He must have felt my frustration because he apologized and said, “Look, I didn’t mean to cross the line on the bed. I honestly have never slept in a bed with a girl before so it didn’t faze me to fall asleep taking up more space than I should. The night before last I couldn’t sleep. So I didn’t mean—well, I’m sorry if I was disrespectful towards you.”
I couldn’t stop the smile. I’m the only girl he’s ever slept with. Well, you know. Anyway, my blush meter was skyrocketing and he knew it. It made him feel more comfortable helping us both.
Ending the awkwardness, I told him to get dressed. He joked saying he was dressed and would stay just like that all day. I gave my affected self away when my dropped mouth and hungry eyes traced the lines across his shoulders. I quickly looked away hearing him chuckle and fall face down on the bed. He was enjoying this way too much. The daylight washed over the edge of the bed where his feet hung half off, still hiding his face and letting me make a getaway. We both successfully pretended to “act” asleep the first half of the night, but the morning had been another story. I jumped halfway across the carpet to exit, locking myself in the bathroom.
It was some weird connection that drew us together. I was heavily attracted to him no doubt. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. Somehow I just knew he was meant to be here at this moment. And so was I.
Dressed and ready, I walked slowly into the living room hearing all three male voices going ninety to nothing and gaining momentum. It was a heated subject. I could guess and might still be wrong, but I was betting it involved me.
The second my presence was known, all talking ceased. I didn’t mean to make it obvious, but I sucked in a breath announcing my discomfort.
Even more nervous now, I poured a glass of water and gulped it down fast. Ames seemed to track me as I moved making me hypersensitive to where I would choose to move next. I begged myself not to trip over my feet.
“Are you ready to go?” Ames asked now standing and holding onto his keys. His other hand was tucked into his pants pocket. All he did was ask me if I was ready and still I analyzed the raspy way his voice called out the words like they were beckoning me to his love nest.
Caught staring, I pulled myself together and made it first to the door without a word. Something had shifted between us. A line in the sand was still there, but it was like we both had one foot on it waiting for the other to make the move.
The car ride wasn’t any different.
AMES
The guards took no time latching onto us as we neared the entrance giving us nods of approval, but keeping their distance. Trigger and Wicker stayed behind ready with the car in case it was needed, but contested the plan as foolhardy. I didn’t know anything but step one. Step two involved somehow taking Emma somewhere and releasing her from her obligation. She wasn’t keen on the enslavement, but she wasn’t down with staying in the cabin either. I hadn’t really inquired what she wanted yet.
Step one first.
Inside the first set of doors, the guards led us down the hallway straight to Joshlin. He was feeding his face and covered in a swarm of girls. He was such a swine.
He dismissed his female companions and snapped his fingers at the guard posted to shut the door. I stood where I was expected and waited. Emma looked nervous a minute ago running her fingers through her long hair, but now she held her head high and flattened out her hands on her thighs.
“You are here. I assume he is not here to stand for you as I don’t intend to have him in my bed.” His brow almost disappeared into his hairline with the exaggeration.
Could he be more revolting? I panicked with the thought of Joshlin winning. If I died, he’d have her. I couldn’t let that happen which meant I had to watch my tongue.
She grimaced, but held her grace. “I want to renounce my title and let you have it all to yourself,” she said timidly.
Joshlin’s gaze immediately went to me. He gave a double nod to a guard near the door.
“Jem, would you step outside into the courtyard for a few minutes. Someone will see that you are accommodated.”
Joshlin’s death glare penetrated my own. He knew very well who I was and what her renouncement would mean to me as well as him. Happy that Emma didn’t bow to the jerk, I watched her leave and listened for the door to shut.
“So now brother, am I to assume you are the instigator here?” he said dryly.
“She came to her own decision,” I held my ground knowing I would need the leverage.
EMMA
The girl outside the door said to take me to the waiting room. They led me around the corner and into a small room by myself, not the courtyard. It resembled a lavish waiting area that you’d expect within a fancy bathroom plush with sofas and a sink area with mirrors. I took a long audible breath knowing it was hidden from prying eyes. The girl, who I remembered now as Katelyn, told me to be a better listener. They she left.
What the heck?
At the stillness, I heard voices.
I jumped in the air realizing one of them belonged to Ames. His scent seemed to just stay with me even far away. Or maybe I just like to imagine it. We were strangely made and far from anything like humans.
“I have a proposition,” Ames said loud enough it sounded like he was in an open doorway next to me.
A clanging sound followed and pouring next. “Your usual bourbon and coke?”
“Not today. Nothing.”
The other voice belonged to Joshlin. “Is she aware of your lineage?”
“No.”
“When do you intend to tell her, dear brother?” His voice was smooth, buttery, and deadly poison. And did he just say brother? I was right!
“I will when I’m good and ready.”
“She needs to know you’re the king’s son. She has that right. Not that I want her to know or wish for her to consider the implications, but renouncing your own claim can’t be a secret to the future queen. She has to know what it means. You are the best example for the job. If she wishes to not stand with me, then she is against me. I will have to make her a servant as I did you. Otherwise, send her away. She can't go to her own."
Servant? King’s son? What the heck!
“You will not tell her anything. I will make my true identity known when it is right. For now, she needs someone to train her and make her aware of her own magic. And do something about her realm following me around. I had to take out two in broad daylight.”
“Done. You said yourself her magic is weak. What’s the point?” Joshlin didn’t care an ounce about me. And Ames had lied about my abilities.
“Yes, but she needs to know. I’d like to teach her. With permission, I’d like to keep her.”
A long silence followed. Keep me? Like a dang pet! Ohhh! Anger ebbed in my veins and my top was about to blow.
“You wish to take her as your own?”
“Not exactly. I wish to make her strong. Make her know her powers. Make her know she is—
“Whatever, brother. Done. However, I want updates. And I want the treaty drawn in measurable minutes till my next form of entertainment arrives. I’d like her gone before the hour.”
Ames didn’t want me. I don’t get him. And he knows my powers are strong, just not balanced or harmonic. He’d said before it was best to hide that from others.
I didn’t realize I’d pressed my ear to the wall when I jumped and flipped across the sofa with my feet dangling off the sides at the sound of doors slamming.
He was so...so horrible. And Ames was keeping more than secrets. He was the freaking prince/king or something, not Joshlin. When did he renounce? And why did he want me to do as he did? Why can’t Joshlin answer to me?
Cuz’ I have no idea how to run a group of people, much less a whole village. Who was I kidding? I needed to get out and I didn’t need Ames to help me.
Mad as anything now that I knew Ames was just like the dipstick Joshlin, I banged on the door for them to let me out. Nothing.
And I di
dn’t care one bit that Ames was a better man on the inside. He lied.
Banging again I lost control when no one came. I felt the surge a second too late. The door cracked and crumpled before me. I stepped over the rubble and stormed the corners to the room where I was shoved out minutes ago.
Unlocked, I pushed the hardwood door hard enough I knew it would fly and slam the wall. They both lifted off the chairs across from each other and half leapt across the room to me. Ames in a protective mode, Joshlin in attack.
That did something to my insides. He wasn’t bad. Or evil. He was trying to help me. The back and forth was killing me.
“I know...” I couldn’t stand seeing him hurt. He would hate me if I told him I heard a secret he wasn’t ready to tell. I would be.
“I know you two are probably going round and round. Is this over? Can we just sign the dotted line and be done?”
A guard, the same who walked me to my small short visit to the bathroom waiting room prison, smacked against the back of me balancing me into Ames who gratefully caught my shoulders.
“She escaped, sir. She blew the doors apart.”
Moron. “She is standing right in front of you.”
I knew I’d lose control. Ames and I met each other’s silent gaze. I couldn’t tell if he was begging me for silence, or wanting me to make up a good excuse.
Option number two would be good here.
“I was angry. I just twisted the knob and the door lock jammed, so I pushed with everything I had and used the trash can to punch the door open.” There! Not so melodramatic.
Joshlin looked skeptical, but accepted it. Oh, boy!
“Ames will have it drawn up that you are leaving for good.”
Not that I ever came.
“He will see that you are comfortable in the human world and trained in your magic so there are no more door incidents.” Joshlin laughed too loud and boisterous at my folly.
“And will I have to come back?” I wavered, but not with my voice.
“Not if I can help it.” His tone was lethal.
“Done. Where do I sign?”
“In fifty-five minutes time.” Joshlin checked his watch. “Till then.”
Ames and I really did go the courtyard this time. We sat for a long two or three minutes just watching others go by. He nodded to a few including a girl with long dark hair and dare me eyes. I swear she smiled too brightly at him. I glanced sideways at him seeing him smile back. That did something worse inside me than anything else that had happened between us.
I poked my face to the sky. When did I claim the guy?
His face turned to mine and immediately he looked over from one cheek to the next. Gawd! I was freaking pink-cheeked and giving him the hint that I was jealous.
I looked back to the sky. “Why do you get what you want with Joshlin when no one else does?”
That was fair to ask considering I already knew the real answer and knew he’d give a fake one.
AMES
“I will tell you soon. Let’s get today over and I promise to take you somewhere and tell you everything.”
Her face lit up making my eager ears want to hear her just talk. I wanted her more than I wanted anything in my life. I would tell her the truth and see what happens. I couldn’t hold her back if she changed her mind about me. I could definitely tell she had some kind of attraction to me. There were too many side glances when she thought I wasn’t looking. And the jealous spike she just sent me was all too nice.
She was as focused on me as I was on her.
Apparently we were too focused since neither of us knew someone was standing in front of us. A throat cleared.
On the way she whispered something about the guys at Starbucks being from the goblin realms and that they were not worth our worry. It struck me odd. I shrugged her off with another ‘later’, but how could she have even guessed that? Who had she talked to?
We followed the guard, my own, to Joshlin’s meeting room with the long, conference room desk. My brother sat at the head of the table leaving me to his left and Emma to his right. The document was on the regular recycled type of paper that the people within the walls of the goblin realm made themselves. It was a place that was self-sufficient in everything and ninety percent catered to Joshlin the magnificent.
I’m ready to just have it over with.
Joshlin spoke for a while enjoying the sound of his own voice, then read the agreement. When he was done, Emma picked up the ink-filled writing instrument and hovered over the paper aiming her dangerously tell-all eyes at me. Just me.
Joshlin disliked this connection we had, for he slammed a fist down on the table and demanded she sign it without delay. Tactfulness had never been one of his strong points. In fact, bedding women seemed to be his only ability and he had to force that. He was just useless.
He needed to be replaced, but I couldn’t see how it could happen. Maybe I was a coward and all I wanted now was to keep her safe. All plans changed when she arrived.
Her hands shook with fear giving the first appearance of how much he could unravel her and make her feel weak. I hated him for it.
Joshlin would use a person’s fear for his own gain and that’s exactly what I saw in his eyes at that moment. He slammed the fist again and this time she gritted her teeth and steeled an angry look into his face, not fear. I felt it before it started this time.
Uh, oh!
Her hand that was about to sign unfurled and dropped the object in its fold. She squeezed it shut tight and lifted the other hand. All at the same time I bounded over the table and flattened myself against her as she leashed out the single most powerful current of electricity I’ve ever encountered in my lifetime. Joshlin was thrown through the wall into the next room and the shock of it was plastered on every face in the room as they all just stood and stared at their king…in a heap…on the floor…out cold.
I dragged my heavily charged self off the top of her and pulled her to standing. She appeared unharmed and basically calm though static cling may give both of us issues. Her eyes stayed on the motionless goblin king as I asked her if she could walk. She didn’t answer or move. We needed to leave before he woke. Panic filled me at Joshlin waking and the realization hitting him that she had a few more jolts within her than he’d been led to believe.
So much for plan A, step one.
Plan B would have to do.
RUN!
EMMA
I have no idea what I just did or how I did it, but it was awesome. It felt good. It felt...horrible.
Did I kill him?
I found my voice after the break out run and tug Ames had with his vice grip escape quick plan.
“Is he alive?”
“If we’re lucky, no. We’re not going to get that lucky.”
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
“Me? Yeah. Why?”
“Didn’t I hurt you too?” I know he felt the electricity. “I seem to shoot out all different forms. Being a human light bulb was a first for me.”
“No. I felt the surge, but it doesn’t affect me much.”
Oh! “I just electrocuted you and you show no signs of pain. Why is that?”
“Later. Let’s get to safety right now.”
“Ames?”
“Trust me. I’m scorched and burned on the inside, but where you’re concerned, my skin is fireproof.”
I reserved the conversation for later. It was a weird statement.
Barreling down hallways Ames managed to text and run. Guessing it was the readied car on the other end I raced through my mind to make sense of what I’d just done. I’d made a mess of everything. Ames had it all fixed and freedom was just around the corner when I screwed everything up.
Maybe they’d be better off without me.
“You should just leave me. If he gets me, then everyone will be fine and no one else has to get hurt. You’re the brave one Ames, not me.”
“Not gonna happen,” he quipped showing me a glimpse of the little kn
ife laced with his version of Tylenol sticking out of his sleeve. Who else would he hurt for me?
“I mean it, Ames. I know you can take care of all this. Make it better like you always do, but attached to me, I’m trouble. If you cut me loose, you’re free to go back to a run-free life like you like.”
We were outside running through trees now. He stopped abruptly and cut me off too close. His breath mingled with mine and his body flushed against me.
“Who said I liked that life? Besides, I’m in too deep now. I can’t go back.”
Can’t go back? “So you regret saving me and want to go back, but can’t because you made Joshlin mad?” I asked braver than I felt. Once, weeks ago, I reminded myself I was through with guys for a while. So why does this incessant draw to him refuse to go away?
“I regret nothing and I don’t want to go back in any way. Only forward. And you feel the same way I do. Deny it and I will let you go. But if I’m right, then I promise you now, no matter where we go I will keep you safe and protected.”
I didn’t deny anything. I didn’t say anything. For that soundproof moment, we were starkly alone in an empty world where no bad guys existed and no one was hunting me down. And I think he was admitting in his guy kind of way that he cared for me. I was still sorting out whether that was in an attraction way or an obligation way.
I decided to say one thing trying to bite back the grimace making its way to the surface, “If you go, I go.”
His infectious smile was the best medicine for any sickness I could contract. It said many things, among some things I’d like to keep to myself, but it was far from just a friendly gesture. Worse, I felt that same feeling that kept coming back like the first day I saw him with Christina Fowler. The possessive jealous one. And there was no one to be jealous of here.
We survived long enough to get back to the Jeep with the two guys inferring that we were in hot pursuit.
“Crazy taxi driving, coming up!” Trigger excitedly charged as we jumped into the moving vehicle. We had no way of knowing if they were on our tails or not. When we left, the king was out cold.
Denial (Goblin's Kiss Series Book One) Page 18