Gulping, I quickly greeted him, reaching for his hand and squeezing.
"Is someone going to tell me what's wrong?" asked Tristan.
"Something's wrong?" asked Kostas, his brow furrowing as he glanced between the three of us.
"I was hoping to at least dispense some pleasantries and find out why Kostas is here before bringing that up," I muttered under my breath.
"Oh. Right, my apologies," said Tristan, pressing his fist against his mouth in an attempt to appear calm. It wasn't working for him.
"Now I want to know what's wrong, though…" Kostas said, trailing of when Gideon began to speak.
"There's been an incident with the media, we'll discuss it at length in a moment. Kostas, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Gideon asked.
"I wanted to stop by and kind of… apologize for the other day," Kostas said, starting out slow and increasing in speed as he gained confidence.
"What for?" I asked. "You did nothing wrong."
"I lied to you, Vi. I didn't need to think about anything, I was just… I didn't want you to get your hopes up and then have your dad, like, nix me or whatever." He ran his hand through his hair and scratched the back of his neck. "I am here for this. In whatever capacity, however you need me."
Honestly, out of all the things he could have said at that moment, this was the most perfect of all of them. I leaned towards him, kissing his lips firmly, not caring how it looked or who was there. I parted my lips and ran my tongue over his, ending it with a sloppy pop and a smile.
He grinned. "I'll take that as a 'hell yes', I guess."
"You'd better," I replied. "Because the rest of this conversation isn't going to make you very happy."
He knit his brow again, his look of confusion turning into one of anger as I described to him the problem we were facing. From the yet unseen photos, to the nature of their origin.
"That's bullshit," he spat. "I'm a private citizen, I'll just go down to the DJ headquarters and--"
"And they'll blur your face out," Tristan said, sighing heavily as he leaned back on the loveseat. "Leaving Vi's, because she's a public figure."
"It's my apartment," Kostas insisted. "I'd have had to give my permission before--"
"Is it yours? Or do you rent it?" Tristan asked, swiping around on his phone, apparently on the lookout for the laws of Justana.
"I rent."
"And what is your landlord's policy on being paid off to keep quiet?" Tristan asked, glancing at his phone. "Because I'm reading through the law here, and it doesn't look like you have tenant's rights unless it was specifically in your lease. Is it?"
"I can get peeped on if it's not in my lease that I can't be?" Kostas asked, utterly disgusted.
"They're going to claim it was out in the open. I haven't seen the pictures, but I would wager a guess that it's through the blinds. If they can see in, they will, and they will claim it was out in the open because there was no attempt made to hide it," I sighed. If there was anything I was familiar with, it was the law surrounding the media's rights in our country. It was something that came up often in every royal's life.
"I'll go check my lease, but, still… it's bullshit," Kostas said, his hand covering mine and squeezing.
"You do that," I said. "But, the way I see it, they're going to run that story tomorrow unless we can come up with a better one."
I had a better one, or at least the beginnings of one, I just wasn't sure how ready everyone was for it.
"What's better than this, honestly?" asked Gideon. "In terms of clicks and ratings?"
"How about, instead of 'Princess has hot affair with bike messenger', it's 'Princess Violet announces her intent to be pursued by three men simultaneously?" I offered, raising my eyebrows. "It would take the heat off Kostas and hopefully cast both of us in a more positive way."
"Are you sure about that? I feel like polyamory might look worse than a clandestine affair, in their eyes, anyway," Kostas mused.
"Not if we give the Daily Justanian access to the exclusive rights to the story," I replied. "We call them, tell them to postpone the story on me and Kostas, invite some reps to the dinner tomorrow, and give an exclusive interview and answer all their tawdry questions?"
Tristan was silent and Gideon was already nodding. "It could work," the latter said.
"It could. If we're all on board," Tristan said, turning to Kostas. "Are we?"
"Hell yeah," Kostas said, squeezing my hand again. "Definitely on board."
Tristan's phone rang and he glanced down at it, rolling his eyes. "George found out I wasn't listening to chamber music. Now he wants both me and Gideon to go meet my parents at the airport."
"As if they hadn't been here a billion times already and didn't know the way," Gideon said, rolling his eyes. "Are you okay with us leaving, Vi? I could just tell him no. I've been very accommodating of all of his nonsense so far."
"I'm fine," I said, reaching for Kostas' hand. "And Kostas is here, so…"
"So she's in good hands," Tristan finished for me, rising to his feet. "We should definitely have the two of you over in Etria next time we visit. It's so much easier over there."
I laughed, figuring anywhere would be easier than Justana. "Sounds like fun!"
Kostas shrugged. "Why not? Let's get this all fixed up first, but then I'm definitely in."
Gideon kissed me before he left, his lips lingering on mine. "Miss you already," he murmured before kissing my forehead. "Everything will work out, okay?"
Tristan swooped in right after, kissing me silly and leaving it at that. He did nod in Kostas' direction as well. Both of them did.
"Have a nice evening, you two," Gideon said, winking as they left the room.
"We get the whole evening?" Kostas asked.
I nodded. "Looks that way. Whatever will we do?"
"Don't get me wrong, I know this is like, a huge, beautiful place or whatever…" Kostas looked around. "But is there anywhere we can be cozier?"
I grinned. "Let me show you my suite."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Violet
"Vi. Vi…" Kostas gasped, trying to keep quiet as if half-expecting someone to burst into the room and haul him off to jail for debauching me in my sitting room.
I was on my knees in front of him, my lips wrapped around his member as I gave him what sounded like it must be the blow job of his life. I wasn't trying to toot my own horn (maybe just his) or anything, but his reaction was very telling.
I wasn't naturally talented in this area … I had needed some coaching since this was my first time.
"Ow, ow, no teeth…"
"Yes, you can use your hand too."
"Yes, please use your hand, don't gag yourself."
But if I was anything, I was intuitive. I'd like to think that I had certainly picked up on the technique quickly.
He groaned, his hand in my hair as I bobbed my head up and down in his lap. He was seated in one of the arm chairs in my sitting room, and was trying (and failing) to keep quiet. He sounded so… hot. I could barely stand it.
I was in so much trouble. I meant the expression figuratively, but I suppose it could also be seen as a literal interpretation of our current situation.
Figuratively, because I was head over heels for this man already.
Literally, because if we got caught here, in my suite of rooms just down the hall from where my parents were having lunch with a few members of the Justanian Council?
George would have a conniption. Not to mention how disappointed my father would be. And all of our careful planning to keep our names unmucked by bad publicity would be washed completely away.
Somehow, regardless of all of the possible problems that could ensue, I didn't really care about any of them. I just wanted to make this tiny bit of alone time with Kostas count for something.
I wriggled my tongue up the underside of the tip, my eyes boring up into his as I followed my tongue with my thumb, releasing him with a pop. I tried to pay attention to everything.
Every twitch, every sound he made.
He was gripping the arms of the chair and trying not to cry out. It was apparently hard. Difficult… and also hard, to be perfectly candid.
But we weren't truly alone. Even here, in the dark, in my private suite, we weren't really alone. Not in a palace swimming with hired help and security detail around every corner. And George Smithe, always lurking
My hand slid up Kostas' hip and under his shirt, my fingers tickling him slightly and making him grunt. He chased my hand, lacing our fingers as I licked up the length of his cock. His attention was entirely on my mouth.
I didn't want him to take his eyes off me again. Fresh arousal surged through my body at the thought of how I could so easily bring him to his current state.
Closing my eyes as I continued to pleasure him, I moved further down his shaft than I had been. I could feel my throat fighting the intrusion and he reached instinctively for my head. Not to force, just as an anchor.
I groaned at his touch, my tongue stroking the underside of his cock. I was aching. Between my legs, I could feel the slickness of my arousal beginning to gather there, dampening the silk and making me moan just a little more around his member.
I kept him there, towards the back of my throat. He let out a strangled cry, pressing his fist between his teeth to muffle the sounds.
He let go of my head, gently brushing his fingertips through my hair before gripping the arm rests once more as I brought him closer and closer.
"Vi… I'm… I'm close," he whispered, It felt like the loudest sound in the world right then.
I hummed, my hands moving higher on his hips as I moved my mouth up and down his entire length, sucking hard on the head every time I withdrew. My lips were wet and making slurping sounds that were at once so filthy and so arousing that I couldn't think straight. My jaw ached, but it wasn't anything I couldn't bear.
"I'm--" he broke off with a gasp. "I'm about to…"
I hummed once more and he was there.
Thick, salty liquid flooded my mouth. It was bitter, but not entirely unpleasant. It wasn't entirely pleasant either, but the fact that it was Kostas made it worth the slight discomfort. Tristan or Gideon would be worth this as well. I didn't mind the taste in my mouth for the short time it took me to swallow, not if it meant bringing them to the brink of ecstacy and pushing them over using only my lips and tongue.
I pulled back slowly, swiping my tongue around the head and swallowing.
He collapsed back against the seat, panting softly. "Vi."
I smiled. My entire mouth tingled as I bit my bottom lip before reaching over to gently tuck him back into his underwear. I ran my tongue over the place I'd just bitten and stood up, straightening my top and smoothing the front of my skirt.
He watched me settle back into the chair opposite his, reaching for the lamp to turn on the light. I needed to fix my hair where he'd mussed it, comb it back in place. I likely needed to re-touch my lipstick as well. I reached into a dish on the side table and popped a mint into my mouth and placed my hands primly on the lap.
He chuckled. Likely at the poise and precision with which I could return to my regal stance. I found it a little humorous myself. Only three people knew that I was regal in outward appearances only. Only they knew which buttons to push to get me to drop it. To get to the real woman underneath the careful grooming and the failed finishing school indoctrination. To get past the titles and find me.
Kostas reached down to tuck himself more thoroughly back into his underwear, not bothering to button or zip them before leaning across the accent table to press a lazy kiss to my shoulder.
I felt uneasy. Despite my previous assurances to the contrary, I felt nervous about the events of that day. About the photos Amanda had brought up to me but never shown, about our decision to announce our relationship. About all of it.
"Are you sure? " I asked him, reaching for his hand and lacing our fingers. "You're sure this is what you want? "
"I want you," he clarified. "And everything that comes with you."
It was a sweet sentiment, but it wasn't an answer. I told him as much. "Have you changed your mind about people like me? " I asked. "You used to hate them. Hate me? Has that changed? "
"I don't think I ever hated you. Especially not once I met you in person," he assured me. "And Gideon and Tristan aren't too bad, I guess." He winked and I couldn't help but smile. "I haven't changed my mind about the rest of them. And to be honest, these people need a little bit of someone like me. Things need a good shake every now and then."
I chuckled. "I don't know how much shaking you're going to be doing, your Grace," I smirked and he rolled his eyes. "Dukes don't necessarily get much say in things."
"So I'm going to be a Duke, huh? Is that the bullshit title your father's going to slap on me so I can marry you? "
"Probably," I replied, twiddling my thumbs in my lap. "Is that okay? "
"Everything that comes with you, remember? And I promise, I'm not planning to shake anything, but I figure you might be."
"Definitely," I promised.
"As long as I'm with you when the shakes start happening, I'm good to go," he promised. He rose up from his chair, his pants falling down around his ankles. I giggled, but he stepped out of them, kneeling down in front of me the way I had with him. He kissed along my inner thigh, up my leg until he revealed the silk garters holding up my stockings. Not to mention how they apparently drove him crazy, given the groan that escaped his lips upon their discovery.
"There is no future I can envision that doesn't include you. So I am very sure that this is what I want, Vi," he said softly, his fingers trailing up the line of my garter.
"I'm so glad to hear you say that," I replied, shivering with delight as he continued to stroke his way up my thigh.
"Can I return the favor? " he murmured, looking up at me from the floor and grinning like a cat who'd finally gotten the cream.
I giggled, reaching down beneath my skirt to unhook my garters so I could scoot my panties down over my hips and past my knees. I parted my legs a little to allow him space to move between them.
I wondered if he could smell my arousal, hot and sticky under my skirt. If he liked the way I smelled. He let his hands skim up my legs, rucking the hem up over my knees.
"I really like these." He let his fingers drag over my unhooked garters, delighting in the shiver the action caused.
"I had noticed, believe it or not." My smile was relaxed, and my tongue swept out to wet my lips.
"I really, really like these." He pressed a kiss to my inner thigh.
I shivered, spreading my legs more.
He stifled a moan. He kissed up my leg, up towards my center. He was just starting to nose around my heat when my phone buzzed on the accent table.
Scrambling to sit up, he was back in the other chair before I knew it. I chuckled. "It's just Gideon," I informed him, showing him the screen on my phone.
Kostas looked like he was trying to calm his heart after the attack that it had just had, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Kostas. Calm down," I teased. "Are you okay over there? "
He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. "Never better. Might need something to kickstart my heart again," he thumped his chest for emphasis.
I reached over and took his hand. "Would you like to go into the bedroom? " I gestured slightly with my chin, in the direction of my bedroom door.
"Can we? " he asked.
"I want to," I murmured, squeezing his fingers. "I'm kind of… in danger of being put away wet, over here." I winked and stood up, walking towards the door. "You coming? "
"Hell yes." He quickly stood and followed me.
I led him to my door. It was a little bit messy inside: a basket of half-folded laundry sat on the floor by my dresser, and there were a few piles of mail on my desk. But I didn't really care. Not if he didn't. And he definitely didn't seem to care.
I sat down on the edge of my bed and
he knelt between my legs once more.
As I reached for the waistband of my skirt, he stopped me, shaking his head.
"Let me do that. Just… sit right there and enjoy." He pressed kisses to both of my hands before he pressed them down on either side of my hips.
His words and his tone sent a thrill down my spine.
He reached down to completely remove my stockings, pulling both off my feet and placing them side by side on the floor beside my bed. His hands moved painstakingly up my thighs once again.
My fingers ached to touch him, but he apparently had something in mind here, and I wanted to see how it played out.
My eyes widened as he quickly lifted my skirt and crawled underneath it.
He nosed up my thighs, nuzzling and sucking lightly in various places. Arousal surged between my legs when I remembered what he was going to do. My skirt was flowy enough that he could duck his head beneath it unimpeded.
He spread my legs a little wider, so far that my toes were barely brushing the floor. My muscles ached from the stretch, but it was such a good ache that I didn't want it to stop.
He nosed up my inner thigh, as if he couldn't get enough of me. As if I was intoxicating. When he grazed over my center, he groaned. Of course, so did I. I quivered as he continued to move, to tease, to explore.
He licked a tentative stripe up my slit, parting me with his tongue. I gasped as he prodded me, sliding through my slickness before he moved up where I really wanted him. He teased my clit lightly with the tip, and my thighs tensed. He slid his hands up my legs, squeezing reassuringly before latching onto my clit and sucking.
I whimpered, the sound was needy and primal. My toes slipped on the floor, but he was holding me up right where I needed it, where he wanted, so it wasn't an issue.
I was completely at his mercy and I loved it.
I was getting louder. I wondered briefly how soundproof my walls were, but the thought soon flitted away. In this moment, I didn't care who heard me. I gripped handfuls of the bedspread and moaned his name.
"Kostas… oh… ohhhh…"
My cheeks were flushed hot and pink as I allowed my head to fall back. As the heat built between my legs, I pleaded with him not to stop. To please keep going.
Unsuitable: Part 1 of a Reverse Harem Royal Romance (The Princess' Harem) Page 13