Page 282 of Split or Swallow

Tem understood her punishment would continue—that Leo would favor the other two girls over her, possibly indefinitely, until she came to him herself.

More torture. Lucky her.

She sequestered herself in her room for the rest of the day. A servant brought her meals, and she ate without tasting them. At some point, she felt Caspen’s presence leaning on her mind once more. Out of pure desolation, she let him in, speaking before he could:

I’m still angry with you.

Then come be angry in my arms. I must see you.

I’m at the castle, Caspen. I can’t just leave.

Find a way.

Why don’t you come here if it’s so easy?

It wasn’t a real suggestion. They both knew he couldn’t come here.

Be reasonable, Tem.

Tem rolled her eyes. Then she sighed. The truth was she wanted to see Caspen. It didn’t matter that she was angry with him. She missed him dearly; it felt as if a part of her were incomplete.

If I come, it will have to be at night.

Then I will await you with—

His sentence cut off. Tem frowned.

Caspen? Are you there?

Tem. I—

But he cut off again.

Their connection was spotty; she could barely hear him—it was as if someone was opening and shutting the door between their minds. Tem couldn’t understand why this was happening. Their connection had always been crystal clear no matter how far apart they were from one another. All the more reason to see him.

By the time night fell, Tem had made up her mind.

As soon as the servant cleared away her dinner tray she flung open her bedroom window, hoisting herself over the balcony and climbing down the trellis until her feet were firmly on the ground. She looked up at Leo’s window, wondering who he would be sleeping with tonight.

It didn’t matter. It wasn’t Tem.

She took the backstreets through the village, winding around shadowy corners so that nobody would see her. The last thing she needed was someone spotting the prince’s future wife on the streets after dark. When she reached the forest, Tem allowed herself to relax. The cave was just as she’d left it—dark and deep, its entrance beckoning to her like an open mouth.

There he was.

It had only been a short time since she’d seen Caspen, but also an eternity. He was just as gorgeous as he always was—if not more so—and Tem wondered what chance she possibly stood against such beauty.

“Tem.”

“Caspen.”

He stepped forward, gathering her in his arms. As soon as his skin touched hers, Tem felt her resolve fade. He smelled good, and he felt even better. Her body had missed him, even if her brain was furious with him. By the time they got to his chambers, Caspen’s hands were already sliding her dress from her shoulders, and Tem didn’t tell him to stop.

Caspen threw her on the bed the second she was naked, pulling her legs open and sliding his cock deep inside her. His thrusts were relentless—she could barely catch her breath.

Tem rolled so that she was on top, forcing him to look at her.

“Caspen,” she whispered. It was neither a prayer nor an admonition.