Rose: A Standalone Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance (Jewels Cafe Book 12)

by Jewels Arthur

  “I agree. I would hate to have to kill our DJ,” I answer with a laugh. Movement to the right draws my attention, and I see a naked Finn carrying a naked Rose into his bedroom. “I hate to be a killjoy, but we really should be leaving, you two,” I yell into the room. A few moments later, a fully dressed Finn and a clothed Rose enter the room. I stand immediately and walk over to her and pull her into my arms.

  “Good shower?” I ask with a knowing look and my brow raised.

  She giggles and hides her face in my chest, embarrassed. “Don’t be embarrassed, my love,” I growl, grabbing her chin and raising her face up to mine. “You don’t ever need to be embarrassed or feel guilty about spending time alone with one of us. We are as much yours as you are ours. Seb and I may feel some sparks of jealousy, but it’s only because we want to be there too. I could spend all day making you scream.” I’m trying to reassure her and remove any human ideas that this isn’t right. She looks into my eyes and smiles. That smile takes my breath away and I can’t help but press my lips to hers.

  When I hear Sebastian behind us, I release her and let him take her from my arms. He needs the reassurance as much as I do, if not more.

  “Hi, baby,” he croons, before he, too, kisses her.

  “Hello, Seb,” she purrs, as she nuzzles into him. Finn and I watch as he just holds her for a while, his chin on her head.

  After a short time, I clear my throat, smiling to myself at our attachment to her. “So, about tonight… We have already said we need to open the bar, so I’m thinking it’d be good to have a little New Year’s Eve bash. What do you think?”

  Rose turns her head toward me, confusion clear on her face. “New Year’s Eve? It’s not New Year’s Eve, is it?” she asks, looking as if she’s mentally counting the days since she was taken.

  “It is, my dear. If you don’t want to go to the bar tonight, one of us can stay up here with you. We would all understand,” I soothe her, worried about where she must be mentally. Not long ago, she was a human that worked in a bar and had a crush on her three bosses. Today, she is a vampire, her bosses are vampires, and she is living with these vampires, who have declared their love for her and keep calling her theirs. It’s enough to give anyone whiplash.

  Sebastian nods his head in agreement. “Of course, we can even bring someone up for you to feed on.”

  “No one would blame you if you needed a night to get a handle on all this, Rosalie,” Finn adds.

  “No, I’m fine,” she says, looking at us, then getting huffy when she sees that none of us believe her. “Seriously. Yes, I know this is all fucked up, but I’ll be fine. I just need things to get back to normal.”

  “Would you like to return to your own apartment?” I inquire cautiously, not wanting her to leave, but also not wanting her to feel uncomfortable.

  “No, I like it here. It’s a little faster than I expected, but before all of this,” she motions to her body, “I wanted you all. The other morning when you texted me to come early, I was so unbelievably happy. When you told me that you wanted me, I could have died I was so ecstatic. This all feels right. I wanted it before and I want it even more now.” She sighs deeply as she sits down on the sofa, fiddling with the edge of her shirt. “What happened with Jason was so fucked up. I know it hasn’t clicked yet how truly fucked up it was. I’m unbelievably lucky that he didn’t harm me and even luckier that he’s dead. I’d never killed anything before, I’ve never even hit an animal with my car. When this all catches up to me, I know I’m going to struggle with it, but for the time being, I just want to have some normalcy. I want to go to the bar I work at, serve the town drunks, and spend the night checking out my very sexy bosses. Is that too much to ask?”

  As she finishes her impromptu speech, she eyes all of us warily. I can sense the sincerity in her tone and decide not to argue. “That’s understandable. I think I’ll be bartending with you tonight.”

  She quirks a brow at me. “Do you even know how to bartend, Dean?” she questions skeptically.

  “Sure, I know how to pour drinks. Plus, I bet you’re an excellent teacher,” I reply with a flirty smile.

  “Who are you going to kiss at midnight?” Finn growls, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to his chest.

  “Hmmm.” She taps her chin as she makes the noise. “I guess we’ll have to see. We have to figure out the blood situation as well, it’s beginning to get—uncomfortable.” Her hand comes up to clutch her throat at the end.

  “How about this, I’ll go get someone right now. I’m sure I can get someone to come over, then you can drink, and no one will be any wiser,” I suggest as I place my hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

  “The human won’t know what’s happening?” she asks guardedly, still looking unsure.

  “Of course not. The town is spelled, so the humans never know what’s going on. If you leave a mark, the human won’t see it for what it really is. We bring people up here all the time. They get to think they got the opportunity to hang out with the famous Whitaker brothers, when really they were just up here for us to snack on.” Her features lose their uncertainty as I explain the situation, then her eyes dart to Finn.

  “Then why did you feel the need to have sex with all those floozies, when you could have just bit them and sent them on their way?” she challenges, jabbing her finger in accusation at Finn.

  “Well—I knew I couldn’t–I couldn’t have you, Rose. You have to understand,” he pleads, shocked that she’s coming at him, when she knows the rest of us have done the same thing.

  “Floozies?” Sebastian repeats, unable to hold back his laughter. “Yes, why all the floozies, Finn?”

  “Don’t even get me started on you two,” she growls, a hint of a smile on her lips.

  “I always only wanted you, Rosalie,” Finn insists, pulling her body closer to his. “They were just nameless faces. The only face I saw every night was yours.”

  “Right.” She smiles as she gets on her toes and kisses him. “I forgive you. No more floozies, though.”

  All three of us hold up three fingers like boy scouts. “No more floozies,” we pledge, causing her to break into laughter.

  “I’m going to get ready for tonight.” She stops and looks at Finn. “You know I never did find my makeup bag,” she remarks with a sexy smile.

  “I don’t even know if I grabbed a makeup bag,” he replies in a sultry tone.

  I walk over to the door where some of her things are. “Is this it?” I inquire, holding a small, rose gold bag with a gold zipper.

  “Yes, it is. Thank you, Dean.” She smiles, taking the bag and disappearing into the bathroom. I chuckle as I hear the bathroom lock click.

  “Sounds like she means business this time, no interruptions, Finn,” I joke, watching my brother stare dreamily toward the bathroom.

  “No regrets.” He chuckles before sitting on the couch. “I’ll never regret a single moment spent with her, especially with my dick in her mouth.”

  We both gape at him as he crosses his legs and puts his hands behind his head.

  Cocky bastard.

  Sebastian

  “She’s been in there for a long time,” I grouse to my brother, as I continue to stare at the bathroom door. Now that I have her, I want her in my arms at all times, I just have to keep those thoughts to myself. Don’t want to scare her.

  Finn chuckles as he plops down on the couch next to me. “I think she’s trying to get herself all pretty for us,” he teases.

  “She’s already gorgeous. What could be taking so long?” I whine, sighing as I lean my head back on the couch.

  “Let’s go downstairs and help Dean get ready for tonight. She’ll be fine up here by herself, probably happier than she is now, knowing we’re pacing out here waiting for her,” he suggests, standing up and reaching for my hand to pull me up with him.

  “Fine. Let me just go tell her,” I say as I walk toward the bathroom door. I want nothing more than to go in there and pull her out, but I
show more restraint than that.

  “Rose, baby. We are going downstairs to help Dean and Randal decorate. Come on down when you’re done.”

  “Okay, Seb! I’ll be down in a bit,” she yells through the door. I hear items clattering together on the other side as she continues to get ready. When I walk back into the living room, Finn is already by the door, watching me expectantly.

  “Are you ready, Seb?” he asks, opening the door and waiting for me to leave the room first. I nod and walk past him and down the stairs to see Randal, Reggie, and Dean hanging streamers from the ceiling. Silver decorations are scattered throughout the room, and I have to say, it looks good.

  “Rose will love this,” I comment loudly to the men on the other side of the room.

  “She will, won’t she?” Reg says, standing back and admiring his handy work. “Where is Rosie? Still upstairs? That’s an interesting development—very interesting.”

  “She’s much stronger than she was the last time you called her that, Reggie. I’d watch out,” Dean warns with a laugh, pushing one of our oldest friends.

  “That’s what I hear. How is Rosie adjusting to immortality? I’m sure it suits her, though I’ve always thought she was beautiful—” He grunts as he’s cut off with a punch to the gut from Finn.

  “Watch it. No checking out our woman, either of you,” Finn growls at Reggie and Randal. Randal puts his hands up innocently, smiling widely. Reggie grunts again, clutching his stomach.

  “You’ll pay for that, Finnius,” Reg growls, feigning pain. “Now that Rosie is a vampire, maybe she’ll want to see what a real vampire man is like. Not you puny Whitakers.”

  I can’t help but laugh at their tirade. I know Reggie sees Rose as a sister and would never do anything to betray us. Finn just plays so easily into the taunting.

  “I thought I told you that I hate that name, Reg. It’s a kid’s name.” Rose’s voice carries loudly down the stairs. All of us turn to look at the staircase behind the bar just as she walks down them.

  “Holy shit,” I mutter as she comes into view. She looks gorgeous in a red, flowy dress that clings to her body in all the right places. The dress frames her breasts, showing way more cleavage than I’d like others to see, but I keep my mouth shut. It’s Finn’s job to be the obnoxious asshole. The dress swishes against her gorgeous light skin. Her hair cascades over her shoulders, looking fuller than it did before she went into the bathroom. I think she’s beautiful without makeup, but it somehow makes her even more beautiful. Her lips are pink and pouty, and black liner frames her eyes in what I believe they call a cat eye. She looks totally and completely delicious.

  “Rosie, you are looking fucking fine tonight,” Reg teases, before grunting as Finn punches him in the gut once again. “What, Finn? It’s true,” he grumbles, never taking his eyes off her.

  “It’s Rose. Unless you’d like me to refer to you as Reginald?” She smiles at him sweetly before walking straight to me. I wrap my arms around her, breathing in her scent.

  “Fine, fine. I’m sorry, Rose.” Reggie strolls toward us and puts his hand on her shoulder. “Seriously, though, I’m really glad the guys got you back safe and sound. I can’t believe I let that fucker into the bar that night. I should have seen that he was a shady motherfucker.”

  “You couldn’t have known, Reg.” She rests her hand on his arm, consoling him, but never leaves my grasp.

  “Nothing like that will ever happen again, especially with these guys watching you like hawks. I will be too, just not the same way.” He glances at Finn with his last statement and clutches his stomach.

  She nods before placing her face against my chest, her arms tight around my waist. “It looks beautiful in here,” she praises loud enough for everyone to hear, changing the subject.

  “It was all me,” Finn declares cockily, this time earning himself a punch from Reg.

  “You didn’t do shit, you asshole.”

  “Whoever did it, I love it,” she says, looking over at the clock. “It’s about time to open, isn’t it?”

  “It is, but first we got you something,” Dean tells her, looking slightly uncomfortable.

  Rose watches him warily. “What is it?”

  “Ginger, could you come in here, dear?” he yells, still appearing uneasy.

  Rose

  My eyes widen as Ginger walks out of the kitchen and into the dance area we’re standing in. I zero my gaze in on Dean and hiss out, “I thought I said no more floozies.”

  Sebastian’s chest shakes against me as he laughs. I glare up at him.

  “She works at the store in town, Rose. She’s delivering groceries.” Dean barely represses the smile on his face as Ginger gets closer to us. “She’s human,” he says pointedly, quiet enough for Ginger’s human ears to not hear.

  “She still seems like a floozie,” I growl quietly into Sebastian’s chest.

  “We only have eyes for you, dear,” Sebastian whispers to me, and I can’t help but smile up at him. Stupid butterflies. Stupid swoons. Stupid floozies.

  “What can I do for you, Dean?” Ginger purrs to one of my men. She places her hand on her waist and cocks her hip out in a flirty gesture. Her bare waist that is, her crop top barely covering anything. Fucking skinny bitches.

  “I wanted you to show Rose where you put everything you delivered. This is our bartender, Rose,” he says, introducing me to the skinny bitch.

  “Sure thing, Dean.” Ginger glides her fingers down Dean’s arm and he jerks it away, his smile still plastered to his face. “Come on, sugar.” She turns her attention to me and her smile drops.

  Okay, I’m going to enjoy biting this bitch.

  I follow her toward the back where the kitchen is, letting her walk ahead of me. I look over my shoulder to see the guys still standing there. When we get into the kitchen, Ginger starts pointing out where things are, even though I already know, so I humor her.

  “I wouldn’t make any plans about getting with the Whitaker guys. You aren’t really their type,” Ginger comments in a pseudo-polite tone.

  “Mm-hmm,” I reply, eying her throat, nodding my head as she continues to speak about nonsensical things I don’t give a shit about. I can see her pulse in her neck, almost as if the blood calls to me.

  “Did you hear me, Poppy?” she asks, purposefully fucking up my name.

  Here goes nothing.

  I lunge at her and bite down on her throat. My mouth immediately fills with her blood and I gulp it down eagerly. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sebastian enter the room behind me.

  “Take enough to soothe your thirst, but not too much. Read her body, her heartbeat,” he instructs, and I try to concentrate on his words as I drink the most delicious thing I’ve ever had.

  “When you have had enough, lick the wound to seal it. It will heal relatively quickly and there will still be a mark, but she won’t remember where it came from.”

  As more blood enters my body, I feel my mind sharpening. I understand what he means. It’s like I can read her body like a book and it’s telling me to stop. I release my jaw from the woman’s neck and lick the wound. Sebastian steps over and hands me a rag to wipe off the woman’s neck and my mouth.

  “You will get better at it. Soon, there won’t be any mess when you finish,” he reassures me, pulling me closer as Ginger slumps to the floor dreamily. “Do you feel better?”

  I nod, feeling stronger than I’ve felt since I changed. So this is what human blood tastes like? “She tasted much better than Randal,” I note, hearing all the men laughing in the other room. I bury my face into Sebastian’s chest. “I keep forgetting that you all have supernatural hearing.”

  “You do now as well.” He chuckles. I look down at Ginger and feel concern.

  “She looks drunk, is she going to be okay? Did I take too much?”

  Sebastian pushes my hair from my face, drifting his fingers down my cheek. “She’s fine, we’ll let her hang out here for a while, and then I’m sure she’ll come out and
join the party. Tomorrow, she’ll think she just had a crazy New Year’s Eve and drank too much.”

  “It’s not as weird as I thought it’d be. It made it easier that she was pissing me off,” I admit.

  Sebastian chuckles before kissing me softly. “Yeah, I think that was part of Dean’s plan.”

  “I hate it when he’s right,” I grumble, pulling a deep laugh from Sebastian.

  “Yeah, me too, baby.”

  Want to know what’s not sexy? Chub rub. After bartending with Dean for a good part of the night, it became alarmingly clear that he’s not good at this at all. Which has made my job a lot harder. I run around watching him mess up drinks, then I have to fix them on the back end. He’s so freaking cute while he does it, though, that I can’t seem to blame him. The best part is that vampires don’t sweat. I’m perfectly fine and my hair has zero frizz. I’m still kinda feeling the chub rub though, which is just bizarre. After a while, Dean tapped out and just sat on the other side of the bar, watching me and chatting with the patrons. When Finn joined me, he did a lot better at making drinks, but was also very distracting. He would come up behind me while I mixed drinks and press himself against the back of me. Somehow, he stayed partially hard all night, and every time he rubbed his cock against my ass, it took everything in me not to moan. Finally, I sent him to the other side of the bar to serve the people over there.

  “No, no, I can’t dance, Minerva. I don’t think my girlfriend would like that,” Finn warns with a grin, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

  I glance over and see Minerva, the woman who owns the bakery across the street from Jewels’ Café talking to Finn. Anger flares through me, but I push it down, determined to remain professional. I think she went to school with Amber and Julian. From what I’ve heard from Amber, she’s also a mega-bitch. I clean the bar and watch them out of the corner of my eye.