Free Passions of New Pompeii by Aubrey Ross

smiles on you, my friend,” Theos
muttered as he crossed to the trainer.
    “Make yourself presentable. You have a
visitor.” Max spoke softly, but a chorus of chuckles and taunts
followed Theos into the barracks.
    He washed and donned a simple tunic,
infuriated by the frantic beating of his heart. She should not have
this power over him. Nothing good could come of it. The guard
didn’t restrain him, which only added to his anxiety.
    Elaina stood beside the fountain in the
villa’s airy garden, a serene smile bowing her lips. She appeared
cool and composed, and unbelievably beautiful. Her red-gold hair
created a nimbus around her lovely face while her flowing garments
showcased the gentle curves of her body. Was excitement or
apprehension sparkling in her bright green eyes?
    He glanced at his master, whose expression
was much harder to read. If dominus had not wanted his
sister dallying with a gladiator, why had he arranged the
meeting?
    “Elaina needs a bodyguard and she has
requested you,” Mikko informed him.
    Unwilling to exclude the subject from the
conversation, Theos switched to Fedoros. “Is she in danger?”
    A faint smile curved the corners of her
mouth. “My reports on the abuses prevalent in New Pompeii have
angered fans of the city.”
    “She was accosted by three men this morning.
I want to make sure nothing like that ever happens again.” Mikko
stood beside his wife, expectation clear in the tilt of his head
and the subtle slant of his eyebrows. “This is outside the realm of
your usual duties, so I won’t require it of you. However, my
sister’s safety is obviously important to me. I think you are
uniquely qualified to meet her needs.”
    The double entendre was not lost on Theos. So
his position as her private plaything was to continue. His body
stirred, more than ready to resume their exploration. But
resentment threaded through the heat, adding a sharper edge to the
longing. “I am not opposed to protecting her, but is she not safe
in your villa?”
    Mikko smiled and swept his arm toward Elaina.
“I’ll let her explain. I have a ludus to run.”
    Laetif followed her husband from the garden,
leaving Theos alone with Elaina.
    For a long moment they just stared at each
other, she then took a deep breath and said, “You don’t have to do
this if you don’t want to.”
    He closed the distance between them with two
long strides. “I have thought of little else since I left you. I
cannot get your image out of my mind.”
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
    Brushing her cheek with the back of his
fingers, he smiled. “My only regret is leaving your side while we
still had time available to us.” His thumb lingered over her lower
lip before he pulled his hand back. “What is this really
about?”
    “Not here,” she whispered, and took his hand.
“You’ll be staying with me for the next few days. Do you need to
pack a bag or something?”
    He pulled his hand out of hers as shame
crawled up his neck and warmed his face. “Packing a bag” required
possessions and he had none. “Everything I need is provided by my
master.”
    “Of course. How foolish of me.” She tried to
soothe him with a smile, but the pity in her eyes cut like a
dagger.
    He followed her out into the sunbathed yard,
tension gripping his belly. Unable to fight the impulse, he looked
back at the high, stone walls surrounding the training yard.
    “Is this the first time you’ve been outside
the walls?”
    “Certainly not.” He looked into her eyes as
he added, “But I am usually in chains when I am transported.” He
waited for the pity to return, but her expression was warmer, more
intimate.
    “Let’s go somewhere where we can talk.”
    “Let’s go somewhere where we can fuck,” he
whispered in return.
    She tensed, yet carnal hunger smoldered in
her gaze and her nipples hardened beneath the fabric of her tunic.
“This wasn’t an elaborate ruse so I could be alone with you. I
really do have something I need to