We finished dinner in the kitchen as a man fixed our window in the dining room. Where Cyprian found someone to replace a window at that hour is beyond me. Maybe he was a member of Dirty Nothings. It astounds me how much society looks down its nose at Cyprian but then bends over backward for him in private. Oh, my, that sounded naughty. I suppose it's appropriate though.
The conversation veered toward safer subjects but no one tried to engage either Malik or Braxis. The Bleiten men ate in silence, the former glaring at the latter as the latter stared at me. Braxis's words played on a constant loop in my mind. And so did Malik's. I wanted to have an intense conversation with my Bleiten husband, but I wouldn't have it in front of my friends. We'd entertained them enough for one evening.
So, I waited. After dessert and coffee, we walked our guests out.
Lily hugged me and whispered, “He's fucking amazing.”
Leo and Jason both gave me a thumb's up as they left. At least Braxis had won over most of my friends.
“That went well,” Alex noted before he followed everyone out. As I was closing the door, he glanced over his shoulder to add, “That kind of love is rare, Amara. That you've found it in five men is miraculous and that you have the opportunity to hold on to it is a gift you shouldn't squander.”
“Goodnight, Alex,” I said softly and closed the door. Then I turned around and glared at Malik and Braxis.
“Mvarra, it—”
“I will meet you upstairs,” I cut him off. “We are going to have a conversation,Mvarro.”
Malik grimaced but turned and headed for the stairs. Braxis watched him with a surprised look.
“And you.” I pointed at Braxis, and his attention shot back to me. “Stop with the grand declarations and stop antagonizing my kishanos.”
“You were there,” Braxis growled. “You heard what he said to me.”
“And up until that moment, you did very well at deflecting such comments,” I said. “But right after I accused Malik of abandoning me, you tossed it in his face. I shouldn't have said that to him, but at least I had the right; you did not. You knew it would start a fight, and I'm not happy with you, Bleiten! Get the fuck out of my house.”
Braxis blinked in wounded shock, then turned on his heels and headed toward the spare room and his transporter.
“You will make a fabulous mother, Se Esaria,” Cyprian noted.
I grimaced at him, and both the Rians laughed.
“You did kind of just send them to their rooms,” Kyrian pointed out.
“Thank you for a wonderful dinner, Kyrian,” I said, ignoring his comment. I hugged him and kissed him goodnight before doing the same with Cyprian. “Now, if you two will excuse me, I've got to give my mvarro a spanking.”
The men followed me upstairs, chuckling softly, then broke off toward their bedrooms while I headed toward the master. I found Malik pacing before the bed, but I wasn't surprised; his mark had warned me that he was upset. He spun toward me as soon as I entered.
“He goaded me, Mara,” Malik growled as I shut the door.
“I know.”
“Braxis said the very worst thing you can say to a Bleiten. And he fucking knows better.”
“I know.”
“He implied that I don't love you as much as he does.”
“I know.”
Malik deflated. “You know?”
“What I don't know is if it's true,” I went on. “If you had been a duke instead of the Prince and had tribes of Bleiten depending on you, would you still be here? Would I be less important to you than your tribe?”
“No!” Malik vowed as he swept forward to grab my upper arms. “No, Mara. You are the most important person in my life. I love you more than my people or my crown. I would sacrifice everything for you.”
“But you scorn Braxis for wanting to do the same,” I said gently, mollified by his passionate declaration. “You said I was still just one woman compared to his entire tribe.”
Malik sighed deeply and let me go. “I suppose I do hold him to another standard. But Braxis has a different history with you—a terrible one. I can't help but demand more from him. And he's fought so hard to get his people this peace. It seems wrong for him to abandon them now, for any reason.”
