“Your ribs are still healing,Koshgelam, you can’t do any heavy lifting,” Tarl tells me, holding up a hand as I go to protest.“But I can show you how to brush the horses down. The quieter ones, while Knox does all the hard work.”
“Fucker, I fractured a rib too, asshole,” Knox huffs, punching Tarl on the arm and Tarl just chuckles.
“Serves you right for having all those silly man muscles,” I tease Knox as Tarl takes one of my hands and we walk towards one stable that has the bottom part of the door shut.
I don’t hear his reply as we stop in front of the stable door and a stunning horse pokes its head out. My breath stops in my chest as I take in the beautiful creature, its long eyelashes and liquid-looking eyes taking me in just as much. The thing that really catches my eye is its coloring; the horse is covered in hair that is a beautiful, ruby color that looks like it would glisten and sparkle in the sunlight.
“You like her?” I hear Aeron ask, and I see him come up on my other side, but I only have eyes for the beauty in front of me.
“Her?”
“Yep, she’s a mare, and as soon as Dad showed me a picture of her, I knew she would be perfect for you,” he tells me, going up to the door and reaching out. The mare immediately butts her nose up against his hand, already putty for him.Aren’t we all?
“For me?” I question them, finally looking at him as I take a tentative few steps forward and hold my hand out. She pushes her nose into it, and I gasp a soft laugh at how soft her coat is, just like the finest cashmere.
“She’s all yours, Little Bird,” Knox informs me, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me as I continue to stroke her muzzle.
“What will you call her?” Tarl inquires from beside us, and I’m amazed that she doesn’t rear back or startle, just stands there and lets us near. Although is it so surprising given my inability to be afraid of these men?
I study her, my head tilted to the side when a name suddenly pops into my head and my lips tilt up further.
“Firebrand. Her name is Firebrand.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“WE WON’T LEAVE YOU” BY STEVE VOID
JUDE
Looking around the room, I nod in approval at the work I’ve put in today to get it ready for my Nightingale. Paint splatters my hands and clothes, the walls still a tad wet, but I can’t wait to show my princess her new cage. Birds of all shapes and sizes fly across the walls, the color behind them the exact same shade of blue as her eyes—I checked.
This room has the best light, and I knew that when we moved in here and I refused for anyone else to have it, taking it as my studio, it was meant for great things. Looking at it now, I know I was right. A massive bed that was delivered today sits against the wall opposite the vast floor-to-ceiling windows that look out not at the city, but at the mountains beyond us. I covered the bed in layers of pristine, white bedding with a canopy of gauzy, white lace because every princess needs a fucking canopy. I had the curtains made of the same material because my Nightingale doesn’t like the dark. This way, the light of the sun will alwayscome in to find her. As long as she is beside me, I don't mind waking up with the dawn every morning.
There’s the built-in wardrobe that I’ve put all of her clothes in—bar some of her used panties I’m keeping—a couple of bedside tables, and the floor is covered in some rugs she was raving about from Tarl’s room, he won’t mind.
I hear them all returning, and I can’t stop the delighted giggle that slips out of me as I tidy the last couple of bits away and head out of the door, shutting it behind me. Whistling “Whistle While You Work,” I stroll down the stairs, the anticipation of showing her what I’ve been working on making me feel light-headed and giddy.
“Jude!” she cries out, rushing over to me and flinging herself into my arms. I catch her—I’ll always catch my darling Nightingale—and bring her in close, loving that her warm, cherry blossom smell is tinged with the earthy scent of horse from her time at the stables. “You’ll never guess! They gave me a horse, I’ve called her Firebrand because she’s this beautiful color, like a sunset, and she’s so gentle, Devil Prince.”
My heart fucking bursts with her happiness, my chest too small to contain what I feel for this beaming woman before me. She’s as essential to me as breathing, and I’m never letting her go.
“I love that name,” I tell her, knowing all about the horse that my brother had chosen for her. “And I’ll help to teach you how to ride her.” Her smile gets wider, and fucking hell, I could die right now, if only it wouldn’t take me away from my Nightingale. “And now, for your second surprise.”
“My second surprise?” Her delicate brows dip as a cute as fuck crease forms between them, her plush lips parting slightly, and fuck if I don’t want to slide my cock in between them. Later. Surprise first, fuck later.
“Yep. This way!” Grabbing her hand, I drag her upstairs, her tinkling laugh filling the air as I go past all of our rooms to the last one on the right. “Now, close your eyes, Nightingale.”
She does as I say, and her obedience makes my dick stand to attention in my pants. I love it when she does what I or any of the others say, no questions asked. The others are behind her, gazing at me curiously. I didn’t tell anyone else what I had planned, so it’ll be a surprise for them too.
I open the door, then take both of her hands in mine and walk backwards, leading her into the space. My eyes are on her face, on the way her eyelashes flutter as she resists opening them.
“Can I look now?” she asks, and I make her wait a beat, just because I can and am still an asshole sometimes.
“Yes. Ta-dah!” I shout as she raises her eyelids, her eyes going round as saucers when she takes in the room.
“Jude…” she trails off, and I take in every movement on her beautiful face.
“Do you like it?” I question, suddenly butterflies fluttering around in my stomach at the thought that she might not. “I can change anything?—”
