Lord Pippin cast a glance at the portrait—the blinking woman back inside the painting—before he returned his attention to his own phone. His thumbs typed out a message. “I believe the only moment you two halfway awakened was when Lord Belshazzar kissed your forehead and then mumbled something under his breath about you not sleeping on your side of the bed. He went back to snoring—after you snuggled even closer to him.”
Fuck. Me. In the ass.
Lord Xenon pocketed his phone and clasped his hands over his trim stomach. His black eyes met ours. He asked bluntly, “How long has this been going on?”
The other Overlords lowered their cells.
They stared right at us. Waiting.
Lord Belshazzar scratched at his whiskered chin, quiet for an extended time. Finally, he stated, “Long enough.”
Lord Xenon’s eyes tightened at the evasive answer.
“Is it serious?” Lord Otto asked coolly.
“It is what it is right now.” Lord Belshazzar tossed his legs over the side of our bed and sat up. He ran his fingers through his tangled hair. “We’d like to keep it private for the time being.”
Lord Otto lifted his phone up and flicked his thumb over the screen again and again, showing us blackmail material. “So I shouldn’t show any of these pictures of you two looking cute as hell, bowed around each other in sweet slumber, to anyone?”
My fangs elongated. “Asshole.”
“What?” He glanced at his phone with pure innocence in his gaze. “Theyarecute.”
“Delete the damn pictures,” Lord Belshazzar growled his demand. He cracked his neck and glanced at each lord. “I will add this, too. If any one of you talks about her fucking vagina around me again, I will strangle you. Do you understand?”
Lord Xenon’s lips twitched. “It’s serious enough.”
“Fuck you,” he griped. Lord Belshazzar glanced over his shoulder down at me with his scowl still in place. “Are you getting in the shower first or am I?”
I thumped my head back onto the pillow and waved my left hand at the bathroom. “You brought me food last night. You can have the bathroom first.” I closed my eyes—and kept them closed—and sighed heavily. “Fuck.”
Lord Belshazzar snorted, completely pissed. “Yes,fuck.”
Master Niallan now knew.
Life just got a lot harder. For all of us.
I peeked open my left eye. “Is there any chance—”
“Not even the smallest chance.” He twisted his torso and leaned over me, placing his face right over mine. His muscled arms caged me in, and his mess of black hair fanned around my head. “Nothing changes in public.”
“Agreed.” I tapped his nose with a soft finger. “Your breath stinks. Go take a shower and brush your teeth.”
One side of his lips quirked up, erasing a bit of his testiness. Too quietly for the others to hear, he ordered, “Kiss me first.”
My brows scrunched. “But…stinky breath.”
“Do it, your majesty. I wasn’t asking.”
I lifted one brow. Thinking…
He waited. Patient.
I tilted my head up and bit his lower lip with my blunt teeth, grinning around it. I winked up into his icy gaze. Then I pecked his lips softly before I dropped my head back onto the pillow. Our heartbeats were now linked.
He peeked his tongue out and ran it over his bottom lip, and his head dipped to place his mouth against my ear. He purred, “Little one, I wish we weren’t here right now.” The lord gently nibbled on my earlobe. He tipped his head further and kissed my neck, caressing my tender flesh with his soft lips.
I ran my fingers up his neck and cradled the side of his face, relishing his gentle caresses. I dug my fingernails into his whiskers, scratching softly. “I’ll take a raincheck.”
