“Yes,” we said together.
Quinn bit her lips shut and pulled a sheet over her flushed skin.
As usual, once my lover’s brain returned, he reached for my dick, but I rolled and batted him away. “Coffee, gym, in that order.” Out of habit, I grabbed my TB off my bedside table. The massive tent in my pants pointed the way as I headed for the kitchen.
“Did I do something wrong?” I heard Quinn ask softly as I opened the door.
‘Assure her, now.’I’d never snapped so hard in my lover's mind before.‘She’s still here. We are open and taking action. Words will not escape my lips and destroy this moment.’
Xan chuckled. “No. Ezra is a unique cookie.”
I smirked. Witty, light-hearted, and still reassuring. Xan was a legend.
“Oh,” Quinn said as I propped open the kitchen door. “So, making him sleep in the hall wasn’t quite what I thought it was, was it?”
Xan chuckled again. “It served two purposes. Don’t overthink it. Now, I know the last time we had a serious talk in the morning, it didn’t go well…”
I pushed magic into the coffee contraption, straining to hear their conversation over the bubbling water and hissing steam.
My TB buzzed. Once. Twice. On the third time, Xan shoved his head in. “We have a problem.”I clenched my fists. Of course we did.
Xan held up his TB, and I opened my mind. Messages flooded into it. The blood drained out of my face. The families were allying against us.
“The Abernathys as well.” Xan gritted his teeth. “After everything I just did for them, they’re still moving against me.”
I couldn’t feel my lover’s emotions, but I knew his heart bled. Seven years of holding back to gain people’s trust had gone up in smoke. The families didn’t trust us. They never would.
“What’s going on?” Quinn asked, popping into the doorway and pushing herself under Xan’s arm. A pair of yellow sweatpants now covered her lower half. Despite everything, a brief visual of Xan’s face covered in her juices made my cock twitch.
Xan pulled her close. “The families are unhappy. They’re gathered at the base of The Mile.” He leaned down and pressed his lips against her pulse point. “Clean up. Wear something nice. It’s going to be messy.”
‘Did you give her our Intentions?’I demanded.
He shook his head.‘Not yet.’
Chapter 17
Quinn
Ikickedmyselfagain.I hadn’t said I wasn’t sleeping with XanRa, just implied it. We needed words, not bodies, but waking up between them fried my brain like I was a horny teen again.
Technically, I hadn’t done the pleasuring. Did that still count as sticking to my guns?
Fine. Totally fine. Just a massive O on the Architect’s face while his lover tagged in, nothing weird, nothing intimate.
I kicked myself again. “Move on, girl. Shit’s going down.”
I dragged myself into Xan’s massive bathroom. The dragon had wrecked it, but someone had cleaned up enough for me to catch most of my reflection on the broken mirror. I braided myhair, added jewelry to set off the crystal streaks, and layered up. Xan wanted me “presentable,” whatever that meant. Fashion here seemed to be anything goes, and without magic, I was freezing. Thoughtful-warm would have to do.
Rowan and Cayden waited for us at the stables, along with three more enforcers, including Jamie Abernathy. I blushed the moment I saw my friends, only to relax. With the collar on, they hadn’t felt my orgasm. Rowan winked at me. My blush doubled. He knew anyway.
I had two sets of lovers I liked who barely seemed to get along—given one set having just started digging themselves out of a hole by going into my holes.No, stop thinking about that.
Xan covered me in the massive white cloak, and we mounted up. And by that, I meant Rowan helped me onto the back of what looked like the oldest horse they had, gave me basic directions, and pointed the horse toward the butt of the horse in front of it. Fortunately, the horse seemed pretty happy to follow while I clung to the saddle surrounded by guards.
I doubted riding my own horse proved the independence Xan wanted, but if it helped, I’d cling and sway for dear life.
The Mile had changed so much in the few days we’d been gone. With magic at everyone's fingertips, crumbling buildings turned into smooth apartments with shops on the first floor. Everly waved from St Giles Cathedral along with another woman drawing runes on the front door. I waved back.
