Chapter Three #4
“Roth believes them though,” I said, rubbing at the ache in my chest. I’d known the knight wasn’t my biggest fan, but for him to think I was capable of hurting people? Manipulating them? It was upsetting.
“He’s a cranky bastard who needs to keep his mouth shut,” Baden grumbled before taking a drink from his mug. “As Duke said, pay no mind to the rumors. They’ve already been dismissed in the eyes of the Royal Order, so you have nothing to worry about.”
God. I’d dodged another doom flag and hadn’t even known it’d been chasing me to begin with. If the Royal Order had believed the rumors, I could’ve been brought in for questioning. Maybe even found guilty and exiled from the kingdom. Or executed.
“Come here, love.” Briar pulled me against his chest and kissed his favorite spot. The softness of his lips and warmth of his embrace soothed the tendrils of anxiety worming their way through my veins. “You are in no trouble. Focus only on the upcoming ball.”
“The ball. Right.” I exhaled against his neck, having hidden my face there. “No pressure or anything.”
“Allow me to help with the preparations,” Quincy said. “You can bake all the sweeties, and I’ll eat them and tell you what I think.”
Baden shoulder checked him again. “Leave the lad be. He has an important job to attend to without dealing with your gluttonous ass on top of it.”
“I’d love your opinion,” I told Quincy. “I have a salted caramel cupcake recipe I’ve been meaning to try.”
When he smiled, the scar cutting across his face wrinkled. The warmth in his eyes took away the ruggedness though.
“Shadow,” Draven said in a tone veering on impatient. It was Rowan’s nickname. Or code name. I wasn’t sure which.
“All right, all right. We’re going,” Rowan told him before grabbing my wrist and pulling me in for a kiss. “Don’t miss me too much.”
“Too late.”
A familiar goodbye.
He then pulled his mask back up and nodded to the other two spies before heading toward the back door and slipping outside. The three of them faded into the night, leaving without a trace.
“That masked bastard!” Quincy exclaimed. “He took my brownie.”
The top corner piece was the only one missing. I couldn’t help but laugh. Reign was such a butthole.
“Have no fear. The muffin lord is here.” I rested my hands on my hips, superhero style. “More brownies are on the way.”
“I have a better idea.” Maddox pressed up behind me and spoke directly in my ear, his voice low and seductive. “Run.”
Excited tingles danced down my spine. “Run?”
I felt him smile. “Or prepare to become a sack of potatoes and thrown over my shoulder in front of all these men.”
With a little eep, I took off toward the doorway leading into the hall. I had my pride to consider. Not that it made much of a difference. Steps pounded on the floorboards behind me right before the air stirred at my back and big arms caught me around the waist.
“No!” I exclaimed mid-laugh.
“Caught you,” Maddox murmured in my ear. “And I vow to never let you go.”
Flutters attacked my heart. “I’ll hold you to that.”
As he led me upstairs, Briar, Callum, and Lake followed, leaving the other knights in the kitchen.
Once in the room, Maddox guided me onto the bed before claiming my lips in the softest of kisses.
He drew back, and another pair of lips met mine, bringing with them the scent of vanilla bean.
Hands glided across my chest, then down to my waist, taking hold of my tunic and lifting it up and over my head. Mouths ghosted over my skin.
Sex with four men at once wasn’t nearly as difficult as it used to be.
Callum took me first. On my back, Maddox and Briar settled on each side of me and kissed, licked, and nipped at my sensitive areas: jawline, earlobe, and base of my throat.
Lake claimed my lips and threaded his long fingers through my hair.
Callum softly groaned as he rocked into me. I stared up at him through heavy lids and placed my hand on his chest, tracing one of his scars. He grabbed my hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing each fingertip.
“You’re so quiet.” Maddox grazed his lips across my collarbone. “Your moans normally echo all throughout the cottage.”
“The knights are downstairs,” I panted. “They’ll hear me.”
He grinned. “Precisely. Your cute Quincy needs a reminder of who you belong to.”
A surprised laugh burst from me. Freaking stubborn and possessive man.
The four of them soon made it impossible to hold back those moans. Maddox and Briar each latched on to my nipples while Lake moved down my body and took my cock between his lips, his purple eyes flickering up to mine. Callum pumped his hips back and forth, hitting me in all the right places.
What added to the pleasure? Being surrounded by their scents. They heightened everything, consumed me. Warm spice. Peaches. Vanilla bean. And magnolia blossoms.
The only one missing was black cardamom.
Although I missed Rowan in these late hours, there was something comforting about knowing he was out there watching over the kingdom. Watching over me and our family from the shadows. A phantom who kept us safe.
“Ev.” Callum groaned and tipped his head back, exposing his sexy throat.
Despite him being so close, I was the one who came first. And it definitely wasn’t quiet. Lake swirled his tongue over my crown as Callum’s ridged cock slammed against my prostate. I lost my damn mind, becoming a moaning, shaking mess beneath them.
“That’s it, love.” Briar smoothed his hand over my hair and dropped kisses to my temple.
Maddox’s mouth crashed against mine as he cradled my head.
Afterward, Callum rolled to his back and placed me on top of him, holding me against his chest. Lips pressed to my shoulder, biceps, and the sensitive place behind my ear as Maddox, Lake, and Briar gave me scattered kisses.
Distant voices and the clinks of mugs came from downstairs. Those boys would certainly eat me out of house and home. Probably drain every drop of booze while they were at it.
A rumble of thunder sounded, but unlike earlier, I wasn’t afraid. Surrounded by all of them, I’d never felt safer, more at peace.
Once I had some recovery time and was ready to go for another round, I attacked Briar, who gave a little oomph as I landed on his chest. For the rest of the night, I kissed, fucked, and lost myself in the men who owned me, body and soul.
And I never wanted to be found.