There he was, resting casually against the far wall between two massive pots of shrubbery. I had no idea how long he had been there for, watching from the depths of the room. Golden eyes twinkled at me, with a showy tooth-filled grin, before he reached behind him and opened a glass-paneled door to the lodge’s back patio, slipping outside.
I inhaled bit by bit while fury and apprehension churned inside my gut. I skidded by a server and slipped behind a partition separating the room from a swanky bar, to trot to the other side unseen. With deft movements, I glided out the patio door into the waiting moonlight with a gun in each hand hidden behind my legs, ready with the safety switches off.
I kept my guns hidden as I passed the revelry drinking and chatting, heading for the most secluded location on the side of the building. I was careful where I walked as I stepped on the snow. I turned the corner and raised my guns.
My voice was empty of emotion while I narrowed my sights on the Mage standing twenty yards away. “Hello, Jasper.”
His teeth flashed in the moon’s glow, almost as frightening as the twin guns he had aimed on me. “Hello, Caro.” His head cocked, his golden eyes were steady. “Miss me?”
“Like a pesky spider. You just keep showing up no matter how many times I try to kill you.”
He chuckled softly, the sound snaking on the light breeze. “God, how I truly miss that mouth of yours.” His eyebrows waggled suggestively. “Would you care to give me another demonstration of how you slipped away that last time?”
Unbidden, my own lips twitched. “You always wanted it, so I gave it to you.” My own brows lifted. “If I remember correctly, you weren’t too upset when I escaped on your watch for the first time.”
Again he snickered, the sound quiet and intimate. “No, I wasn’t.” A full minute passed by in silence as we eyed each other, possibly both of us remembering that night years ago when we had actually had a civil conversation. I had then taken full advantage of the situation, or him, using a bit of feminine persuasion and wiles. Jasper’s guns, though, never waved. Mine didn’t either. He stated with a cool tone, “He wants you back.”
“Is that what this is about? You’re coming to do his damn bidding?” I barely withheld my anger at the intrusion. “Are you fucking kidding me, Jasper? You don’t even have anything to hold over me. Why in the fuck would I ever go back to him?” I shook my head. “Do you even know who I am now?”
“He knows who you are,” he stated calmly, his guns still steady on me. “And he doesn’t give a shit. We all know with that protection over you, if you didn’t want to be found then you wouldn’t be, so your current position isn’t an issue.” His eyes indicated…something. I just couldn’t grasp what. “Think, Caro. You’re being watched, as he does with all of his favorite pets. He knows Sin left you. It’s only a matter of time before he catches him.” A pause, then, “He actually wants him, too.”
I growled quietly under my breath at hearing him state that so factually. “Sin can take care of himself now, and you all goddamn know that.” I started backing away. “We’re done here, Jasper. In the future, don’t bother with the empty threats or I will blow your goddamn head off, no matter the fact I like you.”
His teeth flashed again. “The day you try that, Caro, is the day I’ll blow your goddamn head off, no matter the fact I like you, too.”
“Goodbye, Jasper,” I muttered.
He winked. “Goodbye, Caro.” His eyes flashed bright gold.
Jasper disappeared, returning to the asshole I would never again let rule my life.
Gritting my teeth in aggravation and fury, I stopped. I holstered my weapons and glanced about, suddenly feeling like I was being watched. Scrubbing my face and seeing no one close by, I moved to turn the corner…and almost tripped over Tristan lying on the snow, his white fur blending with it perfectly, his black stripes hidden in the shadows. Only his blue eyes glinted in the moonlight; even his diamond collar was muted in the shadows.
Barely catching myself from tumbling on my ass, I braced my hand on the side of the building. “You were watching the whole time, huh?”
Tristan stood, shaking the snow from his fur, then he yawned wide in my direction.
“Yeah, I thought it was a boring attempt, too,” I mumbled, scratching his soft furry head. “Let’s go inside. I can’t stand all this slippery shit under my feet.” I held onto Tristan’s collar as we made our way carefully through the snow then even more carefully past the idiot drinkers wanting to pet him.
No one gave me a second glance as I sat down at the table with Tristan by my side.
Except for Leric.
He was resting casually on his chair, sipping from a tall glass of vodka—straight from the looks of it. “I see you found my Tristan.”
I grabbed a roll from the middle of the table, my plate having been taken. “Actually, he found me.”
Leric sipped from his drink again, his silver eyes skimming my face over the edge of his crystal glass. “You look a bit winded. Did you go outside?”
I tossed a small piece of bread into my mouth. “I did for a few minutes.” I waved a hand at my hair, which felt messed up. “There’s a breeze out there.”
King Collins’s head tilted in my direction. “I thought you had a phone call at the front desk?”
I nodded once. “I did say that, but I did step outside for a moment.” I popped another sliver of bread into my mouth. “The air’s nice and crisp tonight, and with the moon shining, it’s very picturesque. You should take a walk and enjoy the evening after this.”
“I just might.” He patted one of my hands. “And I’m glad to see you’re in a better mood.” I barely kept from laughing. My spirits were lifted from drawing weapons on someone and having them drawn on me in return, a bit of ‘sadistic normalcy’ returned to my life. He leaned down, his eyes scanning my face before he whispered, “Was that Sin on the phone?”
“Mm.” I munched on a larger portion of bread. “I’d rather not talk about it.” I patted his own hand softly, keeping my face down. “You understand, of course?”
“Of course,” he stated, squeezing my hand before peering to King Zeller.
They resumed their conversation.
Only just withholding my eye-roll at how easily King Collins fell for pitying me, I tore off a large chunk of the roll and bent, feeding Tristan. But I froze with Tristan eating carefully from my palm, my eyes unmoving on Leric across the table…who had my damn envelope in his hands, reading the content of the letter with one eyebrow raised. My eyes narrowed as I straightened, realizing he had used his powers to steal from me.
Leric tapped the letter back into the envelope, not even bothering to speak quietly. His silver eyes pierced mine. “I could have sworn I knew all the men and women trying to get in your pants.” I flinched when in clear aggravation he flicked the envelope straight at me across the table, hitting me squarely in the chest. It fluttered down onto the table. His eyelids quickly hooded his gaze, but I had seen the quiet fury there before he tried to mask it. “Who the fuck is Jasper?”
My lips pinched, and my instant blush was almost painful as everyone’s eyes fell on us. I barely grabbed the envelope before King Collins did, stuffing it back into my purse. With my attention still captured by Leric’s, I stated slowly, “It’s not what you’re thinking.”
A sardonic brow lifted. “What I think is that you just blatantly lied about your damn whereabouts to your King, after receiving a fucking letter from a man named Jasper.” He slammed his elbows on the table and everyone’s glasses shook, clinking chaotically, as he steepled his hands and touched the tips of his fingers at his lips. “Is my thinking incorrect?”
My nostrils flared and I felt my chin tilt upward. “No, that statement isn’t incorrect.”
He tapped his fingers on his lips as his eyelids hooded his gaze even further, only a bit of silver showing through their slits. His eyes were dimly glowing, he was so pissed. He rumbled on an ominous purr, “Ah, so it’s like your r
endezvous today inside that vendor’s tent?”
My mouth went completely dry, my heart hammering up to my throat. My eyes flicked to Brann, but Leric slammed his left palm down on the table, the whole fucking thing shaking. I jumped in my seat, my attention swinging back to his furious gaze.
He hissed, “He didn’t tell me shit, in case you’ve forgotten again who the fuck I am.”
“Leric,” I murmured softly, my voice shaking in an embarrassing manner. “I’m telling you, it’s not like that.” My eyes darted back and forth between his. “And besides, you told me you didn’t—”
“I know what the fuck I told you. And I can see I made the right decision if you’re so fucking blind to what I’ve been doing so far.” He shook his head, his white rolls of curls flying as he stared at me from shadowed eyes. “You had the right of it, Sprite. You’re nothing but a childish fucking twenty-three-year-old, who’s a fucking liar since you still can’t tell the goddamn truth when confronted.” He growled deep in his throat, baring his teeth at me. “And apparently you’ve also turned fucking slut after our night together.”
My jaw clenched, utterly mortified to be demeaned like this in public. It was further embarrassing when my eyes welled with tears of blatant hurt.
Leric flicked his wrist above my head. “Do it, since the truth can’t pass her lips.”
My breath caught on a gasp as a large palm landed on the back of my neck.
A pulse of stars shot straight to my brain.
I kept my guns hidden as I passed the revelry drinking and chatting, heading for the most secluded location on the side of the building. I was careful where I walked as I stepped on the snow. I turned the corner and raised my guns.
My voice was empty of emotion while I narrowed my sights on the Mage standing twenty yards away. “Hello, Jasper.”
His teeth flashed in the moon’s glow, almost as frightening as the twin guns he had aimed on me. “Hello, Caro.” His head cocked, his golden eyes were steady. “Miss me?”
“Like a pesky spider. You just keep showing up no matter how many times I try to kill you.”
He chuckled softly, the sound snaking on the light breeze. “God, how I truly miss that mouth of yours.” His eyebrows waggled suggestively. “Would you care to give me another demonstration of how you slipped away that last time?”
Unbidden, my own lips twitched. “You always wanted it, so I gave it to you.” My own brows lifted. “If I remember correctly, you weren’t too upset when I escaped on your watch for the first time.”
Again he snickered, the sound quiet and intimate. “No, I wasn’t.” A full minute passed by in silence as we eyed each other, possibly both of us remembering that night years ago when we had actually had a civil conversation. I had then taken full advantage of the situation, or him, using a bit of feminine persuasion and wiles. Jasper’s guns, though, never waved. Mine didn’t either. He stated with a cool tone, “He wants you back.”
“Is that what this is about? You’re coming to do his damn bidding?” I barely withheld my anger at the intrusion. “Are you fucking kidding me, Jasper? You don’t even have anything to hold over—”
I jerked forward, away from the power, with tears slipping over my cheeks. The back of my chair thumped onto the floor as I jumped from it, backing away from Reese where he had snuck up behind me. I stood behind King Collins’s chair, gripping his shoulder hard. Quickly, I wiped the humiliating wetness from my face, though more tears were welling. I glowered at Reese’s completely expressionless face, his eyes dark pools on his creamy complexion.
“Did…what I think just happen, actually occur, Caro?” King Collins asked almost casually, placing a soothing hand over mine while he stared up at Reese. “I mean, other than the asshole across the table kissing away any wish he had for you?”
I quickly wiped away more tears and stuttered, “I…I need…” I sucked in a huge breath. “I need to process this before I accuse anyone of anything.” I giggled, my thoughts a bit crazy. “Because Reese wouldn’t be the one I blamed, since he was blatantly ordered.”
It was so damn silent at the table.
Then King Collins actually started snickering right along with me. “You mean, it would be,” clear distaste, “the One you would punish?”
“Exactly.” I turned my face away, still half chuckling, half crying as I wiped at my cheeks with my free hand. I squeezed King Collins’s shoulder and cleared my throat before I slipped my hand out from under his. “I think I’m going to my room now.” I reached for my purse on the ground and put my feet into motion away from that fucking mess.
Leric muttered, “Reese, I don’t give a shit about—”
“Sir, with all due respect,” Reese cut him off, gruff and blunt. “We need to talk privately and then possibly with the four Rulers.”
I wasn’t far enough away because I still heard Leric’s tone completely alter behind me, changing to an utterly bottomless voice as he asked, “What did you see?”
Chapter Nine
I sat in the bathtub, taking a long shower, or more precisely a long crying jag, letting the water run over me until it ran cold.
Evil had come from him—an apparent asshole—in front of everyone.
An asshole I—fuck me—had feelings for.
The last thing I wanted to hear were multiple voices in my hotel room.
Arguing.
I jerked the freezing water off.
Wiping my face, I sniffed hard and wrapped the towel around me.
I opened the bathroom door a crack and muttered on a croaking voice, “I need my clothes out there, so if—” I gasped, then I grunted as I banged back against the wall as Leric fucking barged into the bathroom, slamming and locking the door behind him. Holding my towel closed tight with one hand, I ran my other hand over my puffy, obviously-been-crying damn face and jammed my finger at the door. “Get the fuck out!”
He held up his hands, his eyes running over my features. “Just give me a second. I want to talk before we go out there with everyone.”
My face flushed in anger, and my fucking chin started trembling again when I remembered what he had said to me. “Don’t you think it’s a little late for decorum, Leric?” I sneered, waving my hand at the door. “You already embarrassed me in front of every single person who is eventually going to be my fucking colleague.” I jabbed my finger against his chest, tears of hurt and embarrassment flooding down my cheeks, pissing me off further. “I may be fucking twenty-three years old, but so help me, I would never,” I paused, growling the word again, “never act as you did in front of any of your goddamn equals.” I shoved his chest hard and…he didn’t even have the grace to take a step back and act like it affected him. “You humiliated me, Leric! Fucking humiliated me!” I pounded his solid chest a few more times, utterly furious.
His jaw clenched, and he took the beating stoically before he tried grabbing my beating hand. But I yanked it away quickly from his grasp. Leric exhaled slowly, his tone more purr than menace, although his words came in bits and pieces. “I know I did, Sprite. And I want to…apologize. I behaved completely…inappropriately—”
I held up a hand, stopping him quickly. “Leric, you obviously don’t apologize very often, so I’ll save you the effort of trying.” I glared, again shoving a finger against his chest. “Because you can take your fucking pathetic apology and shove it straight up your ass.”
Leric’s eyes flashed silver under his hooded lids and his lips parted, ready to speak.
“Get the hell out of here.” I was going to lose it. My skin was glowing, and my voice was shaking the floor, the walls, and the mirror as I jabbed a finger at the door. “Get the fuck out!”
God, he only grinned, crossing his arms as the bathroom shook around us. “You’re cute when you get angry—”
I decked him, flat out punched him with my glowing fist, putting enough magical power behind it that his massive upper body knocked sideways over the sink and the side of his face smashed into the mirro
r. The glass shattered, the cutting crap falling down around us. He gripped his jaw where my punch had landed, his silver eyes shining as they opened in slow motion.
Leric pushed to straighten himself, and his expression was a mixture of amusement and irritation even though he had blood dripping from his cheekbone—the wound already healed—where he had hit the mirror. While I fumed at him, my free fist still clenched, his lips tilted up at the edges. We could both hear some type of argument resuming in my previously silent room.
There was a hush before a knock came at the door.
Roselle cleared her throat. “Sir, Caro, is everything all right in there?”
“Everything’s fine, Roselle,” Leric murmured evenly, rotating his jaw twice before continuing. “Sprite just put my face into her mirror. She’ll need Queen Cooper to fix the mess in here later so she doesn’t cut herself.”
A long pause, then she answered, “Understood, sir.”
“Just leave,” I hissed not a second later, done playing whatever fucking game this was to him. “I want you to get the hell out and leave me alone.”
Leric rotated his jaw once more before lowering his hand. He bent gradually, placing his face, bloody and all, in front of my glowing one. He stated slowly, “I’m not leaving until I say this.” His nostrils flared as he inhaled immensely, gathering his thoughts, stalling as I seethed. My eyes were glowing brighter on his face before he finally continued, “You were correct. I am God-awful at apologies. I rarely have to make them.” Another giant inhale. “I haven’t handled things right with you. Instead of telling you I wanted more with you, I tried backhanded, manipulating actions—”
Lord, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“—to try to win you over. It obviously backfired on me, and when I assumed you went off with someone else this evening…well, I lost the thin amount of control I had remaining and I was purposely cruel and hurtful to spite you.” His jaw clenched, the muscles ticking at the sides. “I am truly sorry for that, Sprite.”
Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore Book 5) Page 6