stepped aside so she could get to the register. “Afraid not. We went to Carnelians down the street.”

“Traitor.” She gave me a good-natured nudge with her elbow. “Glad you made good use of your weekend.”

“I did. Greid and I went to the artisan market at Dropclay on Sunday. It’s really cool. He told me he used to have a stall there when he first started his business.”

“Oh, nice. Yeah, Ron and I go to Dropclay Market sometimes. There’s a great taco truck there. What’s Greid’s business?”

“He makes jewellery.”

Mani grabbed the card machine and turned to give me an appraising look. “You have a hot boyfriend who makes jewellery for a living, and yet here you are without a single piece of bling.” She tutted, turning to walk back to her customer. “Gotta get on that, Beryl.”

I chuckled, glancing at the customer she was approaching, and going still when I realised the woman was staring at me. We locked eyes for a second before I quickly looked away, not sure what her deal was.

After paying for her drink, she stayed in her seat at the bar. Thanks to that weird look, I was more aware of her than normal as I served other customers and unloaded the dishwasher. I wondered if she was waiting for someone, but no one else ever showed up.

A little while had passed when I noticed her glass was empty, but she still wasn’t leaving. Glancing around, I saw that Mani had disappeared to the back office, and Gavin and Kayr were busy serving other customers. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I approached her and fixed a smile on my face.

“Can I get you another?” I asked in a cheerful voice.

She was staring at me again, her gaze oddly curious, like I was a bug trapped under a glass. After a second, she gave me a cool nod. “Please. The souterraine.”

“Good choice.” I took the glass from her and put it by the sink, then grabbed a clean one off the shelf. I could feel her eyes on the back of my head as I poured her wine, and my smile was a little more strained as I turned to place it in front of her. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No. Thanks,” she added belatedly.

Once again, her eyes burned a hole in the back of my head as I went to the register and grabbed the card machine. What was her problem? She didn’t like a human working here?

She’d barely spoken to me, but I couldn’t wait to get away from her as I took the card machine over and held it out. She didn’t say anything as she tapped her phone to it, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I turned to walk away.

But then she spoke. “Excuse me.”

I turned back to face her with some semblance of a smile. “Mm?”

“I—” Her eyes darted behind me for a second. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but did I hear you say you’re dating Greid? As in Greid var Rorik, the jeweller who lives around here?”

My gut hollowed out as I stared at her. The way she’d said his name implied a level of familiarity. I quickly swept my gaze over her tall, willowy frame. The delicate chiffon shirt. The smooth, lustrous hair and elegantly shaped, beige-painted claws.

Oh fuck. Oh no. There was no way—

“It’s just that I used to date him.” She let out a tinkling laugh as she swept her long, perfect, amethyst-streaked hair back over her shoulder. “I actually used to live with him.”

Fucking fuck fuck. This was Agma. This had to be Agma.

And I was in the one place where I couldn’t punch her in the face like I wanted to.

“I am.” I was definitely just baring my teeth at her now, the expression on my face no longer even remotely resembling a smile.

She raised a brow and picked up her wine glass. “Wow.”

My hands clenched tighter around the card machine.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean that offensively.” She shook her head and had a sip of wine. “It’s just… Greid dating a human. Never would have expected that. How long have you been together?”

I really wanted to tell her that it was none of her fucking business, but just then Mani walked past me with a brief smile, heading for the register behind me.

“A while.”

“Hmm.” She cocked her head, expression telling me that she wasn’t convinced by my vague answer.

Don’t get into a pissing match. Do not get into a pissing match—

“We actually live together, so.” I shrugged. She definitely did not need to know the details of how that had happened. All she needed to know was that Greid was happy. With me. “It’s going well. Really well.”

Her mouth pursed, but she quickly schooled her expression. “Well. It must be then. Best wishes to you both.” She gave me a tight smile. “Tell Greid I said hello.”

Unable to stop myself, I gave her a saccharine smile back. “I don’t know who you are.”

That made her nostrils flare, and I allowed myself a mental victory punch into the air.

“Agma.” She chuckled. “I’ve probably come up. I’m sure he has some of my silly little sculptures still in his house.”

He did, but he’d told me it was only because he liked them, not because she’d made them. I wasn’t going to let her know that.

“I haven’t noticed any sculptures, but yeah. He’s mentioned you.”

A hint of smugness shone in her sultry yellow eyes before she smoothed her face out again. “Well anyway, sorry again for intruding. I just thought, what a small world, huh?”

“Yeah,” I managed. “Small world.”

Which she’d already known when she told all her friends private things about Greid. Knowing how shy he was. Knowing about his social anxiety. Knowing how she’d made him feel when he’d told her things he wanted and she’d made him feel like crap for them.

My anger was boiling over. I glanced back to see that Mani had disappeared down to the other end of the bar and was chatting to Gavin. Kayr was restocking one of the fridges down that end too. There were no other customers waiting near us.

“Can I say something?” I put the card machine down on the bar and stepped closer. “Agma?”

She blinked, taking another sip of wine before setting her glass neatly on the coaster. “Sure.”

I gripped the edge of the bar and leaned in. “What you did was really fucking terrible.”

Her head reared back, offence colouring her elegant features. “Excuse me?”

“Telling personal information about Greid to your friends was a really shitty thing to do.”

I was shocked to see her ears twitch, guilt filling her eyes as they darted around. “Look—”

“I don’t know if you thought he’d never find out, or if you were hoping he would. Either way, it doesn’t matter.” I glanced back to make sure Mani still wasn’t anywhere near us. “It was cruel. And nasty. You had no right.”

Trying to regain my composure, I straightened and smoothed down the front of my apron. “So yeah, that was what Greid told me about you. You haven’t come up otherwise. Thankfully.”

I turned to leave, knowing I needed to go calm down, but Agma’s throaty voice stopped me.

“Wait.”

Against my better judgement, I turned to face her again, making sure my expression was a blank mask.

She looked like she couldn’t decide whether to be angry or ashamed, her mouth pinched and eyes tight. “Look, I made a mistake. I got drunk with my friends after Greid and I split up, and… I told them some things I shouldn’t have. Okay? We’ve all done it. We’ve all bitched about our exes.”

“Getting drunk isn’t an excuse.”

Her ears fluttered, nostrils flaring again. “Well sorry I’m not little-miss-perfect human.”

“What?” I stared at her incredulously. “I don’t—”

“Clearly you can accept Greid and his… kinks. It doesn’t make me a bad person because I couldn’t.”

I took a breath. “I never said you were a bad person for not—”

“He told me things he wanted that I didn’t understand and wasn’t into. Okay?” Her tone was getting increasingly defensive, and her long fingers were gripping the stem of her wine glass tightly.

“Didn’t anyone ever teach you manners?” I snapped. “Stop interrupting me. It’s rude.”

She reared back in outrage, mouth opening and closing wordlessly a few times, before she narrowed her eyes at me. “Must I remind you that I am in fact a customer here?”

I was well aware that this was an extremely bad idea, one that could technically result in me losing my job for arguing with a customer who hadn’t actually done anything to me, but my temper had flared and was burning too hot for me to take a second and calm down.

I could hear the threat in her words. I saw the way her yellow eyes looked over my shoulder in the direction of Mani at the other end of the bar. She was definitely going to complain about me to the manager.

But then I pictured Greid’s shy, uncertain expression the first few times we’d slept together. I pictured him standing in the cult’s compound all that time ago, looking flustered and wildly out of his element. At the time, I’d been furious at the thought of a demiurgus going there to take advantage of all those adoring humans, but now I knew the truth. He’d been lonely because of what the snooty woman in front of me had done. She’d made him feel like crap, then ostracised him from their mutual acquaintances and ensured that her shy, socially anxious ex would be too embarrassed to show his face in those circles again.

My face grew hot with anger, some fiercely protective instinct flaring in my chest, making it squeeze tighter and tighter until it felt like I’d have to shout to let it out.

“I’m just going to assume that you didn’t receive enough attention as a child, so now you feel the need to tell people personal information about others just so they’re paying attention to you.” My voice was a low, ugly hiss. “I’m also going to assume that nothing interesting whatsoever happens in your own life, so you have to resort to sharing other people’s secrets just to get that attention.”

Agma’s ears were shivering rapidly, her face spikes flaring forward like she was facing down a predator and instinctively going into defensive mode. “You don’t get to fucking talk to me like that. I’m a customer.”

“I can talk to you however the hell I want to.” I jabbed a finger on the bar and glared at her. “You don’t like getting a taste of your own medicine? You were happy to make Greid feel like shit for telling you things that were difficult for him to admit to. Sure, you’re right, of course you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. But you’re a fucking adult, Agma. You could have told him that like an adult without making him feel strange or ashamed.”

“Mine and Greid’s relationship is none of your fucking business,” she hissed.

“No, it’s not, but how it affected him is.” I leaned in, aware that I was pushing my luck. I had no idea where Mani was, or if she’d noticed us. “You did a shitty thing, Agma. You had no business telling anyone, and you had no right to shame Greid just because you’re closed-minded. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

She looked down quickly, her throat working as she swallowed repeatedly, her claws tinkling against the stem of her wine glass as she fidgeted in her seat. She actually did look ashamed, but before either of us could say anything more, I heard Mani’s voice come from behind me.