by A. K. Koonce
“I know you can.” Linden passes Chaos a look, his curious attention shifting above me for only a moment before coming back to meet my eyes. “Just stay the night, and if you feel comfortable, you’re welcome to stay until Minue returns.”
He waits. The room waits. The heavy silence pressing in on me waits for my decision.
“That’s very kind,” I force out. “Thank you.”
A smile curves his lips. He passes the men behind me that same genuine smile of kindness before turning on his heels and walking out of the room. The door swings behind him and I hear him speaking about food and fine wine but it’s a muffled sound of his words. Plates clatter and clink against his tone from within that room.
I stand staring at the dark wood of the door, letting awful scenarios of how this will turn out play through my mind. It’s destined to be a shit show. The bright sunlight shining through the windows illuminates the room in a golden color that makes my bronze skin even darker.
Chaos’ palm brushes against my stomach and before he even speaks I lean back into him. His palms push low down my hips, and the anxiety and exhaustion spills out of me and onto him. His head leans against mine before his lips graze my ear, tickling my skin with his light breaths.
“Three days will pass in no time.” Soft lips skim against the curve of my neck and I tilt my head for him as he presses another slow kiss there. The scrape of his beard against my skin is more consuming, making me want to relent and stand here all day with him just like this. “You should get some sleep.” His fingers tense against me as his teeth rake along the spot just below my ear.
A shaking breath is my only reply.
“Shall I show you to your rooms then?” a sweet and quiet voice asks.
I jump at the sound of her closeness and I pull away from Chaos’ intimate embrace in an instant. The Prince’s maid, Marg, stands before me. She’s young. Maybe twenty at the most. Pale blonde hair is swept up in loose waves on her head and deep blue eyes shine back at me with shy innocence. Everything from the shade of pink kissing her cheeks to the tight white buttons that line all the way up to her throat makes me feel incredibly inappropriate.
“Yes. Yes, please.” My arms fold. All four men arch a brow at me as I clear my throat, letting every bit of the anxiety Chaos tried to steal away come right back in.
The woman gives a small smile before quickly leading us back into the entry room. Her navy skirt swooshes against her calves with every step she takes up the curving staircase. If she’s curious about us, she doesn’t ask. She keeps a tense form of silence the entire way up to the fourth floor. I’m nearly panting when the sleek marble stairs give way to the fourth-floor hallway.
Plush carpet meets my feet and she pauses with a glittering key at the first door directly across from the stairs. The deep mahogany wood shines with a fresh gloss as she pushes it open.
“Here’s a room for one of your friends.” Her words hesitate against the word friend, but she doesn’t say it cruelly.
“If you’ll follow me, please.” The following door right next to the first one is unlocked, and she nods to it. “Another room for our guests. Each room has its own bath and running water.” She nods to herself and I wonder if she knows not everyone has that. Maybe she does. The way she says it makes me think she does. She passes the five of us another quiet smile as she opens a third door and continues on. She unlocks a fourth door, gesturing with her small hand to the room before unlocking a fifth. “And this one will be for my lady.” She pushes open the door. It’s nearly the last door with a smaller, older door on the opposite wall. A final door is at the end of the dim hall, but I only peer at it for a second before stepping slowly inside my room.
The wide space lays out in an open area with a bed on the far wall. A sheer curtain surrounds it from the high posts above in an oddly intimate way. The arching windows reach up to the ceiling, allowing sunlight to splay across the white carpets. Dark wooden support beams line across the ceiling, matching the trim that frames the room. A door is open on the far wall and the largest bath I’ve ever seen sits in the middle of the room.
It’s beautiful.
My gaze pulls across the setting until it lands on a door to my left. Chaos and Rime’s attention settles there too.
On stalking steps, Rime moves to the door before pulling it open to see inside. Without a sound the door sways wide open.
It appears an adjoining room is just off of mine. An even larger—and if possible—grander room is just through that door.
“Who’s fucking room is that?” The scrape of Rime’s voice is thrown at Marg as he turns, his hand still held firmly on the glinting golden knob. There’s a strange calmness to his anger. It’s a steady tone that feels unbalanced to the aggression shining in his eyes.
Marg tilts her head, looking into the room as if she wasn’t aware it was still there.
“That’s Prince Linden’s room.”
Rime blinks at her, his jaw tensing before he speaks again.
“Linden’s room is adjoined with Arlow’s room?”
My brows raise at that. She wants me to stay in a room attached to Linden’s?
“Well, a door separates the two.” A smile holds in place with her rational explanation.
Rime cocks his head to the side as if he didn’t hear the sweet woman’s gentle words correctly.
“She’s not fucking sharing a shared room.” His voice is steady and unnervingly calm as his fingers grip the doorknob hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Frost chills the gold beneath his fingertips and my eyes grow wide at the sight of it.
“Well, there’s a door between the two,” Marg repeats on a quiet voice.
“I don’t care if there’s a fucking three headed guard dog between the two, she’s not fucking sharing his room.” His even tone never rises but anger stings against his curses. The focus of his fury is held entirely on her; it’s like the rest of the room might as well not even exist.
The man who always keeps his anger so cool along the surface is a terrifying image of controlled rage right now, and I barely understand it. I push myself in front of Marg, blocking out Rime’s irrational aggression as I plaster another fake smile into place. “This is incredibly nice, Marg. Thank you very much. Please send out all of our thanks to the Prince.” I nod. She nods. Fake smiles are passed all around until I can finally usher the door closed behind her.
The moment I turn the lock into place I lean my head against the cool wood, letting my eyes fall closed as a breath of anxiety slips from my lungs.
A palm settles low on my back and the heat of Sinister’s touch fires all through me. “I’m going to start you a bath and then I think you should get some rest.”
I turn to him and slowly nod. His long fingers skim up my arm and along my neck before his palm settles against my jaw. His attention lingers, skimming over my features and settling on my lips. An ache presses into my chest as his tongue slips along his lower lip. It’s a familiar feeling of dangerous want that I haven’t felt in so long.
I want him to hold me. I want to forget everything. I want our lives to be normal. I want too much.
Then he takes a step back, dropping the warming feel of his hand on my body before turning away without another word and heading toward the bathroom.
My heart tries to calm into a slower beat once he’s out of sight. The sound of a lock clicking in place has me rolling my eyes at Rime. He turns it firmly, glaring hard at the door between my room and Linden’s. He steps back from it before coming right back. I watch him as he pushes against the red wine-colored settee. The hard muscle of his biceps flex as he shoves the couch in front of the door. He straightens once it’s right where he wants it. He gives the makeshift blockade a quick look over, his hands resting against his narrow hips. Only a single velvet chair is left sitting alone at the center of the room now.
“Happy?” I ask with an arch of my brow. I guess he’s oddly back to caring about me. Even if he won’t admit it.
&nb
sp; The pretty but cruel frost of his blue eyes land on me.
“Do I look fucking happy?”
My head tilts at him.
“Do you ever?”
His full lips part with a scowl, prepared to fling another angry word at me, but I’m tired and I know exactly how to end this conversation for everyone. My arms cross to grip the hem of my shirt and I pull it carelessly off without looking at him.
When I toss it to the soft white carpet his mouth is still parted but the anger that lined his face is no longer there. His gaze travels slow and approvingly over my breasts and hips as I push the skirt down my thighs.
Chaos and Kain share a matching look that heats my flesh as their gazes sear over my flesh. I spent all that time having to stare at their nakedness, it’s a nice change for them to stare at me for once. I’m not saying they should be cheering and throwing roses at my feet, but the heavy silence of their appreciation is a little too much.
I take a step closer to Chaos and his big hands clasp over my hips in an instant. I love the way his hands feel on my body. He’s so big, when he touches me everything about the world just feels safe. His fingers skim lower until he’s tracing slow circles against the curve of my ass.
“I’m going to take a bath,” I whisper, and I can physically feel all the attention on me. “Will you do me a favor?”
He’s nodding before I even finish my sentence. I wish I could imagine the sexy favors that are drilling through his mind right now. I wish I could see all the things he wants to do to me.
I almost ask him to come with me. To really enjoy the bath but there’s something I want more than Chaos’ cock.
I want them to behave.
“Will you guys please settle into your rooms?”
He stares at me as if he must have misheard my favor. It takes a second before a smirk tilts the corner of his lips. His hard body melds against mine as he places a kiss against my cheek. He takes a step back and a breath hits his lungs like he hasn’t come up for air in several moments.
“Yeah. Yeah, we can do that.” He shakes his head at himself before looking back at Rime and Kain.
The two of them are no longer appraising my beautiful body. They pass an astounded look from Chaos to me and then back again.
Rime strides to the door, opening it without care of who might see me in my underwear on the other side. His voice echoes down the hall even after he’s out of sight.
“I hate how easily she tames you, Dickless.”
Six
Two Friends
My bath is quiet and warm and tries to pull away the tension in my muscles, but it just doesn’t work. I don’t linger in the hot water. I’m in and out rather quickly. Sinister sits with his back against the dark oak headboard, his boots crossed one over the other as he watches me dry my hair with the fluffy white towel. It’s like he’s mesmerized by the simple task. Or it could be the water droplets that are cascading down my shoulders and being soaked up by the towel wrapped around my body.
“You could have gone to your room, Sin.” I turn away from him and open the massive wardrobe next to the door that connects my room with Linden’s. The delicate shapes that are carved into the shining wood display pretty swirling hearts and fine curling lines that look adorable and romantic, and oh-my-fucking-goddess-I-cannot-believe-he-put-me-in-a-mistress’-bedchamber.
My eyes close slowly because there’s not much I can do about it. I just have to get through the next few days without incident. A breath shakes from my lungs before I reach up and grab the first dress in front of me.
“You should wear the yellow.” Sinister’s voice cuts through my thoughts and I look up at the gray dress in my hands before finding a beautiful silk yellow gown next to it. I shake away his advice and start to pull the gray gown down from its hanger.
“Yellow always made your skin tone glow and turned your pretty eyes into gemstones.”
Gemstones?
I cock a brow at him from over my shoulder, but the serious look in his features makes me realize he’s remembering the me he could never have. The one he watched from a distance, taking in my details but never touching them.
Because that’s how I always felt when I was around him.
Slowly I release the gray fabric and, without looking at him, I pull at the yellow material until it slips off the hanger. It’s thicker than my other clothes. I’m going to be burning up in this heavy gown. I turn and look back at Sinister. His long fingers thrum against the side of his thigh as he waits with patience for me to drop the towel, keeping his fiery attention held warmly on me.
Magic tingles through my fingertips and with a wave of my hand, the dress transforms from frilly layers into straps of a white shirt and a cotton skirt of yellow. I tilt my head at the new pretty outfit. It’s much nicer than anything I’ve worn in years. It feels good to use my magic for simple things. I feel safer now with the four of them in my life. I don’t feel the need to harbor all my power. I can relax. Just a little.
I look up at Sinister once more, my hand raising to the top of the towel that’s neatly covering my curves. His gaze skims down my body from the curve of my breasts all the way down to my toes. A smirk tilts my lips and with another wave of my hand, the towel falls. Because my new outfit is now perfectly in place in the blink of an eye.
Sinister glares down at the white top that skims against the long yellow skirt, barely revealing an inch of my bronze torso. It presses nicely against my chest, accentuating the swell into a perfect sight. Not that he looks very impressed at the moment.
“That was incredibly anticlimactic, love.” Once more his accent hits me low in my stomach. I don’t know how he does that.
“I’m sorry, I hadn’t realized you were waiting for a climax.” My hands settle against my hips.
I always loved this. This easy banter between us. But it feels different now. Harder to reach even if it sounds the same.
His brow arches and that sinful smile of his lights up his dark features.
“I’ll always wait for your climax, Arrie.” His features become somber and the look alone steals away my smile. “I’ll always wait for you.”
Everything’s different now.
Pressure fills my chest as I think about all the times he stuck around just to keep me company. The sweet glances and the teasing things he always said to make me smile, to make me forget the cruelty of his brother.
Even when he was a cursed hellhound he was always there for me. Always.
The smooth material of the dress skims against my thighs and along the soft carpet as I slowly walk toward him. The bed dips when I settle at the edge and he glances down at the way my thigh touches his. Warm fingers drifts over the back of my hand and it’s the first time that we’re really face to face and alone.
The last time we were alone flashes through my mind. The way he kissed me and the way my heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest just to be near him is all just a tingling memory now. It’s a fond but regretful memory.
It’s what ruined our lives. Not that my life was too fantastic before that. But I ruined his life with a simple kiss.
And he doesn’t even care.
“I’m sorry, Sin.” My lashes flutter against the stinging moisture of my eyes. “I’m sorry.” How many times can I say that and it still feel meaningless? It’s too small of a phrase that doesn’t seem at all adequate for what I did to him.
His fingers thread through mine, squeezing them before he leans up and tilts his head down to meet my gaze. The closeness of his lips near mine makes my chest ache for the simple feel of his mouth, the taste of his tongue. But the closeness of his lips against mine also makes my chest ache with guilt.
I shouldn’t have kissed him to begin with.
“Don’t ever apologize, Arlow.” The lilt of his voice is thicker as it takes on a serious note. More serious than I’ve ever heard. “Don’t ever apologize for that day. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.” He pauses, a smile curving his lips. �
�That’s a lie.”
My lashes rise quickly as I look up at his honesty.
“I would have kissed you long before that if I would have known you wanted it.” The low spoken confession slips between us and I’m left staring at him.
The gleam of his crimson eyes catches the sunlight just before he leans closer. When he’s near enough, my eyes drift close without thought. My heart pounds for the feel of his lips against mine even as his kiss presses to the corner of my mouth. Slowly my eyes open to him to find him smirking at me once more.
“I watched you avoid real affection for five years, Arrie.” His breath fans against my neck as he brushes a slow kiss to the side of my jaw. It’s a chaste kiss that burns me up inside for it to be more. “So, I’m not going to kiss you until you ask for it, love.” The bed dips as he pulls quickly away, shoving off the mattress hard enough to make me nearly fall. He strides to the door and pulls it open, staring back at me as he waits.
He’s always waiting.
“I’ll meet you downstairs. I bet the Prince will be expecting us for an elaborate dinner, yeah?” Curious and taunting happiness gleams in his eyes.
The uneven breath that hits my lungs makes him smile even more, and I have to swallow down the rising energy that’s twirling through my chest. He wants me to want him.
What if I have no idea what I want?
Seven
Show and Tell
When Sinister leaves, I’m alone. And it doesn’t take long for the fleeting emotions he gave me to slip away.
I stand at the center of the pretty room. My toes sink into the soft rug. It’s a deep burgundy and it splays over the floors with golden tassels. Each fine strand seems meticulously placed. The petals of the sunflowers on the dresser are evenly spread. Big and round flowers bloom out from the elegant glass vase. Everything here is perfectly displayed.
Except for me.