Chapter 49
Chapter Forty-Nine
J
In the space of forty-eight hours, I was attacked in an elevator and then saved by Finn Cross, of all people.
I tore my hair out trying to build an infrastructure that mirrors cellphone data to a secure server—total game changer, by the way.
And I was an intricate part of a negotiation between Finn and the same gang bangers who almost tried to kill me.
In short, I need a bath and eight hours of peaceful, uninterrupted sleep.
Sol drives to the villa, and The Kings spill out of their royal carriage like celebrities. They’re all so big that every time they step down, the van tips slightly in their direction and bounces back on its four wheels.
I climb out last since it takes me a long time to move. To my surprise, Finn, Dutch, Zane, and Sol are right outside the van.
Were they waiting for me?
“Keep the van parked here, Sol,” Zane says. “I’m too tired to carry the money back inside.”
“As long as Abuela has her ride back before mass, it’s fine here.”
Dutch yawns. “I’ll take you home.”
The Kings walk ahead.
Finn remains halfway between his brothers and me. His back looks especially broad in the moonlight. A slight breeze ruffles his dark hair, and I battle the urge to run my fingers through it and set it back in place.
As attractive as Finn is on the outside—and he’s really, really gorgeous on the outside—the brilliant way he took control in the shed, all without violence or threats, is what makes him ten times taller in my eyes.
I didn’t even see him while he was in there, but listening to him deal with Ace was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced.
“Finn,” Sol teases, punching his friend in the arm, “how are you going to reward J tonight? She played a big role in getting those guys to back off.”
Finn’s dark, shadowy eyes meet mine.
I raise both hands, hoping that my face isn’t red. “All I want is a bath and a bed.”
“Is there room in your plans for one more?” Sol asks, nudging Finn in the arm.
Finn gives him a dark look.
Sol’s smile drips away and he mumbles, “I was just kidding, man. Relax.”
“About that.” I clap my hands together. “I wanted to ask if you guys have a guest room I can use? I don’t want to keep Finn from his room any longer.”
Zane grins. “Yeah, we have lots of—” Suddenly, the drummer trips and goes sprawling. “What the…” He pushes up from the grass and shoots a glare at Finn who’s randomly stretching his legs on the driveway.
“Watch your step, Zane,” Finn says calmly.
Dutch smirks. “What Zane is trying to say is that we have lots of—” A white blade of light suddenly blares in Dutch’s face.
I look for the source and find that it’s coming from Finn’s phone.
“Damn, Finn. Are you trying to blind me?” Dutch blinks rapidly, a dazed look in his eyes.
“My flashlight app is glitching,” Finn explains, straightening to his full height.
I glance at each of The Kings. What’s going on right now?
“There’s only one bed,” Finn says matter-of-factly.
Sol snickers.
Dutch rubs his eyes.
Zane brushes dirt and grass from his pants.
I tilt my head toward the large mansion which boasts not one, not two, but three garages. “In that big house, you only have three rooms?”
“Yep, yep,” Zane says, pushing past me to enter through the front door.
“That math checks out.” Sol laughs and walks to Dutch’s car.
Dutch holds his hands in front of him, stumbling along. “Sol, you’ll have to drive. I’m still seeing white spots.”
My watch beeps.
I glance down and let out a deep sigh. I’m way too exhausted to fight about this. First, I’ll take a bath, and then I’ll figure out my sleeping arrangements.
Finn isn’t in the bedroom after I climb up the stairs, but I find a small bundle of clothes on the bed. I draw nearer to investigate.
The bundle is actually a frilly pajama top and long, blue pajama pants. They’re slightly different from what I normally wear to sleep at the hospital, but there are striking similarities.
Did Finn arrange this?
I lift the bundle, and a blush spreads through my cheeks when I see the underwear. It’s plain black cotton, just like the one I exposed the first day we met and I pushed my pants down to my ankles, daring him to take my virginity.
Horrified, I stuff the panties into the bundle of pajamas, lock Finn’s bedroom door, and tiptoe to the bathroom.
In the shower, I’m surprised to find lilac-scented shampoo and conditioner, along with a lilac-vanilla body scrub and bath bomb.
There’s no way Finn should know that I like lilac-scented bath products.
My body is demanding I sleep, but my mind is racing.
What’s going on? How does Finn know all these tiny details about me? Does he have a camera set up in my hospital room? Is that why he had Ren following me?
He’ll never fully trust you. He knows you’re Jinx.
On guard, I shower and wash my hair, get dressed, and throw the bathroom door open. To my surprise, I see Finn stepping out of his walk-in closet.
I freeze. “How’d you get in here?”
He blinks, his face unreadable. He’s wearing a tank top, basketball shorts, and slippers.
The tank top stretches over his tall frame and highlights his broad shoulders and muscular biceps.
He’s lean but built. Even the imprint of his pecs are sexy, and I bite down on my bottom lip as my watch betrays my quickening heartbeat.
“It’s my room,” Finn says, walking across to the bed with a wireless hairdryer.
It’s so weird watching him dry his hair like a normal human being.
Though I know Finn bleeds red like the rest of us, after tonight, he’s in the league of a mystical creature.
At the very least, I’m sure he’s not just the adopted son of Jarod Cross and the bass player of The Kings. He’s more. Way more.
“Do you want me to dry your hair?” he offers.
“I’ll do it myself.” I reach for the hair dryer.
“You were typing all day. Your wrist must be killing you.”
I cradle my hand. “It’s not so bad now that I’m not typing anymore.”
“Consider it your reward,” he grumbles, staring at the ground. “Sit.”
I swallow hard and fall into the computer chair.
For the next few minutes, all that breaks the silence is the hum of the hairdryer and the croak of the toads outside. Finn’s touch is surprisingly gentle as he runs his fingers through my hair. When he grazes my scalp, it feels amazing, and I groan.
He stops immediately.
“Don’t stop,” I rasp, half-awake. His scalp massage feels amazing, and my eyelids are growing heavy.
I turn when Finn doesn’t move and notice that he’s gripping the hairdryer hard enough to break it.
Alarmed, I blink up at him. “Finn?”
Without warning, Finn stomps away, and the bathroom door slams shut.
My eyes burst open. Idiot. I can’t let my guard down. Finn knows way more about me than he’s letting on. He’s clearly biding his time, waiting for me to trip up so he can accuse me of being Jinx. Helping him and his brothers now and again won’t erase his suspicions.
I should be more alert. What do I do if he’s already dug into my past?
My real name?
My family’s?
Does he already know the secret I’ve spent my life running from? Is that why he’s losing patience with this game of cat and mouse?
I hear water running and my chest tightens.
Hesitantly, I slip around the bed and turn down the covers.
But then I realize that Finn probably doesn’t want to sleep in the same bed as someone he mistrusts.
Before he goes around accusing me of wanting to slit his throat in his sleep, I decide to find another room.
The Kings claim there are no spare bedrooms, but the couch should be free.
I tiptoe to the landing and reel back in shock when I see Zane pulling a comforter over himself. Why is Zane sleeping on the couch?
“What are you doing?” Finn’s voice snaps behind me.
I jump.
He looks over the railing to where Zane is fast asleep, and his eyebrows hunker low. A storm brews deep in those dark brown eyes, and his chest is heaving. I watch a trail of water drip down the side of his face and over his firm, dull pink lips.
Electricity sizzles deep in my chest, and my watch warns me not to keep watching that trail any farther.
“Are you sleeping in the bed tonight?” I avert my eyes to his massive California King.
Finn says nothing.
“Th-that’s fine. I’ll sleep on the floor.” I shuffle past the hunkering beast disguised as a man and take a pillow off the bed.
Finn walks right up to me and folds his arms over his chest, drawing my eyes to his sinewy arm muscles. “Get in the bed, J.”
“It’s fine. It’s your bed. I’m not going to ask you not to sleep there, so I should be the one—”
I’m unceremoniously lifted off the ground, and before I can finish the sentence, Finn tosses me on the bed. I believe this is the second or third time he’s thrown me on a mattress. It’s really starting to piss me off.
I push up to my elbows, my eyes blazing fire. “What the hell, Finn?”
He glowers down at me. From this vantage point, he looks like a monster about to swoop in and devour me.
Finn’s eyes dart to my watch. That’s when I realize the device is beeping like crazy.
It’s weird, but I had totally tuned out the sound until now.
“I’m not going to eat you,” he says. And it’s a surprisingly accurate interpretation of my thoughts.
Finn shuts off the lights, and the entire room descends into darkness. I only see his shadow cutting across to the bed, and then the mattress groans as he sinks in.
My entire body stiffens as I realize tonight… the Shadow Prince intends to sleep with me.