Chapter 39
Wyatt
I opened my eyes the moment Rafe shadow-walked into my new room.
Skye’s mission to make me pack my bags had been successful, though I didn’t think she’d expected to fuck me into a decision.
She hadn’t, for the record. I knew we were going to connect, I’d just expected we’d be somewhere else.
I didn’t regret it, though. Fucking in the heat of the moment after chasing and fighting her all over the apartment summed us up perfectly.
I’d been embarrassed over our first kiss until she admitted that she’d liked it.
Now, I felt a weird sense of pride over it.
Rafe moved toward the bed, perching on the edge so he didn’t jostle the mattress and wake Skye, who was like a fallen angel sleeping on my chest.
This looks like things went well, Rafe said lightly.
I rolled my eyes.
Yes, things had went well. So well, we’d come back to the penthouse to fuck several more times before falling asleep while I was still inside her. I couldn’t have dreamt up a more perfect night.
What do you want?
We need to talk about Levi, Rafe replied. We can discuss it with Skye and Aiden over breakfast.
You cooked? Skye lifted her head, blinking her sleepy eyes. Rafe and I froze for just a moment, and then I snorted. Of course she’d woken up.
Rafe took that as an invitation to get into my personal fucking space, sidling up to my side and cupping Skye’s cheek lovingly. Yes, darling, I made breakfast. And coffee.
Skye wrinkled her nose adorably. She hated any coffee she or her brother hadn’t made personally. I’d learned that the hard way.
“We’re a complete Chain, now?” Rafe asked, his eyes darting back and forth between us.
Skye looked to me, and I hated that she couldn’t answer confidently, even after the earth-shattering declaration. I knew I was the reason she felt that way, I just hated being reminded of it.
I nodded, cupping her other cheek.
Skye melted between the two of us, her eyes drooping slightly as she licked her lips.
I leaned in and kissed her, feeling a spike of excitement from Rafe as she kissed back. I felt the bed dipping as he moved in closer, and Skye gasped as his hands touched her somewhere I couldn’t see.
“Finally,” Rafe breathed. “This took too long.”
I pulled back from Skye’s perfect lips, and she whined. “Why are you so eager to fuck someone with me?” I hissed.
“Maybe he just wants to fuck you,” Skye teased.
I froze.
“Nope,” I said after a beat.
“Come on, Wyatt,” Rafe purred, which pissed me off. “You’ve never considered it?”
“No,” I said slowly, dragging the word out. What the hell was he implying?
“Hmm,” Rafe shrugged, kissing Skye’s neck again.
She moaned, arching back to give him more room.
My brain was still stuck on the idea of a true threesome when an irritating, grating voice interrupted us.
“Oh shit. What the hell? Why wasn’t I invited?”
I groaned as Skye pulled away from me with a giggle. Rafe had his forehead pressed against Skye’s shoulder, and she giggled even harder as Aiden climbed onto my bed.
“No. Off,” I pointed at the floor.
“Bro,” Aiden’s eyes widened. “I’m not a dog.”
He climbed over the top of my legs, planting one of his hands on my thigh, dangerously close to my dick, and I winced as he hit a nerve. He repositioned, then leaned down and kissed Skye while she lay right in between me and Rafe.
This…was the rest of my life.
Every morning would involve Aiden Brandt climbing all over me like a cat in an effort to kiss our Key, and she’d giggle and encourage him to keep doing it, over and over again.
Rafe’s dark eyes met mine over the top of Aiden’s head –he was now kissing all over Skye’s face and down her neck and collarbone while she giggled like a little girl– and he grinned.
I grinned back.
This was the rest of my life.
I didn’t hate it.
Maybe I hated it.
I looked on as Aiden sloppily hand-fed Skye her breakfast. She liked bacon, so he’d given her several pieces along with several mouthfuls of egg, and now he was chasing her mouth with her coffee mug while she laughed.
She was sitting sideways on his lap, arm around his neck while she played with the back of his hair, and I still hadn’t figured out if it pissed me off or not.
Rafe acted as if nothing was amiss, practically inhaling his food whole while I only sipped on my espresso.
That fancy machine was the only thing besides clothes that I’d brought with me.
I didn’t trust the fancy machine Rafe had stocked for Skye and Aiden, mostly because Skye didn’t trust it either.
It didn’t escape my notice that she used my fancy machine this morning instead of Rafe’s.
Rafe hadn’t noticed yet. He’d probably throw a tantrum when he did.
Shadows moved his dishes to the sink, with Skye and Aiden finishing up a few minutes later.
When Aiden stood to take his dish to the sink, Skye tiptoed over to me, then pushed against my arm until I moved, allowing her to slip onto my lap.
“Hi,” she whispered.
I grinned. “Hi.”
She cuddled against my chest, curled up like a cat on my lap while Aiden and Rafe argued over proper dish washing procedures. Eventually, Aiden stomped back to his barstool with suds in his hair while Rafe cleaned everything.
This was nice. Pleasant, even. So of course my best friend had to ruin it.
“So I was in the Gulf yesterday,” Rafe started.
Skye stiffened on my lap, but turned her head so she could watch him as he continued.
“Vince Shafer was not in his cottage.”
Skye sat up all the way, and I sputtered as I got a face full of her hair.
“Okay, so he was like…out for a stroll?” Aiden said weakly.
“There’d been a struggle of some kind,” Rafe went on. “The shadows didn’t find anything of interest.”
“Why…what would someone want with him?” Skye asked.
“Not sure,” Rafe replied. “It can’t be good.”
“We need to check on Levi,” I muttered.
“Good luck,” Aiden scoffed. “He’s in the wind.”
“Maybe we should look for him,” I said. “He could give us some answers about what the hell went on in the Chain.”
“I could, too,” Skye mumbled.
“No you can’t, sweetheart. We need details about your mom.” I said gently.
Skye didn’t reply, which made me queasy but at least she hadn’t taken offense.
“You know…” Aiden sighed deeply, running his hands through his hair. “Baby, it actually might be best if you weren’t there. He’s only going to be a dick, but I don’t want you getting your feelings hurt.”
“Yeah,” Skye said weakly. “I just…I don’t want to be alone.”
“My sister is still here,” I reasoned. “You can hang out with Willow and Mia. Have a girls’ night?”
Skye slumped even further. “I don’t know. They’re both wallowing about Zephyr. And Lana keeps calling me, too. I don’t know what the hell to say to her. There’s no one fun to be around right now.”
Rafe looked offended, but thankfully didn’t say anything.
I felt a little offended myself.
‘There’s no one fun to be around right now’?
What the hell had we done last night?
Aiden appeared suddenly, very close to me and Skye. “I’m fun though, right baby?”
Skye grinned. “Of course, angel.”
Rafe and I wore matching expressions of disgust. After a few minutes of Skye and Aiden sort of cuddling while she sat on my lap, Aiden moved away to rummage through the fridge like we hadn’t just eaten.
“When would you leave?” Skye asked.
“Soon, if we can.” Rafe said, no trace of his lingering disgust. “I have an event with my mother I need to attend today. Some garden party bullshit.”
“Alone?” Skye said sharply.
Rafe stiffened, his wide eyes on Skye. “Uh…well, yes.”
“So the rest of us weren’t invited?”
Rafe’s eyes widened further, and he looked to me with alarm. His expression was so funny I almost didn’t want to help him, but I took pity.
“What’s wrong?” I asked Skye, rubbing along her stomach. “You don’t want us to be separated?” It would make sense. With the way things were going outside the academy, it was natural that Skye would want to keep us close.
“No. I want to know whether Rafe’s mother intentionally didn’t invite the rest of us, or just me.”
Aiden’s face turned pink with how hard he tried not to laugh while Rafe and I tried to figure out what to say in response to that. Skye wasn’t teasing, she was actually pissed about this.
Rafe recovered quicker than me. “Darling, you’re the Heir Presumptive. If you want to attend an event, there is no stopping you.”
Skye jumped to her feet, leaving my lap cold. “Good. Then send Coach a formal absence notice for me and Aiden today. We’re going to get ready.”
“I’ll send the notice,” Isaiah said from the corner.
I nearly jumped a mile in the air, my heart pounding.
“When the fuck did you get there?” I snapped.
“I’m always here,” Isaiah said flatly. “It’s my job to guard the younger Royal Key.”
“You fucking–”
“Leave him alone,” Aiden whined. “He got Skye out of her slump without fucking her. He’s fine.”
“Yes, that’s another thing I wanted to talk about,” Rafe mused. “Isaiah, have you now or at any time in the past, wanted to fuck my Key?”
Isaiah was silent for a moment, then clenched his jaw. The tips of his ears turned a rosy shade of pink.
“Yes?” I snarled.
“No,” Isaiah snapped.
Aiden rubbed his chin. “Okay, so you think she’s ugly? Answer carefully.”
Rafe and I glared daggers at the guard.
“That’s not a fair question,” Isaiah muttered. “Do you want to fuck every beautiful woman you see?”
“So, you do think she’s beautiful.” Aiden pointed at him accusingly.
I glanced at Rafe, who was watching the back and forth with narrowed eyes.
“What do you think?” I asked.
“I think my Key has been sneaking around and it hasn’t been reported to me, and I’m wondering why that is,” Rafe said. “Isaiah? Any explanation?”
“Your Grace,” Isaiah said, his words stilted. “At this time in my life I am more likely to fuck any other member of your Chain than your Key. Respectfully.”
Oh.
All my previous anger washed away in an instant. Why the fuck hadn’t he just said that?
“Wait, you’d fuck Rafe because he’s the Crown Prince? He’s more important than the Royal Key?” Aiden scratched his head.
“First of all, no one’s fucking me,” Rafe said. “I’m the fuck-er. I don’t get fucked.”
“Jesus, Rafe.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Aiden, Isaiah prefers dudes right now.”
“Oh!” Aiden cried. “Why didn’t you just say that?”
Isaiah looked like he wanted to disappear.
“I’m still watching you,” Rafe said. “Do you have a tuxedo or should I send for one?”
“I have my dress uniform,” Isaiah replied.
“Perfect,” Rafe said, his fingers flying across his phone. “You’re relieved to go get ready. Skye will probably be inviting the girls over and you’re Willow’s type.”
Isaiah blushed again, but his expression was a little different than before. At my narrowed gaze, he scurried off, leaving through the front door instead of the elevator.