And she needed it then, even if she didn’t realize it.
Haide shrugs, definitely a bit buzzed. “I like her.”
“Shocking,” I mock, grinning in hopes to hide the heavy. “She help you pick a dress for the ball?”
Haide kicks up from the dresser. “She did, but you can’t see it yet.”
“I see.” I push closer and her chest inflates, her eyes not trusting my approach.
So off-balance, my mate.
It’s clear something’s changed between us, but she still refuses to admit it. That’s okay though.
It’s not lost on me that the Royal Gateway spat her out back here, at Rathe U. The place she didn’t want to be instead of herisland.
This is your home now, Little Mate. Can you see it?
I sense fire and I spin just as the door reveals itself. I yank the door open, ready to rip someone’s main artery out, when it opens onto Creed.
His hands fly up in surrender, but there is a tension in his expression I don’t fucking like. Last I saw him, he was spewing lies about her, as if he knew what it felt like to want someone so fucking bad you’d tear your own skin off just to feel her closer.
“Brother,” he says, tone flat and expression blank.
I haven’t had a chance to ask him what he told her during their last conversation about magic, but that will fucking come. Soon.
“What do you want?”
His dark brow raises. “Can I not come in?”
I step aside and check the hall. Empty. Good.
“What is it?” I ask, backing up against the door to close it.
He takes in the room, Haide has changed into one of my shirts that hangs right to the top of her knees, and put her hair up in that curl shit that girls do.
Her eyes bounce between my brother and me. “What?” It’s no secret the two of them hate each other, but at least in Haide’s defense, it’s valid.
Creed’s mouth flatlines. “We have another…issue. Vicente needs us immediately.”
Fuck. Not good.
“And he couldn’t come tell me himself?” I grind out. Not trusting my brother when it comes to my time with my mate.
The man’s got a serious issue with her that needs to be dealt with and fast.
Creed shrugs, eyes sliding to Haide. “I was closer, so he probably thought it’d be quicker.”
I don’t give a fuck about what he says, because Haide just bent over to pick a pair of black panties off the floor. Now, all I thinkabout is wearing her hair as a bracelet while I fuck her hard. Matter of fact—whatisshe wearing under that if she’s holding her panties?
My head tilts. Suddenly I don’t give a fuck about what Vicente has to say. Or that Creed is in the room. All I want is to bury myself in Haide and not come up for fucking weeks.
Before I realize it, I’ve crossed the room and my arms are around her back, locking her in place. Daring her to move and have me carve my fucking name over her forehead. See if that shit matches the color of her dress.
I lower my lips to hers, brushing them way gentler than I want. She wriggles away and my other hand lands on her throat with enough force I have to physically stop myself from not tearing the damn thing out.
Fuck you if you think you’re running from me right now.
I need this. Need her.
