“So, you were the good one. Why didn’t you turn in your parents?” Annie asked.
“I ask myself that every day. But the answer has never changed. I knew they’d kill me. So I faked my death to escape them. I thought I’d be safe.”
Annie leaned forward. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
Sloane felt her chest tighten with sadness. “No,” she whispered.
“Then what are you going to do about it?”
Sloane took a deep breath and looked Annie right in the eye. “I’m going to take them down.”
Annie grinned. “Good girl.”
Mila joined the group and gave Sloane a kind smile. “I asked Annie if she would meet with us tomorrow.”
“What are we doing tomorrow?” Sloane asked.
“Girls’ day.” Annie grinned. “Bridget, you in?”
“Of course!” Bridget called from across the room.
“I want to be in. Do I get to shoot something?” Aniyah asked from her table.
“Remind me to give her the pistol with blanks,” Annie whispered before giving Sloane a wink and leaving the table.
Sloane picked up her glass and took deep drinks. She must be dreaming. A prince she was falling in love with was holding her hand, a town was going to help her stay hidden from her parents, she was making friends, and two mothers were apparently going to teach her how to shoot. Could her life get any stranger?
17
They drove back to the small house on the farm in silence. Going to the café was a sink-or-swim type of event for newbies in Keeneston. Sloane looked slightly panicked, amused, and stunned all at the same time.
Gabe pulled to a stop and opened the door for Sloane. He unlocked the front door and Sloane walked into the small house. “We need to talk,” Gabe told her as Sloane flipped on lights and checked windows to make sure they were locked.
She spun and pointed her finger at him. “Damn right we do. You told everyone I was your girlfriend. Why would you do that?”
“Wishful thinking.” Gabe stepped across the small living room and reached for her. He placed his hands lightly on her shoulders and looked down at her. “I’m in unchartered waters, Sloane. I’m not hiding my past from you any longer. I admit I have been with women in the past, but I want something more. And I want that with you. When I’m with you, it’s a feeling I’ve never felt before—excitement and nervousness mixed with the fear that I’ll do or say something stupid and you’ll leave. Just tell me, Sloane. When I touch you—do you feel it, too? Do you think of me even when I’m right beside you?”
He saw Sloane suck in a breath. Her eyes widened as the green in them darkened. Her breathing became shallow and Gabe took a chance. He stepped closer so that their bodies touched—chest to chest, hips to hips, thighs to thighs. “So, do I have a chance?”
“But I’m—”
Gabe shook his head, cutting her off. “Ignore all that. I only care about the two of us. Right here, right now.”
“Oh, Gabe. How can I think of just us when all this is going on?” Gabe saw her cheeks flush in distress this time. “When you and I were just students in the bar, then yes. I would have given anything to be with you. I still would like it that way, but it can’t be. It breaks my heart.”
“You think because I’m a prince I’m not a man? A man who wants to be loved for himself just like all other men want?” Gabe asked as a tear fell from her eyes. “I’m just a man, Sloane. Being a prince is my job. It’s what I am, not who I am. I care for you so much, Sloane. Will you give me a chance?”
“You really don’t care that I don’t have any money and I want to be a counselor? You really don’t care that my family is evil and is trying to find me, and when they do, you’ll be in the crosshairs?”
“I don’t care that you have no money. You’ve worked for everything you have, and I respect the hell out of that. And I’m so proud of you for taking a horrible past and turning that into helping adolescents. But you bet your ass I care that your family is after you. I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe. I care too much about you to let anything happen to you.” Gabe willed her to hear him—hear his silent pleading for her to look to the feeling they shared because he knew those feelings had already changed him. He wanted Sloane with such longing and a passion he’d never knew existed.
Sloane looked him in the eyes, and he held his breath. It was as if she were searching his soul. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Yes,” she whispered. That one small word had hope exploding in his chest as he lowered his lips to hers.
He had meant to go slowly. He had every intention of doing so. But then Sloane pressed her body against his, and he was lost. He felt like a young man new to love as he reveled in the feel of her under his hands and lips. He backed her up against the kitchen table. Gabe didn’t stop kissing her as he placed his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the table.
Shoving her skirt up her hips, Gabe stepped between her legs. Through her clothes he felt the warmth between her legs, his fingers finding it a second later. Sloane gasped, then moaned as he explored her.
“Gabe,” she said, her breathing heavy. Gabe kissed her, moving his fingers faster with every gasp she made until he felt her clutching around him as she came.
Gabe cursed under his breath before taking a step back as his chest heaved with unreleased desire. “I’m sorry. I meant to go slowly.” He felt like an ass. He didn’t want Sloane to think what they had was only physical. He wanted to show her that she was cherished and deserved long nights of seduction, not a quickie on the kitchen table.
“I wasn’t—”
“You’re different, Sloane, and I’m going to show that to you,” Gabe said, cutting her off. “It’s late. Tomorrow I meet with King Draven, Queen Suri, and President Idris. I’ll text you a bunch of numbers so you can get in touch with friends and family if you need anything. But if you do need me, don’t hesitate to find me. I’ll pause any meeting for you. Do you understand? Anything you need, I’ll be here for you.”
“I understand. And thank you, Gabe. For everything.”
Gabe leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on her lips. “Goodnight, Sloane.”
* * *
Sloane slid from the table and pushed down her skirt. In a state of confusion, she went back into the bedroom and closed the door. The room only had a double bed, a nightstand, and a chest of drawers. Several pictures of the farm hung on the walls. Sloane collapsed onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. She hadn’t wanted to stop. She had wanted to tell him not to stop when he pulled away. But, maybe he was right. While she did care for him . . .
Sloane closed her eyes. She loved him. She knew it. She just couldn’t tell him yet. For a while she believed she was different, but she still worried that when the reality of the situation soaked in, he would see a relationship would be impossible and she would be left with a broken heart. Better to suffer in silence than to have Gabe feel sorry for her when he couldn’t say he loved her back.
Sloane unpacked her bag and changed into an oversized T-shirt. Soundlessly, she opened the door and heard the sound of keys on a laptop. The lights were off except for a lamp in the living room. Gabe sat shirtless on the couch with his laptop on the coffee table as he worked. Long, powerful muscles sloped down his back, leaving Sloane with the desire to run her fingers over every inch of him. Instead, she quietly went to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
When she came out, Gabe looked behind him and smiled. “I’m not keeping you awake, am I?”
“No, I can’t even hear you from my room. What are you working on?”
“I told Draven to have a rough draft of his treaty demands ready tomorrow. I’m working on what I know Surman and Tahjad want. I’m hoping to have a mock treaty outlined for tomorrow so I can try to temper whatever crazy demands Draven comes up with.”
“This is so surreal. I was just living my life trying to graduate, and now I’m listening to talks about an international treaty,” Sloa
ne said with disbelief. “Do you think you’ll get them all to agree?”
Gabe shrugged his sculpted shoulders. “I don’t know if I can get it done tomorrow, but I know I won’t give up. I can’t send my people into war, which is a very real possibility without an agreement.”
“And I had thought the paper for my final class was stressful. Now, here I am adding stress to you.”
Gabe stood up and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her into his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head. “You aren’t a stress. You’re what I want to come home to. You’re what I look forward to. Sloane, I know you don’t think we could ever be together, but we can. The only thing stopping us is your fear.”
Sloane rested her cheek against his warm chest and placed her hand over his heart. It felt like home being in Gabe’s arms. Gabe kissed the top of her head and stepped away. “Think about it. Sweet dreams, Sloane.”
Sloane rose up on her toes and placed a single kiss on his rough cheek. His scruff tickled her lips before she pulled away. “Goodnight, Gabe.”
As she drifted off to sleep, her mind warred between all the scenarios that might follow. A future filled with love and Gabe. He had said it was possible, and in her dreams she let the possibilities soar. Unfortunately, the dreams of being with Gabe turned to nightmares of her mother taking everything she loved away from her—including Gabe. Sloane woke with a gasp and tears in her eyes. She wouldn’t let that happen. Her dreams told her what she wanted—Gabe. And as she listened to the sounds of the night, Sloane made a plan.
* * *
“But I don’t want to,” King Draven whined.
Gabe, Suri, and Idris let out a sigh of frustration as they sat back in the chairs. It was getting harder and harder for Gabe to focus on Draven’s sniveling when his mind was worried about Sloane.
That morning he had awoken and left before Sloane had even gotten up. He’d left her a note and told her to have fun on her girls’ day. He didn’t know what Mila, Annie, and Bridget had in store, but whatever it was, it was better than sitting alone. At least he knew she’d be safe with them and hopefully pick up some self-defense along the way.
“My people love me,” Draven complained when Suri pointed out his people wouldn’t want a war. “They’d die for me.”
“Okay, Draven,” Gabe said with sudden inspiration. “I’ll make a deal with you. If you show me that everyday people love you, I’ll throw my support behind your demands.”
Draven looked around with a little pout to his lips. “But these are all your employees.”
“Not here. We’ll go downtown to the Blossom Café where lots of people will be eating lunch. It’ll be a great chance to hear what people think.”
“Are there women there?” Draven asked suddenly interested.
“Of course.”
Draven smiled as if he thought by just walking into the room he’d win. Draven was attractive, but in a very pampered way. His hands were smooth and his body lean but not muscular.
“Then I agree.”
Gabe held up his hand to stop Draven. “Wait until you’ve heard all the terms. If you are right, and everyone loves you, then I’ll support you. However, if they tell you off, you have to agree to one each of Suri and Idris’s demands. And attend a lecture from my father on royal duties. And spend an afternoon with me.”
“Done,” Draven said confidently. “My people fall at my feet with praise. This will be easy.”
* * *
Gabe tried to hide his smile as he opened the door to the café for Draven. Draven had chosen to wear his full military uniform with more medals on his breast pocket than the material could support. As a result, his jacket hung heavily to the left. The noise from the café stilled as the people took in Draven. Forks clattered onto plates and someone choked on a drink.
“What in tarnation?” Miss Lily muttered into the dead air of the once-active café.
“Ladies and gentlemen of Keeneston,” Draven’s assistant started to announce as Draven held out his hand for Poppy to kiss. Poppy just stared. “His Royal Majesty, the Commander of the Bermalia Military, the Light of the People, His Serene Highness, the King of Bermalia, King Draven.”
People snorted, some hid laughter behind coughs, and Nikki nearly orgasmed on the spot.
Gabe smiled to his friends as he and Draven took a seat. Draven looked over to Poppy and snapped his fingers, beckoning her to come to their table as if she were a trained dog.
Poppy crossed her arms over her chest and stared daggers at him. “I don’t care if you are royalty. I won’t serve you until you apologize. I sure hope you don’t treat your staff like that.”
Gabe coughed to cover his laugh as Draven’s assistant looked on nervously. “You do not address a king in such a disrespectful manner. I should have you whipped,” Draven said with a flick of his wrist.
“Zinnia, I need that new pan with the long handle,” Poppy called out before turning her back on the king and moving into the kitchen. Maybe Gabe should warn Draven there was a good chance he was going to be smacked upside the head with a pan. Nah, it was more fun this way.
Nikki slithered toward them, put her hands on the table, and leaned over so that her breasts were shoved forward. “Are you married?”
Draven devoured her with his eyes. “The king is unmarried,” his assistant answered as Nikki and Draven licked their lips at each other. Someone pretended to throw up, at least Gabe hoped they were pretending.
“Okay then,” Gabe shivered, shooing Nikki back. “Draven, make them love you.” Gabe stepped back as Draven smiled assuredly.
“I already have one in my corner.” Draven eyed Nikki, who was sitting nearby. “The rest will be easy. Summon them to our table.”
Oh boy. This should be fun.
Gabe sat back and let Draven talk. He whined about not being able to take whatever land he wanted in order to get Surman’s oil. He told Cody Gray he wanted more weapons, and Tajhad should give them to him. Miss Daisy snorted when he told her Surman and Tajhad should pay to be his ally. Draven was going to be in for a rude awakening and Gabe was going to love every second of it.
18
Sloane was making the bed when a knock at the door had her jumping with fear. She was thinking of hiding until she heard Mila’s voice. As Sloane went to answer the door, she wondered what a girls’ day entailed. When she was growing up, it was the day she and her sister spent splitting blocks of heroin into little baggies. Her mother called it arts and crafts since the baggies were tied with a pink ribbon that marked their brand.
Sloane looked at her skirt and light purple top and hoped it would be okay for whatever they had planned. She opened the door and found seven people standing there, smiling. She recognized Mila, Aniyah, Annie, and Gabe’s mother, Dani. The other three she was slightly confused on.
Mila smiled at her and turned to the group. “You know some of these women, but the tall woman in back with the strawberry-blonde hair is Sophie. She’s married to Nash. And you know her mother, Annie.”
“The fart taser,” Sloane said with a laugh as she remembered Sophie from the night before.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she smiled back as she shook Sloane’s hand.
“And this is Bridget. She’s Ahmed’s wife,” Mila continued to introduce them as Sloane shook hands. “And this is Paige Parker. You met her son, Ryan.”
“It’s nice of you to welcome me. I don’t know what you have planned, but I’m guessing I need to change.” Sloane took in the fact they all were in athletic wear.
Annie’s red curly hair was tied back in a sloppy bun with curls fighting to escape. “Something you don’t mind getting dirty. I sure hope you aren’t one of those girly girls because you’re going to be sweating today. It’ll be fun.”
“Sure. I don’t have much with me, but I’ll see what I can change into.” Sloane opened the door, and they crammed into the small living room while Sloane hurried and changed into a B
illy’s Bar T-shirt and a pair of shorts.
As she entered the living room, Annie had her hand held out and Aniyah was shaking her head. “I just got it,” she whined.
“No guns until you can actually shoot a target. I thought we’ve had this discussion.”
“I had that discussion with Ahmed, but then he quit saying something about me being un-teachable, so I didn’t think the rule still applied,” Aniyah complained.
Annie kept her hand out. “Trust me. It still applies.”
Aniyah rolled her eyes and pulled out the biggest handgun Sloane had ever seen. With a pout, she placed it in Annie’s hand.
“Ah, that’s better, dear. Are you ready for some fun?” Dani asked, drawing everyone’s attention away from Aniyah.
“What exactly will we be doing? Going on a hike or something?”
“Or something,” Sophie smirked.
* * *
Sloane blinked as the hidden door at Annie’s house opened, revealing a massive gun collection.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Annie sighed. “When I saw this I fell in love with Cade.”
“I’m pretty sure you fell in love with my brother when you punched him in the face after he kissed you,” Paige reminded her.
“Eww,” Sophie said as if she smelled something bad. “Let’s not go there.”
“Oh please. I can bet Nash does—” Annie started to say as Sophie dug around in her purse.
“Don’t make me tase you, Mom.”
Dani sighed as Annie walked into the room with guns neatly hanging on the wall. “The second Mo touched me, it was electric. I knew right then he was the one.”
Sloane looked away from the guns and to Gabe’s mom. “Electric?”
“Oh yes,” Dani smiled as if she could still feel it. “My whole body tingled. I thought that first kiss was something. I couldn’t think after it, but when we—” Dani smiled with such satisfaction that she didn’t need to finish the sentence. Mila was digging in Sophie’s purse now, helping to find the taser, but Sloane was just jealous. She knew that feeling. And if it got better with sex, she definitely needed to feel the unspeakable.
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