Pressing my lips together, I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out in anger. Instead, I pull her body a bit closer to mine on the saddle. “There is nobody I wish to have anywhere near me, or my bed, but you. You’d do good to remember that and to not bring it up again.”
“I’m sorry, Colt. I’m just sensitive.”
I think of dropping the conversation and either saying nothing, or switching topics and talk to her about something else, but then I remember what Martha suggested. I must show Birdie my love, and that includes saying the words.
She must know how I feel about her, even if I’m not completely comfortable saying it aloud quite yet. I’ve told her that I love her, but I’m not sure she’s believed me completely yet.
“I love you, Birdie. We will have a good life together, it just takes time to build all of it,” I murmur. “First, we must make sure we’re protected and so is our position.”
Nothing else is said as we arrive in town. The hotel has some vacancies and I’m not surprised to see Logan make his way into the city with us and demand one of the rooms for himself. It’s better that he’s close enough for me to keep an eye on anyway, so I allow it.
The rest of my men make camp on the edge of town and we all quickly find our way toward our rooms and retire for the evening. I make sure to lock the door, but before I do, I ask Jeremiah, Thatcher, Markus, and Samuel to stay alert and completely on guard.
Chapter Forty-Three
BIRDIE
I’m not sure how, but I sleep through the night and don’t awaken until the next morning with the warm sunshine beating down against the side of my face. My other cheek is pressed against a warm hard body and I let out a sigh as I lift my head, tilting it back and slowly open my eyes.
Colt’s eyelids crack open and I see his gaze focused on me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Mornin’ darlin’,” he says, his voice husky and fabulous.
Humming, I place my hand on his chest and push myself up, tipping my chin, not breaking eye contact. Colt lifts one of his hands, cupping my cheek, and slides his thumb along my bottom lip, his eyes following the motion.
“How do you feel this morning?”
I could lie, but I decide not to. He’s my husband after all. “I’m hungry and my ass hurts from sitting on that horse all damn day,” I admit.
His lips curve up into an even bigger smile and he lets out a bark of laughter at my frankness. “Do you need a rubdown?”
Shaking my head, I can’t help but giggle before I lower my head and touch my mouth to his. “Maybe when we reach our destination?” I ask against his lips.
He hums, his arms wrapping around my back. “Indeed.”
Unfortunately, we’re not able to stay in bed all day, though it’s exactly where I wish that we could stay and had we, things would probably have been much easier to deal with.
It doesn’t take us long to get dressed. He sends Martha in to help me lace up my corset and tie up the back of my dress before we all go down and eat some breakfast.
Jeremiah keeps his eyes on me, never leaving me, even as he eats. He’s watching me, his body alert and ready at any given moment for whatever could come his or my way. It doesn’t take us long to finish our food, then pack up our things and climb back on the horse before we take off again
“How many more days?” I ask with a groan as soon as my butt hits the leather saddle.
Colt chuckles. “Six more days, darlin’.”
My head drops as I let out a moan which only makes him laugh a little harder. Shaking my head, I try not to think about my poor ass and how badly it’s going to hurt in a few days, but maybe the pain will just cause it to become numb and I can live in denial? Pressing my lips together, I look straight ahead at the desert horizon.
“Did you hear anything about Logan?” I ask after a few hours of silence.
I try to look around at the desertscape, but my mind is too busy spinning as I think about Logan, Daisy, and that horrible Bessie woman.
Colt is silent, his body still pressing close to mine, and I think that he’s not going to answer me, that he’s going to completely ignore my question, but then his deep voice murmurs against my ear.
“I’m keeping a pulse on the situation, but I am not going to show my hand, not yet.”
“That woman could be here as well. I’m worried,” I admit.
He hums, nipping my earlobe as we continue on our way. “Nothing will happen, Birdie. I have it all under control.”
I’m not sure that he does, but I decide that I am pretty able to take care of myself so I’m just going to try and relax as we head toward the city. I’m excited to see the rest of this country, hopeful that no matter what happens we will come out victorious.
The rest of the trip goes by in a blur of riding horses all day, only stopping long enough to eat, then resting for a few hours every night, sometimes just in a tent on the side of the road.
I’m not sure how I do it, because I’ve never been a natural and outdoorsy kind of girl, but I do and I find that the closer we get to the city, the longer that I wish we could stay away. What awaits us in the city, the unknown, it terrifies me.
I would rather stay out here, or back at Colt’s property in Silverridge, and just live out our days in denial. I can’t do that though, we can’t do that. Not only are there issues within his country and turmoil within the ranks and leadership, there’s also the prophecy and what is to come of that.
Hiding isn’t an option, no matter how appealing it is. Pressing my palm against my belly, I close my eyes. Hiding is most definitely not an option.
Suddenly, he tugs on the horse’s reigns and I lift my head, blinking as I look out ahead of us. We’re stopped at the top of a hill, the city down below and I stare at the large buildings in front of me.
“This is Bullhollow, the capital city of Devilrise,” Colt announces.
I expected to see a city that was southwestern or maybe even a southern style landscape that matched his home, but it looks like old pictures of New York from the history books.
The buildings are all tall and stacked close together, but there is one major difference from old photographs and the way I imagined New York or any other major city in the eighteen hundreds, this place, the buildings, they’re all bright pink. Not just pink, but neon pink. I’ve never seen anything like it and they glitter in the sunlight as it shines down.
“Colt,” I breathe.
“Welcome to your kingdom,” he rasps.
Turning my head, I rip my gaze away from the city to look back at him. “Kingdom?” I ask.
He dips his chin, his lips brushing mine. “You’re not a conventional queen. You won’t have a crown or a throne, but never doubt that you are indeed the queen of Devilrise.”
His lips press against mine, his tongue fills me and right there on top of a hill overlooking what he calls our kingdom, I fall a little deeper in love with Colton James.
COLT
The buildings, my building specifically, comes into view and I try not to think about what I am going to have to do while I’m here. This is anything but a trip of leisure. Sure, there will be a ball and other social engagements, but I will also need to deal with the traitors and their families.
Trotting up in front of my building, I gently pull on the reins, stopping Lonesable in front of what will be our home for the duration of the trip. Dismounting, I help Birdie off of the horse and face the front door.
Ernest and Martha will be joining us soon, and will be taking over the duties of the home along with taking care of Birdie and watching over her while I do what I need to. And I plan on doing a hell of a lot, too. I need to weed out the names that I was given and figure out who causes the biggest threat to me, to my wife, and to my station as the leader of this country.
Clearing my throat, I push all of those thoughts behind me and place my palm at the small of Birdie’s back as I guide her toward the front door. Without a word, together we make our way inside of the pin
k home.
“Are all your buildings pink?” she asks as we step inside of the foyer.
“In this city, yes.”
“In other major cities?”
I think of the major cities I’ve been to, and while this is the only pink one, however, it is not the only colored one.
“Each major city has a designated color,” I explain. “I don’t know how or when it happened, I’m unsure of the roots, but I do know that they are different colors, yes.”
Birdie doesn’t say anything right away. She takes a step farther inside and my hand falls from her back as she does. The house is furnished, but everything is covered with dust sheets. Then she takes another step before she pauses and turns to look back over her shoulder at me.
“Colt?” she calls out.
Dipping my chin, I nod my head once. “Birdie,” I reply.
“Who decorated this house?”
I know what she’s asking. Chuckling, I wait for her to turn around and she does. She faces me, placing her hands on her cinched-in waist as she tilts her head back and looks up at me. Her lips press together and her nose scrunches in anticipation of what I’m about to say.
“Someone from the Assembly, darlin’,” I say, trying to keep from laughing.
There is no hiding how she feels and I’m not sure she could even if she’d tried. I like that about her, my wife, she cannot disguise her true self from me, it shines through in the expressions on her face. I hope that I’ll be able to read all of them one day, but for now, I can see that she is relieved Adelaide did not decorate this home, and that she will not be forced to live amongst another woman’s things.
“What will I do here, while you’re doing… whatever?”
Lacing my fingers with hers, I tug her along behind me as I guide us upstairs and toward the master bedroom. Stopping outside of the door, I turn around to face her.
“You’ll do whatever you wish, Birdie, but you’ll do it here under guard. At least until I know exactly what will be happening and what is going on with the Assembly.”
Birdie tilts her head back, her eyes widening as she looks up at me. “More guards. I’m okay with that though.”
“Are you?” I ask.
She nods her head in a quick movement. “I am, Colt. This is scary and I am just fine with having a group of big ass dudes to take care of me.”
“Never be fearful, darlin’. You are the queen of this country, you are powerful, and you bow to nobody.” Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek, my thumb sliding across her bottom lip. “You bow to nobody.”
Her lips curve up into a grin. “I bow to nobody?”
“Nobody,” I say with a grunt.
Dipping my chin, I touch my mouth to hers, tasting those sweet lips that I can’t seem to keep from touching over and over. I am enamored with her, with her taste and scent, with the beauty that surrounds her. I fought her, specifically my desire for her for far too long.
“Colt,” she breathes against my mouth.
I hum, wrapping my hands around her small waist and tug her against my chest. Pressing my palm against the center of her back, I slide my hand up her spine, tangling my fingers in her hair before I pull her head back and expose her neck.
Walking her backward, I suck the center of her neck as I back her against the door. Guiding my hand down from her waist, I gather her skirt in my hand and hitch it up as far as I can.
“Colt,” she gasps. “Someone will see.”
“Nobody will come up here, this is our floor,” I inform her before I devour her neck.
For all her protesting, Birdie reaches for the waist of my pants and as I finish pulling her skirt up, she has me freed and her fingers wrap around my length. She gently strokes me as I continue to shift my hand and wrap my fingers around the underside of her knee, spreading her as I shift closer toward her center.
“Darlin’,” I groan as soon as I slide inside of her warm heat.
She sighs, lifting her hands and wrapping her fingers around my shoulders. I shudder, staying fully buried inside of her, unable to move, enjoying where I am far too much. Resting my forehead against hers, I breathe.
Reaching down, I wrap my other hand around the back of her thigh and pick her up, pressing her back against the door as I begin to move inside of her. Her nails dig into my shoulders as I begin to thrust inside of her, harder and harder with each shift of my hips.
Neither of us speaks. Instead, we just feel. We take from one another and give just as much at the same time.
Chapter Forty-Four
COLT
Leaving her alone, with her guard, Martha, and Ernest is more difficult than I thought that it would be. Clearing my throat, I shake my head a couple times and force myself to walk away from her resting in the bed.
On my way out the door, I order a bath for Birdie. Martha grins, giving me a nod, but thankfully doesn’t say anything else. I tell the men to guard and protect her before I jog down the stairs toward Logan.
I don’t know where Daisy is, if she is here somewhere in the city or if she is back at home, but the way that Logan is watching me from across the way, I have a feeling that she isn’t anywhere near him, at least not yet. His eyes follow me and I know that if I were to look up at him, I would see his ire. He is downright glaring at me.
When I approach, I can sense his demeanor change. He slips on his mask and gives me a smile the moment that our gazes meet.
“Do you know where you’d like to go first?” he asks as I approach.
Pressing my lips together, I glance to the side, then shift my eyes back to meet his. “I do, but I need you to take care of the soldiers. I think that this is something I need to handle on my own.”
He shakes the look off, but I see the anger that immediately fills his features before it vanishes. He replaces the anger with a cunning smile and nods his head.
“I can do that for you, Colt.”
“Obliged, Whitecotton,” I grunt.
I ignore the way he watches me as I mount Lonesable, then completely ignore the anger that swirls around me from his gaze. He can be angry all day long, it doesn’t matter. I know that there is something brewing inside of his head, and I don’t like it, not at all.
It smells and feels like nothing except betrayal.
I probably should keep him close, considering he seems to be my enemy at this point, however, I can’t keep him by my side and finish this business with the Assembly. I won’t be able to watch him and deal with these traitors before I move on to the man who is not just simply a traitor, but also my best friend, the worst kind of man.
It doesn’t take me long to infiltrate the Assembly members’ homes, question them, end them, and then move on to the next. I visit their family members next, then by the time I finish, I have twenty more kills on my conscience.
I thought that being the leader of a country, it would mean that I wouldn’t have to actually end lives anymore, that I wouldn’t be covered in the blood of my enemies. I thought my part in war was over, but I’m coming to realize that it simply is not the case.
It will never be over with.
I was foolish to think that this would be nothing more than an office job, that it would be stressful, but easier and less bloody than war.
I will forever have to watch my back, and Birdie’s. We’ll have to always sleep with one eye open, and one hand on my pistol until I draw my last breath. I cannot even trust my closest and oldest friend.
Nobody is above treason, and as much as I want to hope that he hasn’t been plotting against me, against this country, I know that he has and it’s now time to face that.
Heading back to the house, I decide that it is time to deal with Logan before I continue on with the rest of my evening. I need him handled as I have a meeting set up with the remaining Assembly members once the city has gone to sleep, we must make some decisions on the future of the country.
The house is quiet as I approach, it seems that the guards are on alert. They stand outside the p
ink brick entrance, their faces solemn and their gazes flicking around, never stopping. They dip their chins at me and I lift mine as I leave one of them my horse and jog toward Birdie.
I want to ensure that she is well, safe and sound in her chamber. The moment that I walk through the front door, my entire body jerks. Something is off. It’s not quite right. I can feel it deep in my bones.
Glancing around, I don’t see Ernest anywhere and I don’t hear Martha in the kitchen or moving around at all. Slowly, I make my way upstairs toward the master’s quarters. As soon as I turn the corner to walk down the hallway, I freeze.
Thatcher, Markus, and Samuel are in piles on the floor. They are unmoving and while I don’t see blood, they don’t look good at all. My feet carry me without my mind telling them to, they rush toward the door and without a thought, I draw Blue Lightnin’ and kick the flimsy door down.
My eyes search for Birdie, but I don’t find her immediately. Instead, there is Jeremiah’s body lying in the middle of the floor, a pool of blood surrounding him.
“Birdie,” I call out.
I’m met with silence.
I call out her name again and yet again, silence.
Waiting, I listen, trying to hear any clue at all that could take me to her. It happens. A muffled cry from the bathing room. Turning to the side, I rush toward the back of the room and push the door open, unsure of what sight will greet me.
The scene staring back at me causes my entire body to jerk, then my knees threaten to give out almost instantly.
“Colt,” Birdie whispers.
She’s completely nude, sitting next to Logan’s body, on her knees, her eyes wide and limbs visibly trembling. Logan is lifeless and bloody. I look around for a weapon, wondering what she could have inflicted the wounds with, I see nothing but her bloodied quaking hands across from me.
“Darlin’, what happened?” I breathe.
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