Suddenly overwhelmed with sadness for her, I pulled her into another hug. “Bye.”
She squeezed me back. “Bye, honey.” Her attention slid sideways, resting on Stone, who studied us so closely that there’d be no private words. Blue shrugged and smirked when he didn’t take the hint and move back. “He so wants you in his bed and on his cock, my friend. Make him work for it.”
I still wasn’t as sure as Blue. Stone said he was here for me, but he was also following orders. Maybe having a potential mate attraction while we were forced together just confused and complicated things. “Blue!”
Her eyes rolled at Ventry’s barked command. “I’m coming! Damn, for an ice prince with no freaking emotion, you sure lose your temper quick.”
“Only with you, human.”
Halfway across the room, Blue swayed, leaning a hand on the four-poster bed to check her stumble. Ventry was already across the room when her knees buckled, and she fell. He caught her, the look on his face one of anguish. It was gone in a flash; his expression indifferent when he faced us with Blue cradled against his chest. “She will sleep until the new moons meet. Do not fear for her. I'll take her back to her room and ensure she is protected and cared for while she sleeps.” He met Stone’s gaze. “Let me know when you’re ready to leave.”
Stone looked down at me with a soft look that melted my insides. I swallowed hard. That shit was more dangerous than this new need of mine to be with him, not to mention how easily I submitted to his demands. Briefly, he flicked a glance at Ventry. “It will be tomorrow if that works? Shannon is tired andneeds to sleep. Besides, Finchley needs time to prepare. She’ll have everything I asked for in place by sunrise.”
“Finchley? Who the fuck is Finchley?” I snapped, unable to bite back a sudden wave of jealousy. Had he been with another female today while I’d sat around pining for him?
Stone’s lips kicked up at the corners.
“Jealous, Shan?”
I huffed, crossed my arms over my chest, looking anywhere but at him. “No.” It just felt like this unknown woman's hand was squeezing my heart while she laughed in my face. A firm hand caught my chin.
“Look at me.”
I did. Shit, that fucking tone…
The smirk was still there, but that caring expression was back, too. It left me even more unsettled than the longing I’d felt while he’d been missing from my side.
“She’s a…friend. You have nothing to be jealous about. Do you believe me?”
I tried to jerk my head from his grip, but he was having none of it. He just waited, raising his brows. His touch branded my skin, and for some stupid reason, tears pricked my eyes.
His voice softened. “It’s okay. I know you don’t, not yet, but you will.” He let go, his fingers gently brushing my jaw.
Trying to distract myself from words that felt far too like a promise, I watched Ventry leave with my friend cradled in his arms. The Prince’s words suddenly registered, and my heart rate ticked up. “What does he mean? Leave? Are we going home?” It was too hard to hide the hope and even harder to hide the apprehension in my voice. I wasn’t sure about returning to the compound in Scotland. Stone and Rawson were right; I’d let everyone down. My pack had tried helping me repeatedly, but I’d thrown all their attempts back in their faces. No, I was too ashamed to go home. I’d have to eventually, but not yet. Icouldn’t. Not only would I have to face everyone, it would mean giving up Stone, and I didn’t want to. Yet, I badly wanted to see my sister. My stomach tightened. She could already be a mother and me an aunt. That thought only made my eyes burn again. I was sure my sister would forgive me for my monumental fuck up. She always did. Or rather, shehadalways forgiven me; maybe she wouldn’t this time.
I couldn’t remember much from when she’d been rescued. I’d been too sick. I shuddered, remembering my father’s leer and his words, and my focus turned inwards to all the self-doubt I carried. Stone’s face softened further as though he could see my thoughts. I could even convince myself there was regret in his eyes when he answered and shot down my hopes. “No, you are nowhere near ready to leave Faery yet. We are going to be staying for a while.”
In a split second, disappointment morphed into anger. “Iamready. I’m dry now and strong enough to go home and see Ava, even if I-I can’t go back to…to work yet.” No way was I telling him how scared I was to face my friends and Connor.
He dipped his chin in agreement. “You are sober. I totally agree. And if I take you home now, you’ll fall right back into your usual habits.”
I grabbed his forearm. “I won’t. I won’t drink or fuck anyone. I’ll be good, I promise.”
His lips twitched, and purple flashed through his irises before they heated. I shuffled under that blazing stare, my face burning again. His smile widened, predatory enough that I stepped away, but my calves hit the bed, halting my escape. His canines, which were normally hidden away, were now sharp and very, very Fae-like.
“No, you won’t fuck anyone. No one but me. And you absolutely will be good.” He stepped close enough that his chest brushed against mine. My nipples instantly hardened underthat delicious, light contact. “Because there will be rules where we’re going, Shan, and if you break my rules, there will be punishments.”
Goosebumps skittered over my skin, and I squeezed my thighs together, trying to alleviate the sudden ache that bloomed at their apex. Had he just said we were going to fuck? That I would only fuck him? Damn, I didn’t know if my brain, and definitely not my body, could process that. I flushed, unsure why I liked the thought of Stone’s punishments so much. His sexy smirk stretched until his perfect teeth were fully on display, the purple in his eyes becoming more intense.
“Interesting,” he murmured. “Is it the idea of us fucking that you like so much or the idea of being punished?”
I sank onto the mattress just to put some space between us. The emotion and need he stirred inside me were more overwhelming than ever. My wolf stirred, his presence waking her enough that I had to force her not to push through. My emotions were getting more out of control the longer I spent with him. It was confusing when, along with the tsunami of desire that hit me when he simply looked my way, there was a feeling of safety, which was dangerous. The last man who should have been my safety net, my home, had broken me so badly that I’d lost my ability to trust anyone. He’d spent years gaslighting and abusing the hell out of me…I scrambled for a distraction from my lust and mixed-up memories. “So you’re not taking me to see Ava?” It didn’t work. His gaze scorched my skin, yet I felt compelled to rub my bare arms where goosebumps had erupted. I was a little bit proud that I had at least managed to inject some snark into my tone.
“That’s where you want to go with this conversation?”
I bit my bottom lip, nodding. Yes, because if I acknowledged what he’d said about me only fucking him, about punishing me, I’d combust on the spot.
His eyes glinted knowingly, his smirk firmly back in place. “Then no, we aren’t going to see Ava yet. We still have many things we need to work through before we go back.” He closed the distance between us until his warm breath fanned my face again. This time, I hopped onto the bed to put space between us, inching backwards until my spine hit the enormous headboard. His closeness had me tied in knots, yet there was nowhere else to go when his hand came out and tucked a bit of hair behind my ear. I couldn’t help the soft shiver his touch elicited. His widening smirk bared his teeth, and the gleam in his eyes let me know he was enjoying our little game of cat and mouse.
