“Use your words, not cavemen sounds.”
“Tell me again,” he said, finally opening his eyes. “This plan of yours.”
“Well.” I softly cleared my throat. “Just like our favorite redhead whom we love so much, Lord Onyx is in denial about his feelings for me. So I formed a plan of action. I’m calling this mission: How to Woo a Demon Lord.”
Maddox pinched his brow. “Why must you woo him? He’s one of us, so he should be drawn to you as you are to him.”
“Because he’s stubborn. Like you.”
He lowered his hand and scoffed at me. “I may be stubborn, but not even I could deny my attraction to you. Nor could I stay away from you once realizing the depth of my feelings. Our love was inevitable.”
Only Maddox could say something so freaking swoon-worthy and romantic, yet keep such a sour look on his face. Enough so that I hung my head and laughed.
“I’m pleased you find this so amusing.” Some of his snarl faded, revealing a tenderness in his eyes. “I understand your desire to pursue him, sweetheart. I see how much your soul aches for him. But what if this is beyond your control? What if he remains set in his aversion to love? I’m worried you’ll be hurt.”
“Oh, my sweet, sweet man.” I cupped his face in both my hands. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
“I always worry over you.” Maddox closed his eyes and rested his hand over mine, holding it to his cheek. “When you love, you love deeply and give every piece of yourself, holding nothing back. More so, when it comes to your fated mates. I wish to protect your heart.”
“Ev is a mighty muffin lord,” Callum said, dropping down on the cushion beside Maddox. Their muscled bodies barely fit together on the love seat. “He’s defeated thorn bushes and tamed a damned Fenrir. I think he can tame a demon lord too.”
Oreo had followed him over to the chair and started attacking Callum’s boot laces, making the cutest puppy growls.
“Tame him?” I asked, scratching Oreo’s ears.
“Aye.” Callum bent forward and ruffled my hair in his familiar way. “Get him in bed and he’ll have no choice but to love you.”
“Not everyone is a virgin like you, rabbit,” Rowan told him. “It may take more than once to break past Onyx’s walls. Speaking from experience here.”
“I regret to be the bearer of bad news, love, but…” Briar smiled at me. “If you and Lord Onyxdobecome intimate, you’ll need to—”
“No. God, no. Please.” I groaned, knowing exactly what he meant. “The flower juice.”
And just like that, both Maddox and Callum started laughing. Rowan smirked before sipping from his flask, while Lake came over and sat beside me on the rug, patting my back.
“The sex tonic is to help keep you safe,” Briar said, visibly fighting his own laugh. “I’ll be sure to add a generous amount of honey.”
“Probably a good idea for me to take it,” I admitted with a sigh. “I get the feeling Lord Onyx has had a lot of people in his bed. The last thing I want to do is put any of you at risk.”
“A lot, huh?” Maddox frowned. “Do you find this upsetting?”
“Why would I?” I asked.
“Must I remind you of Captain Isabella Stone?” He lifted his brow in a disbelieving look. “When you learned that I first met her in a brothel, you became so angry that you marched home and pummeled dough.”
“Made bread,” I corrected. “So what if I imagined said dough to be a tart-faced brothel wench?”
Maddox smiled. “A temper tantrum that was all for naught, for I slept with none of them. I was merely there because of my knights forcing me out of the barracks.”
“Because you worked too much,” Callum reminded him. “You were always buried in paperwork or too busy arranging patrol schedules and planning expeditions to look after yourself. I was not there that night, but I heard the story of how you drank too much and stumbled around the brothel trying to escape.”
Rowan nearly spewed his rum.
Conversation stayed light for the rest of the evening, never venturing deeper than playful taunts toward each other and discussing our day. When we turned in for the night and slid into bed, each of their lips met mine for a goodnight kiss.
And I, much to my relief, broke my two-night cycle of no sleep and went out like a light, no sleeping tonic or sacrifice to the coffee gods needed.
Chapter Sixteen
