Chapter Nine
One Hell of a Ball
“Come on.” I inched around the dessert table, trying to find an open spot for the last lemon cupcake. No such luck. The display was completely full. “Welp. Looks like there’s no room for you. You’ll have to be sacrificed.”
After glancing around to make sure no one was looking, I shoved it into my mouth.
“I saw that.”
I choked and whirled around, almost slamming into Maddox.
“Easy, sweetheart.” He grabbed my shoulders to steady me, lips twitching with a smile he tried hard to hold at bay. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but those are supposed to be for the guests.”
The man could’ve been speaking German for all I knew; his words went right over my head.
One look at him damn near took my breath away.
Black hair had been swept back, but a few strands fell forward, kissing the edge of his brow.
Instead of armor, he wore his officer’s dress uniform.
It had been tailored to fit his muscled body to perfection, emphasizing his broad shoulders and torso.
Decorative medals adorned his chest, and the emblem on the side of his arm signified his Order and rank.
“You, uh…” I patted his chest. “Look nice.”
Maddox snatched hold of my hand and lifted it to his lips. “As do you. The most handsome muffin in all of Bremloc.”
“And don’t you forget it.” I rose up on my tiptoes and kissed him.
“Mmm. You taste sweet,” he murmured against my lips. “Must be the remnants of the cupcake you stole.”
“I didn’t steal it. I made the damn thing. I can eat it if I want.”
He cupped the back of my head and brought me closer. “The thief said Lupin visited you earlier. He didn’t have a chance to tell me more, other than that Reign’s theory held merit. That you have a certain… gift.”
“Yeah.” I hid my face more into his chest, thankful for the cover. Not sure what my expression would’ve shown in that moment. Nerves, probably. Maybe even that annoying wobble in my chin when I was trying not to cry. “After the ball, we need to talk. All of us.”
“All right.”
“I’m sorry, Maddox.”
He stilled. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Because.” Tears surged forward, and I did my best to blink them away. “A simple life with me isn’t possible. I’ll just keep bringing trouble wherever I go. Bandits. Mercenaries.”
“Yoyo.”
I breathed out a laugh. “For the last time, his name is Oreo.”
Maddox softly smiled down at me. “Whatever you face, you won’t face it alone. We’ll be right beside you, sweetheart.”
“That’s what worries me. I’d rather face it alone than put any of you in danger. If anything happened to—”
He silenced me with a kiss. One that said so much without him uttering a single word. I felt the tremble in his lips and the heavy beats in his chest. It spoke of his fear and his love, the two mingling together, just like our tongues as he dipped his into my mouth and swirled it with mine.
The royal guests hadn’t arrived yet, but we weren’t alone in the ballroom. Other knights, guards, and castle staff were present. But it didn’t stop him from showing his affection for me. Pretty sure he’d remove the head of anyone who tried to pull us apart.
Unless that someone was a man we both loved.
“Mind if I join you?”
Maddox broke from my lips and faced Briar, a smile not far behind. “I suppose I can share, physician. But only this once.”
“How noble of you, dearest captain,” Briar said with a playful roll of his eyes. Those eyes then shifted to me and crinkled at the edges. “I was right about your suit. That color complements your soft complexion splendidly. You look breathtaking, love.”
“Me? Look at you.” I gestured up and down his body. “My heart might stop.”
Briar’s smile turned bashful, and he adjusted his glasses. The dark gray suit accentuated his tall, lean physique and hugged him in all the right places. Casually styled light brown hair held a soft wave, his bangs gently swept to the side.
“Our muffin speaks true.” Maddox slid one arm around Briar and held me with the other. “You’re beautiful.”
“Now my heart might be the one to stop.” Briar cleared his throat and averted his gaze. A blush colored his cheeks.
“Captain Smolder strikes again,” I said.
Maddox laughed. The sound settled over my chest. I’d never tire of hearing it.
“Ev!” Steps approached from behind me.
I expected to turn around and see my precious cinnamon roll. The man I saw instead fried the wires in my brain, erasing every word from my vocabulary. I could only stare… and tried not to drool while doing it.
Callum’s short brown hair had been trimmed along the sides, and the longer strands on top were swept back from his face.
And speaking of his face, dear coffee gods…
high cheekbones, a jawline for days, and perfectly kissable lips.
He wore a military dress uniform similar to Maddox’s but had a purple decorative cloak instead of white.
“Cal?” I blinked a few times. “That is you, right?”
He beamed at me, flashing that dimple.
“Yep. There you are.” I stepped over to hug him, but my feet tripped over themselves.
“And there you are,” Callum said, catching me against his chest. “Those clumsy legs of yours always find a way to bring us back together.”
A deep ache then settled in my heart as I remembered the future Lupin originally saw for me. One where Callum died. I threw my arms around him and held on for dear life, sternum squeezing.
“Ev?” He gently rubbed my back. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing,” I croaked, stifling a cry. His vanilla bean scent surrounded me, and I sought more of it, pushing my face against his neck. “I just need to hold you right now, okay?”
Callum brought me closer and dropped kisses into my hair. He’d always been able to read me so well. He might not have known the thoughts running through my head, but he understood my need to be close to him.
“I should dress up more often,” he said against my temple. “Though I suppose the praise should go to Sasha and Christa. They cut my hair and made me look pretty for you.”
His sisters, both older than him by several years.
“You’re always pretty, Cal.”
He smiled and lightly ruffled my hair. “Yet, I’m still no match for you. No one is more handsome.”
“The sun is about to set,” Briar said, looking toward the tall windows. “Guests will be arriving shortly.”
“Hear that, Ev?” Callum cupped my cheek. “It’s sunset.”
I smiled, remembering the story he’d told me. “That span of time when the sun and moon can meet.”
He linked our fingers, and his chocolate-brown eyes softened. “May I have this dance?”
“There’s no music.”
“Of course there is. Don’t you hear it?” He rested our cheeks together and started a slow sway from side to side. “Badum dum da badum.”
A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. “You’re a dork.”
A dork I couldn’t imagine living without.
“Don’t cry, Ev.” Callum leaned in and kissed the tear away. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“And neither are you,” Maddox told me, reverting to an authoritative tone. He did that in an attempt to mask whatever emotion he didn’t want to show. “Callum will be by your side all evening, and the thief will be watching over you from the shadows. We’ll keep you safe.”
“Captain Glutton’s right,” a voice with an unmistakable twang said. Rowan approached, dressed in black from head to toe. His dark auburn hair had been braided and pulled to the side, held together by a golden cuff. “If anyone comes too close to you, I’ll slit their throat.”
“You braided your hair.” I lightly touched the golden cuff. “I love it.”
He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his cheek. “Maybe I wanted to look pretty for you too.”
“You do.” Flutters attacked my heart as I glanced at each of them. “All of you do.” The flutters lost momentum. “I just wish…”
“That the pup was here?” Rowan lowered my hand from his face but kept hold of it. His fingers circled my wrist. “We’ll bring him home some food. I may even play a game of chess with him.”
“You better not cheat.”
My favorite fang-like tooth made its appearance. “It’s only cheating if you get caught.”
“Lake always catches you.”
“And then he whacks you with his tail,” Briar added. “Much deserved, I’d say.”
“The hits have gotten softer lately,” Rowan said. “I think I’m growing on him.”
“Like a fungus,” Maddox muttered.
“No one asked you, Captain Glutton.”
Their banter helped calm my anxious mind. With Rowan keeping hold of my wrist, I snuggled back into Callum’s chest. Maddox neared my side and touched my lower back, his brow heavy and questions swimming in his blue eyes.
“I’m okay,” I told him. “Just enjoying being with all of you.”
The moment was, unfortunately, short-lived.
“There you are, dear.” Rose rushed over to me. “You’re needed in the kitchen for final approval on the refreshments schedule.”
She fluttered off in the other direction, approaching a member of staff and pointing at a table that wasn’t quite in line with the others around it.
“Welp.” I sighed. “Duty calls.”
“I’ll accompany you, milord.” Callum offered me his arm.
I took it. “How kind of you, dear knight.”
As he escorted me to the kitchen, I held his arm tighter than necessary. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was about to happen.
***
Nobles filled the ballroom.
Ladies in fancy dresses twirled around the dance floor, led by dapper gentlemen in tailored suits.
Some had bushy mustaches. The men, not the ladies, although one woman had a thin line of whipped cream on her upper lip after taking a generous gulp of her mocha latte.
And none of her friends told her. They merely smiled at each other behind their decorative fans and continued like nothing was amiss.
I was about to go over and subtly mention it to her before a suave gentleman with luscious blond locks took her hand and spun her away from the group. He then dipped her and planted a kiss on her lips, licking off the whipped cream.
Smooth, dude. I nodded in appreciation of his skills.