Page 76 of Anywhere

It seemed bizarre to simply call out someone’s name in the middle of a place like this and expect them to hear you, but there was some sort of spell. In a blink, the man was running down the hallway towards me.

Incredible. I wonder if I could put this spell on Rhys.

“Master Rook, how cannie I be of service ta ya?” Liam asked as he came to a panting stop a few feet away.

“Rhys said that we are going to be moving to Glentruan when he gets back. Where is that, and why would he want to move there?”

Liam tilted his head to the side. “Dat be Master Rhys’s family castle. His uncle Rayland and cousins, Riegan and Ronan live dere. His cousin, Blaine, be overseas.” Liam tapped his chin. “It not be dat far from here, an hour at most. It be right on da cliff edge, and the back of da castle looks out over da ocean.” Liam shrugged. “I dinnie know why he’d wanna be movin’. He has lived here his whole life since his da died, and he no get along wit dat side of his family.”

“Hmm. Start packing his room and move everything into mine. As soon as he gets back, we can move. Also, where is the library?”

Liam smiled. “Happy ta be of service. Dis way.”

An hour later, I made my way towards the bedroom with a large tray of food. I had no idea who was doing the cooking in this place—it seemed to simply appear—but they were amazing. Everything from hot and cold appetizers, steak and potatoes, and even pasta was all lined up on the island for the taking. Liam said to take as much as needed.

The sound of Mari’s laughter filled the hallway. Stepping into the room, I almost dropped the tray as my mouth fell to the floor. Was this even the same girl that I locked in the washroom? Elewyen’s red hair fell in long waves down to her waist and glittered like rubies in the fading light. Her face was clean of dirt, and instead of looking like some mud monster, her fair skin glowed, and her smile lit up her whole face.

Mari must have given her something to wear. The short black and red kilt she wore with the bright white shirt was giving me all sorts of dirty, private school roleplay images. Her legs and feet were currently bare, and I couldn’t seem to stop running my eyes up and down her body.

She was stunning. Gone was the baggy clothing that looked like pieces of potato sacks stitched together. She’d been transformed into this fucking sexy woman. For the second time, my cock was getting a workout behind my fly.

“It be no’ polite ta stare,” Elewyen said, fidgeting with the skirt like she was trying to pull it farther down her legs. If anything, I wanted to pull it up and sit her on the dresser.

“Wow,” was all I could think to say as the shock continued to render me speechless. “You look amazing,” I said.

The stirring of the connection was different with her, but I could feel it in my gut like a little ball of yarn that she was holding the other end of.

“Is the food for us?” Mari asked.

I was startled and looked over at her, having completely forgotten that she was in the room. She nodded toward the tray I managed not to drop on the floor. When I looked at her, I still saw my cousin, but oddly, I felt more comfortable than I had before. I should’ve felt less comfortable, considering the threat level she presented. As I looked into her eyes, I knew she wasn’t. Fuck, why did everything here seem so awkward and backwards?

“Oh yeah, shit.”

There was a low table near the couch and chairs that Rhys had in his room—our room now, at least until we moved. Placing the tray down on the table, I turned towards Elewyen. She tensed and took a step back. I moved slower as I stepped in close enough that I could smell the shampoo on her hair and see the pulse pounding hard on the side of her neck. Was it attraction or fear?

Lifting my hand slowly, I reached out and ran my fingers through her long hair. She swatted my hand away, and a low growl left my throat.

Mari was suddenly standing between us and gave me a look that clearly said calm the fuck down. Her eyes begged me to step back. I hated that, in some way, she was between me and my second and now my third. I didn’t need to be governed like she was a damn chaperone.

“How about we eat, and you two can get to know one another better before you go pushing her up against a wall?”

My jaw twitched, and my hand itched to crack across Elewyen’s ass, but Mari was right. I needed to keep my cool. Rhys said to convince her to stay on her own, that we couldn’t force this triad together, but fuck, I wanted to lay her over my lap and pull that kilt up. Was she wearing panties?

I bit my lip to keep myself in check before nodding. I stepped back from Mari and flopped down in the large chair. Had I always been this much of a prick? My father said that I was, but I didn’t believe a word that he said.

I guess it was possible. Elewyen’s eyes remained locked on mine as she came over to the couch with Mari and sat down. She wasn’t scared, but she was wary, and fuck, I liked that look. I was tempted to push her buttons and see how mad I could make her. There was something about the snapping green eyes that made me want to see her raging mad at me while I fucked the look right off her face.

“Elewyen has agreed to stay for seven days to see if she wants to make this work with you and Rhys,” Mari said like she was our fucking negotiator.

“Is that so?” My eyes remained on Elewyen’s face.

The subtle movement she made as she wiggled her ass on the couch wasn’t lost on me. Good. The pull was there with her and not just me. I really needed to read up on this connection shit.

“Are you hungry,” I asked and leaned forward to lift the lid off the tray that almost took up the entire table.

Movement caught my eye as something scurried across the floor. A moment later, the little red rodent that Elewyen was travelling with jumped up onto the uncovered food like it was going to dig in too.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” I said and snatched the small animal off the platter. “Ouch,” I growled as its small claws and teeth sank into my hand.