Rebel Obsession (All the King's Men)

by Donya Lynne

  “Get off my back!”

  “FUCK YOU! I will not get off your back, Io! This was a major fuck-up on your part.”

  “Taking a mate is a fuck-up?! You’re joking, right?”

  “No, I’m not joking, asshole. She should never have been in your house to begin with.”

  “And if she hadn’t, she’d be dead now, so which would you have preferred? Me dying because I didn’t save her life, or me dying because I did and ended up finding out she’s my mate. Because either way this stacks up, I’m dead, right? I might as well die doing something noble.”

  Miriam stepped up beside him and wrapped her hands around his tattooed forearm, concern in her touch.

  Tristan huffed and paused, then said in a more controlled voice, “No one says you’re going to die over this, Io.”

  “Well, the four royal guards in my basement say otherwise.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, I was about to be executed when Wonder Stud and his sidekick, Eighties Hair Band, showed up.” Io looked up to see the long-haired Sev glare at him and mouth, Really? Eighties hair band? as he flipped him off.

  Io shot the bird back at him then flipped one to Trace while he was at it—just for good measure since he was in such a giving mood. Meanwhile, Miriam tucked herself against his side.

  “Okay, okay.” Tristan took a deep breath. “Tell Trace to clean up their heads and send them out of there. Then I want all three of you here in thirty, especially you. You got me.”

  “What about Miriam?”

  “Send her home. The sun’s setting, so it’s safe for her to go outside.”

  Io wrapped his free arm around Miriam’s waist as if protecting her. “Tris. No. She needs my care. She’ll go into withdrawal and she’ll need—”

  “That’s not your concern right now,” Tristan said.

  “Like hell it’s not!” Io glared as if Tristan were sitting in front of him. “She’s my mate. I won’t have her—”

  “Goddamn it, Io! You send her ass home NOW!”

  “What about the calling?” Io didn’t want to be away from his mate when the calling started and gripped him in sexual heaven. To be away from Miriam when the calling began would be more like hell. His body would drive him into agony without her. An agony that would rival cobalt withdrawal. Maybe even put it to shame.

  “We’ll figure this shit out, Io, but right now, she needs to go home. Trace can implant new memories in the guards’ heads about what they found, we can get this mess cleaned up, and then we’ll figure out how to get you and your mate together. Now, you keep your shit together and don’t do anything stupid. I know how you are, Io, so you check your fly-by-the-seat attitude and get your ass in here now!”

  Checkmate. Io was out of moves. For now, anyway.

  “Fine.” He disconnected and handed the phone back to Sev.

  “What did he say?” Sev said.

  Io looked at Trace. “He wants you to give these guys new memories about what they found when they got here. Something innocent, I’m guessing.”

  Trace made a face like he didn’t approve, but he would play nice. “Okay. I’m on it.”

  Io looked at Miriam. “You have to go home.”

  “No.” She shook her head and snuggled closer.

  “You have to, baby.” He caressed her cheek.

  “I don’t want to.” She tightened her hold on him as if it would allow her to stay with him.

  “I don’t want you to, either, but we need to sort this out. We’ll be together. I promise.”

  She shook her head again. “Io…? I’m worried. What if…?”

  She would go into withdrawal again soon. They both knew it.

  “Take a shower so my scent isn’t on you, okay? I’ll get your clothes out of the dryer and make you another cup of elixir. You’ll need to drink it before you go home. And I’ll fill a water bottle for you. Hopefully, it will get you through long enough so you don’t go into withdrawal before I can see you again.”

  “What if I do?”

  “Fight it. You’ll have to fight it, Miriam. But I’ll be with you soon. I promise, okay?”

  She looked terrified, as if she felt she wouldn’t be able to fight her addiction without him by her side.

  “Miriam, you’re strong. You can do this.”

  She took a deep breath and nodded.

  “Now, go on. Get in the shower. I’ll bring you your clothes.”

  She disappeared into the bathroom and Io turned back around. Trace was puppeteering the four guards up the stairs.

  Sev was staring at him.

  “What?” Io said.

  Sev placed his hands on his hips and looked at the floor then back up at him. “Man, I never thought I’d see this day.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Fuck me, but you’re mated.”

  Io glanced at himself in the mirror. The playboy was off the market. He didn’t look any different, but clearly he was a Lothario no more. “You know, I always thought Ari and I would take mates at the same time if I ever took one.” He grinned and looked back up at Sev. “I just never knew it would happen like this.”

  Sev walked over and clapped a hand on Io’s shoulder. “He’d be proud.”

  “You think so?”

  “Hell yeah. I wish Ari could see you now. I mean, you’re a damn bonehead, but I guess you can’t help who you mate, right?”

  Io nodded. If only Ari could see him now, but he had messed up their friendship so badly that he couldn’t even share this monumental moment with him.

  “Damn, Io. You sure know how to pick ‘em.” Sev chuckled.

  “Go big, or go home.” It was a motto Io lived by.

  Sev’s chuckle turned into an outright laugh as he threw his head back and all that long, blond hair fell off his shoulders. “No shit!”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Miriam showered, dressed in her newly cleaned clothes, choked down a mug of the noxious but miraculous elixir-water, and joined Io and his friends upstairs.

  Things were complicated now. What were they going to do?

  “Hey.” Io smiled at her, looking relieved to see her.

  She knew how he felt. “Hey.” Being near him instantly set her at ease.

  His friends hovered nearby, the guards gone. Whatever Trace had done to them was finished, and it looked like they had been sent on their way. Events were now set in motion, and nothing could be undone. How were she and Io going to be together? This was her home now and leaving was as wrong as snow in summer. Was this how it felt to attach to a mate?

  Io handed her a one-liter bottle of water. “Here. Take this home with you.” He nodded toward the bottle as he brushed his palm gently down her arm.

  “Thank you.” She took the bottle and stuffed it into her oversized purse.

  Trace turned his gaze toward the door right before it opened. Another male walked in. He had long, black hair that hung past his shoulders and black, groomed stubble lining his jaw and upper lip. His dark, shrewd eyes surveyed the room. “Girls,” he said with a nod.

  “Micah?” Io frowned at the newcomer as he casually slid his arm around her waist.

  Micah clasped hands with Trace. “Brother.”

  “Glad you could join us, pretty boy,” Trace said.

  “Why are you here?” Io’s fingers curled around the curve of her hip.

  Micah seemed to make Io nervous, and Miriam glanced out of the corner of her eyes at him. He was already so protective of her. Her mate. Wow! She had a mate, just like that. Everything had happened so fast she still couldn’t grasp the idea. How was she supposed to act? Feel? Behave?

  “I’m the chauffer.” Micah popped a piece of gum in his mouth and eyed her. “And it’ll come to you.” He smiled at her. A kind, knowing smile.

  Io looked back and forth between her and Micah, his grip tightening around her waist. “Get out of her head, Micah. And what do you mean, you’re the chauffer?”

  “Wait, wait, wait a minute.” She held up
her hand, shaking her head. “What are you two talking about?”

  Trace smirked and crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall as Sev sighed and paced.

  “I’ll let you tell her while I get a drink.” Micah walked past them into the kitchen.

  Io absently stroked her arm. “Micah tends to see everyone’s thoughts.” He turned and glared over his shoulder at Micah. “Which he will not do with you. Understood, pretty boy?”

  Micah filled a glass with water and came back into the front hallway, drinking, eyeing them both. But he didn’t nod, and he didn’t agree with Io. Just stared, his gaze full of power and knowledge, piercing them both as if dissecting them.

  Miriam shivered. Was Micah burrowing into her thoughts right now?

  Trace chuckled and looked at his feet with a shake of his head.

  “I said, is that understood?” Io’s face was stone hard, his eyes not wavering.

  Micah sighed and set the glass down on the table next to him. “You know I can’t, Io. But I promise to be nice.” With a flourish, Micah dismissed Io and looked at her with a lopsided grin. “Your highness, I’m here to return you to your car and escort you home.”

  Who was this guy? And what was with the highness bullshit? She would put her foot down on that shit right now.

  “Okay, hot shot.” She shifted her weight to the side and waggled her finger in front of him. “I don’t know who you are or what planet you’re from, but one, get out of my head, and two, you can stop with the royal titles.” Miriam was going to lay the law with Io’s friends right off the bat. She got enough of the ass kissing at home. She didn’t need it here, and she certainly didn’t need a mind sweep.

  The smile that broke over Micah’s face could have stopped traffic, and he glanced toward Trace. “Looks like we have a real she-devil here,” he said. He held out his hand. “I’m Micah, Miriam. Pleasure’s all mine if you’ve got balls like that.”

  Io growled softly, and Micah’s gaze slid toward him, but he didn’t take away his hand.

  She arched an eyebrow, wary, but shook his hand. “Good, because I hate the fucking hoity-toity royal crap.” Her gaze swept the others. “That goes for all of you. Any of you call me anything resembling your highness and I’ll twist your balls so hard you’ll curse the day you were born. Is that clear? My name’s Miriam. Not Princess, not Your Highness, not Daughter of Bain. Miriam. Got it?”

  Micah and the others laughed, nodding and exchanging approving glances.

  “You’ve got your hands full with this one, Io.” Micah chucked his shoulder.

  “I know.” Io pulled her close and nuzzled her cheek. “And I love it.”

  She turned into him.

  “Does that go for me, too?” he said.

  “What?”

  “I can’t call you Princess?”

  Heat filled her cheeks. “Okay, maybe just you.”

  He pulled her closer, shielding her. “I don’t want you to go,” he said quietly.

  Micah clapped Trace and Sev on the shoulders. “Boys, outside.”

  Sev began to protest. “We need to get going. Tristan—”

  “Tristan can keep his panties twisted up his ass crack a few minutes longer,” Micah said, finishing Sev’s sentence. “You’re a mated male, Sev. You know how it feels. Let them have a minute to say goodbye, for God’s sake.”

  Trace was already outside, and Sev reluctantly followed Micah, glancing over his shoulder at them. Hurry up, he mouthed.

  Micah smacked his head. “Leave them alone.”

  “Hey!” Sev whipped his gaze around, scowling as he brought his hand up to the back of his head, smoothing his hair back into place.

  The front door closed and Miriam heard them arguing outside, but turned back to Io. “When can I see you again?” Her pulse quickened as his eyes met hers.

  “I don’t know. Soon, I hope.” His hold on her tightened and he pulled her closer. Their noses touched.

  “God, Io.” She inhaled his scent. If only she could stay. Dread gnawed her insides, emptiness threatening to take hold. She should be excited about embarking on this new path with him, her mate. All her life, this was what she had wanted, but instead of locking herself away with Io to revel as humans would during a honeymoon, she had to leave him. All because of her father. He ruined everything.

  If only they had made love, at least she could take that with her. Would she ever feel him in that way? So much could still go wrong. Her father could still rip Io away from her if he found out what had happened between them.

  “How is this going to work?” she said, her voice quiet.

  “I don’t know, but it has to.” He kissed her ear, then lower, and still lower, leaving a trail of kisses down the side of her neck.

  Leaning her neck to the side ever-so-slightly, she purred.

  “That is so damn sexy,” he said, bringing his face around and dipping his forehead against hers as she swiveled her head back toward him.

  “What?”

  “That you purr when you’re aroused. Like a male does.” Io’s hands skimmed down the small of her back and over the upper swell of her ass.

  “Like a male does?” She arched one eyebrow and let her lips brush over his.

  He nodded. “I’ve never met a female who purrs like you do. I like it. A lot.”

  She raked his broad chest with her fingers. “I like you.”

  He grinned against her mouth. “I certainly hope so.”

  “Oh, I definitely do.”

  “We’ll be together, Miriam. I promise. They can’t keep a mated pair apart.”

  Her gaze dropped. “They aren’t my father. He has a way of seeing things differently.” Why had she been born into such a rigid family? Why did she have to be the princess? Why couldn’t she have a normal father and a normal home life? One where she wasn’t bound to inane rules and laws about who touched her, kissed her, swept her off her feet. Because then being with Io wouldn’t involve what amounted to an act of treason. She wouldn’t have to scheme behind closed doors just to be with him, and she would be free to mate him as nature dictated.

  “Surely, he won’t keep a mated male from his mate.”

  She wrapped her arms around him, hanging on for as long as she could. “I don’t know, Io. I don’t know what he’ll do.”

  “I need to be with you.” His arms tightened around her and he held her close, as if his life depended on it. And as a mated male, it probably did.

  “I need to be with you, too.” What were they going to do? How could they make this work without setting off her father or becoming fugitives?

  They stood in the hallway, holding each other but not speaking. There were no words to convey how they felt, but the message got through loud and clear. They would find a way to be together. Neither of them would tolerate the separation for long.

  Finally, Miriam pulled away. She not only had to battle her father and the separation from Io, but also her addiction. How would she survive? Sure, Io had given her a bottle of the water and elixir, but that would last her only a day or two.

  He leaned forward and kissed her. Unlike last night, she was now used to the feel of him and she kissed him back, her lips molding perfectly with his.

  She wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, savoring every taste, each caress, stretching time in a desperate attempt to remain rooted in place forever.

  But forever ended too soon when a knock came at the door.

  “Ladies? You ready?”

  Io groaned as his mouth stilled on hers. She opened her eyes and met his gaze, frozen in the moment, memorizing every line and contour of his face.

  “Time to go,” she whispered. Her heart cried, but she would not shed tears. If she did, it would blur his face, and she didn’t want to remember him that way.

  “Uh, yeah,” he called to his companions, clearing his throat. He looked at her. “We will be together, Miri.”

  She smiled even if her heart wasn’t in it. “I like that you call me that
. Nobody calls me that.”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s too informal.” No one was allowed to be so casual with her. “But I like it with you.”

  “Well, then I’ll make sure to call you that more often.” He took her hand and led her to the door.

  “Feel free to do a lot with me more often.” Heat burned her cheeks, her gaze flitting back and forth over his face before lowering, her heart racing. Why did she suddenly feel so bashful?

  He stopped and touched her chin, lifting her face so he could look at her. “I’ll remember you said that.” He gave her a lusty look.

  Her heart fluttered, and she bit her lip. Io made her body sing with just a single look, his eyes so mesmerizing. “I expect you to teach me many new things, Io.”

  “I plan on it.” He kissed her. A chaste kiss, sweet, but full of promise.

  When he opened the door, three pairs of eyes turned toward them.

  Micah looked at her. “You ready, Miriam?”

  “No, but I guess I have to be.” She squeezed Io’s hand as he gave her a reassuring glance.

  “Micah, you take care of my female,” Io said, not looking away from her.

  His female. Hearing him call her that made her stomach fill with warmth and spin in her belly like a tornado.

  Micah rested his hand on Io’s shoulder. “Nothing will happen to her on my watch. Trust me.” Micah looked over his shoulder. “Trace, why don’t you come with? Give Io more peace of mind.”

  Trace stepped to her side like a bodyguard then looked at Io, his pale eyes shadowed with confidence. “Mike and I will take care of her.”

  Sev shook his head. “No, Trace. Tristan will want you with us at the compound. He’ll want a debrief.”

  “Tell Dad I’ll be there as soon as Mike and I know Miriam’s safe.” Trace exchanged glances with Micah, who smirked before heading off to the Suburban. “I’m sure he would want the king’s daughter to be of the utmost importance, right?”

  “Fine, whatever. Io, let’s go,” Sev said, waving toward the other Suburban. He sounded irritated, but resigned.

  Io locked up the house and joined Sev. “I’ll see you soon, Miri.”

  She nodded, hoping like hell he was right. “Soon.” She needed to emphasize the point, as if it wasn’t clear enough that she was going to be miserable without him.