rafaela

“When you kissed me,’ said Laurent, pushing the words out, ‘I liked it. When you took me in your mouth, it was the first time that I had . . . done that.’ He said, ‘I liked it when you—’ Laurent’s breathing shallowed as Damen pushed himself up. He had kissed Laurent as a slave, but never as himself. They both felt the difference of it, the anticipated kiss so real between them it was as if it was already happening. The”
― C.S. Pacat, Kings Rising

“You have not seen death, my lord. You have only seen the mask we put on it.”
― Samantha Shannon, The Priory of the Orange Tree

“The kiss happened because they couldn't help it, and it was so sweet and so right that Damen felt a kind of ache. He pulled back. The realities of the outside world seemed to press at him. "I"-he couldn't say it.
"No. Listen to me." He felt Laurent's hand firm on the back of his neck. "I'm not going to let my uncle hurt you." Laurent's blue gaze was calm and steady, as if he had mad a decision and wanted Damen to know it. "It's what I came here last night to say. I'm going to take care of it."
"Promise me," Damen heard himself say. "Promise me we won't let him-"
"I promise.”
― C.S. Pacat, Kings Rising

“The delicate thing that had grown between them had never had a right to exist.”
― C.S. Pacat, Kings Rising