Chapter 15
I shoveopen the bathroom door to find Grecia staring at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks look flushed while her lips are pouty and tempting. I step inside and lock us both in.
“What the fuck was that?” I wave my hand in the direction of the party going on beyond the closed door.
I don’t know why I’m so angry. It’s stupid to be jealous of Damien Thorne, but I am.
I fucking am.
“I’m not yours, Tarian. You’ve made that quite clear. Why would you be concerned if someone else kisses me?” Grecia asks.
The moment I’ve been putting off for so long has arrived. It’s time to either admit my feelings for Grecia or push her into the arms of another man, a man I know will only use her.
Would I be any better for her?
I won’t give her a happily ever after.
“Tarian, I’m not playing these games with you anymore,” Grecia says, and I see the shimmering emotion in her hazel eyes.
I know I’ve hurt her by pushing her away. And by fighting off anyone else who shows an interest in her, I’m confusing Grecia. If I’m being honest, I’m confusing myself too. I’m no longer sure whether our relationship is platonic or ever can be again. After what happened on the plane, when I nearly lost control and kissed her, the tension between us has skyrocketed.
“I don’t want you with him or with anyone else for that matter,” I confess.
“Why, Tarian?” she pushes. “Tell me fucking why, or I swear to God, I will go out there right now and fuck him or someone else.”
Rage clouds my vision, and closing the distance between us, I grip Grecia’s shoulders tightly. My fingers dig into her smooth, tanned flesh.
“Don’t you fucking dare do that.”
“Why?!” she screams in anger and frustration. “Tarian! If you don’t?—”
“You are fucking mine, Grecia!”
The boom of my voice bounces wildly between us and against the tiled walls of the bathroom. Then it slowly reverberates through my chest and into hers, and a shocked gasp tumbles from her perfect lips.
Grecia opens her mouth, and I expect her to rant at me, but she doesn’t speak. Her expression is filled with a mix of desire and confusion. Then pain sparks in her eyes, and I half expect her to tell me to leave.
“You’re mine,” I tell her once more, but this time with less anger.
Instead, I cup her cheeks in my palms and allow my true feelings for her to emanate from my voice, hoping she’ll say something in return.
She feels so warm. So soft and delicate.
She’s fragile, but she’s also fierce.
“My sweet goddess,” I whisper as I lean in and press the tip of my nose against hers.
Our gazes are locked, the intensity stealing my breath away. But I don’t care, because I’ve finally accepted the truth—I want to lose myself inside Grecia Birchwood, to be one with her, and I want to stay there until I’m no longer broken and war-torn.
“Tarian,” she utters, and my name sounds strained coming from her lips, as if she’s saying it for the first time.
There’s no going back now. I’m no longer her friend…I’m something so much more.
“Grecia.” I whisper her name in response as my tongue darts out to taste her.
Sucking her lower lip into my mouth, I allow my teeth to graze the plump flesh, and I recall the moment on the plane when I bit her and tasted the flavor of her life force for the first time.
Releasing her lip, I tell her, “I kept fighting this. I kept pushing you away because I’m no good for you, Grecia. I’m so fucking broken.”
“Aren’t all broken things more beautiful because of the light that shines through their fractured pieces?” she asks, challenging me like I know she loves to do.
I can’t help but smile as I gently press my mouth to hers. The heat searing through me from the fusion of our mouths has my cock hard. I’m so ready to take her, to finally fucking claim her, but not here.
When I finally pull away, I look into her eyes.
“I’m taking you back to Thane’s. Right now.” My words hold a promise of what’s to come.
“What about?—”
“You’re not spending another minute in the company of Damien Thorne,” I tell her adamantly.
Even if dinner is being served and we’re expected to stay, I can’t. It’s time I show Grecia who I truly am.
When we reach the foyer, we find Thane talking to Damien there. They each have a drink in their hand and look unperturbed at the way I’m speeding toward them.
“We’re leaving,” I inform Thane without casting a glance toward Damien.
My uncle turns his attention away from the conversation, his focus solely on me.
“Oh?” Thane’s dark brow arches at me. “I believe we’re about to have dinner.”
“Grecia and I are both tired and would be more comfortable in your house,” I tell him.
It’s a lie, but it’s the only place we can go right now. I need to get Grecia alone, and I have to figure out these emotions that are currently coursing through me.
Thane smirks.
Damien chuckles.
Confused, my gaze flits between them.
“Sure,” Thane finally responds. “Eduardo will take you to the house. No snooping around, though,” he warns, which has me on high alert. If I were to snoop around, would there be anything to find?
“I don’t give a shit about your stuff, Thane,” I bite out, attempting to make it seem like his comment hasn’t fazed me. But it has. It’s made me wonder if there’s anything else he’s hiding from me.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he mutters, but before I can get pulled into an argument, I’m already out the door, dragging Grecia behind me.
Our driveback to Thane’s is completed in silence.
I’m on edge and spend the entire journey fearing Grecia’s about to run off, and I’ll lose her forever. I know she will leave eventually. I’m not sure how long it’s going to take before she decides I’m not good enough for her. It will happen at some point, and then I’ll never forgive myself for going there with her.
The tension radiating from her is palpable, but I don’t make a move to touch her, and she doesn’t move closer to me. With the truth so newly out there between us, I’m feeling nervous and I’m guessing she is too. We’ve been a part of each other’s lives for so long now, and I can’t pinpoint when things changed between us, but they did. And now, we’re going to take a step into the unknown.
For years, I’ve kept myself distracted with random girls whose families weren’t part of the Sovereign in Tynewood. I didn’t want to mess with the chain of command, and I didn’t need to bring trouble to my door, so I also steered clear of one-night-stands who wanted to learn more about the society.
The existence of the Gilded Sovereign is common knowledge in our small town. Everyone is aware of who the members are, but they don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. Our families have always made sure to keep our secrets well hidden.
With Grecia, it’s different because she is the daughter and stepdaughter of Elders. She knows all about the violence and destruction that come with being a Crown, and she understands what it’s like to have to keep things from the people around you. It’s the main reason we don’t make friends with anyone outside our circle.
As soon as the town car pulls to a stop outside Thane’s house, my chest tightens. Having exited the vehicle, I offer Grecia my hand and lead her up to the front door. It’s opened by the housekeeper who allows us in.
In the living room, I let go of Grecia’s hand and make my way to the liquor cabinet to pour us both a drink. We’ll need it if we’re going to talk about feelings. More so for me than for her.
I settle on the sofa, my gaze locked on hers. I watch as she sips the whiskey I’ve given her and note the wince on her pretty face at the burn of the alcohol.
“What are we doing?” she asks, and in that moment, I want nothing more than for her to reassure me and tell me this is going to work.
I haven’t told the guys I’m lonely. I hate that I am. I’ve been aware of feeling isolated for a long while now, but I don’t allow it to affect me. Instead, I keep pushing it to the back of my mind.
“Drinking,” I reply as I raise my glass.
She doesn’t move. I want her to come to me, to kiss me, to do something. But I don’t ask, and she doesn’t take the lead. All the confidence I had earlier is ebbing away because I know it’s no longer possible for me to walk away, and the moment we take the next step, I’m not going to want her to be with anyone else ever again.
Grecia settles in the armchair opposite me with her gaze locked on mine. Her eyes shimmer like gemstones, holding riches beyond my imagination.
“Are you going to admit you want me?” I ask, pushing off the sofa and stalking toward her.
A slight tremble travels through her body at my proximity, and I smile.
“Why would I do something stupid like that?”
“Because you’ve wanted me to fuck you since the moment we were old enough to know what that meant,” I tell her.
She may not remember those days, but I certainly do. It’s taken the fear of losing her, though, for me to finally admit to Grecia that I want her too.
“You’re still the asshole you’ve always been,” she bites out.
Tilting my head to the side, I regard her for a few seconds before I lean even closer until I can feel her hot breath on my cheek.
That’s when I whisper along the shell of her ear, “Why change a habit of a lifetime, sweetheart?”
Even though Grecia’s as turned on as I am, I’ve learned from past experience she’s not going to be a pushover. But I love a challenge.
Grecia’s hands land on my shoulders, and I expect her to push me away, but she shocks the shit out of me by leaping into my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist and laughs when I grab hold of her pert ass and give it a squeeze. Soon every inch of her is going to be licked by my tongue.
“Time to give you my special attention.”
She leans back so she can meet my gaze.
“Your special attention. Now that sounds like something I can definitely get on board with,” she quips playfully, and I nod as I walk us out the room and up the stairs toward the bedroom I’m using.