CHAPTER I #7
The Prince pulls out and plunges in harder, hitting that spot again as his hands on my hips hold me possessively.
I moan into the wall and surrender my body to him, hearing Keane’s own breathing become ragged as he starts thrusting into me in a steady rhythm.
Every rock of our bodies builds me higher and higher, every thrust more passionate and heavy from the last. I can feel us already coming to an early release and welcome the fire, my own hips thrusting back to meet everything this man can give me.
Keane’s nails dig into my hips before he pushes his length into me, hard.
I shatter around him with a cry, hearing my own name on his lips as the two of us come around eachother, his thrusts continuing to plunge in and out until I’m fairly certain his hands on my body are the only thing holding me up right.
“Alexis…”
Keane is breathing heavily, his voice quiet as he pulls out only to thrust back in.
I cry out again, closing my eyes at the fullness of him.
He keeps his length inside me and leans over to press his chest against my back, the two of us spent and breathing hard.
I feel the limbs around my arms start to loosen, and when they’re finally free, I quickly bring them around his neck behind me.
We stay in this position for a few moments and collect ourselves, until Keane finally pulls himself out only to leave me with a feeling of hollowness between my legs.
“I’ve missed you,” I whisper, turning around to face him with a satisfied smile. “Missed this.”
Keane pulls his pants around his hips before he dips down to do the same with my own. He watches me for a moment in pure desire before nodding in agreement.
“Me too. I would help you get dressed, but the clothes are going to come off anyways. Come on,” he tilts his head to the main room, “let’s get ready for bed. I want to hear about your day.”
“And I yours.”
The two of us walk through the arch and take a seat on the bed as we work on our boots.
Keane’s quick to get his off, placing them next to the armoire before he stands and drops his pants.
I eye his ass from behind with a wicked smile, watching as his tanned thighs and calves flex with the smallest step he takes to put away his clothes.
My gaze darts up to the defined muscles across his back and to his broad shoulders, the full of him cut to perfection.
Ancients, he’s built. His body really is cut to perfection. And while there’s never a time when I don’t find Keane incredibly attractive, the sight of such a well-honed body makes me frown.
I’ve never seen him train…
Nor have I seen him practice with a weapon or work out his body in the same way I do with Cal. So how does he maintain such a perfect body?
I know that he likes to keep his strength hidden, both magically and physically, but surely there has to be some kind of manual labor he puts himself through to maintain all those muscles. Does his summoning require physical training?
“What are you thinking?” Keane looks at me from his stance next to the bed. He’s changed into a pair of faded black pants that rest loosely on his hips.
I smile at his question and shake my head.
“I’m thinking that I’ve never seen you train. Your body tells a story that I have no insight to. I don’t know how you train or what you train with…”
Keane’s eyes sparkle in amusement before he takes a knee next to the bed, reaching for my boots.
“You’re so quiet about it all,” I add, just as he tugs one off. His hand darts up to finger the large dagger strapped around my calf. “And you rarely ever use your summoning around me...”
Yes, I’ve seen Keane manipulate the earth with absolutely no effort on his end— have seen him slice off a man’s hand before I could even blink.
I’ve even seen him pull heavy boulders out of the ground with barely a flick of his fingers, and I’ve seen the way he can light the roots below the Shadow Oak to an undying fire.
But for all I know about his summoning, which I suspect isn’t even a fraction of his total power, I still have yet to see him practice or train with it.
The Prince unbuckles the dagger at my calf with a small smirk, then moves to pull the other boot off.
“Keane,” I glance down at him.
His brown eyes find mine, his hands moving up my riding pants and towards the inside of my thighs.
“No,” I shake my head, “you aren’t allowed to get out of this question.”
“Allowed?” He raises a playful brow before pushing my legs apart. I sigh and bring my hands off the bed, leaning forward to place them on his shoulders.
“Help me out of these pants,” I roll my eyes and stand up, “and then I expect an answer.”
The words are barely out of my mouth before Keane grabs the waistband and pulls the fabric down to my feet, exposing my bare body to him. I hold onto his shoulders and step out of the fabric pooled on the ground, bringing my hands up to what’s left of my bralette before I pull it over my head.
“I’ll have to get some more sets soon. You’re always ruining my undergarments, Highness.”
“Worth every coin,” he grins, running his hands up the sides of my legs. His palms glide over my hips and then up my stomach as my skin begins to flare again.
“Whiskey,” I breathe heavily. “Whiskey and conversations.”
Keane smirks, his own gaze heated as he leans forward just slightly, bringing his lips so close to my center.
“Soon, Alexis,” he grins, pressing his lips softly against the crevice of my thigh. “I need to love on your body more…”
“No way?” his cocky smirk leans down on the bed, lips pressing a small kiss on the side of my jaw.
I shiver underneath him.
Three.
Damn Ancients, three.
This man brought me to satisfaction three times tonight. There should be no fucking way.
But there is.
And the pure satisfaction of how well my body is sated is proof of that.
“Your ego, Keane,” I roll my eyes with a smile.
“You deserve it, Alexis,” he moves his lips down my neck, nipping softly. “You deserve it all.”
Ancients, this man.
“Whiskey,” I moan, pushing up from the sheets. “Whiskey and my night slip. Then my robe, then my cloak, and possibly another blanket to top it all off.”
“That will not help you,” he chuckles, offering a hand as he stands up.
“No,” I laugh, “but it’s worth a try.”
Keane pulls me off the bed as his other hand reaches around and slaps my ass. I jump next to him and move farther away, opening my armoire as he puts on his pants.
“Gail brought me clothes today…”
I finger the shiny black tops as my heart begins to pound again. Keane moves to stand behind me, his chest pressed against my back as the two of us look at my new wardrobe. The blacks and dark greens of Warrior now outrank my old gold and green of Knowledge.
“They look good, Alexis,” he says proudly, hands finding and holding my hips.
My full body heats for him even as I pull out of his reach.
Keane laughs and decides to step away, so I pull out my green night slip and shrug it quickly over my body.
I hear him walking towards the reading room and reach for a cloak, that extra layer covering my body just as he walks back in the room, two whiskeys in hand.
Keane’s brown eyes alight as he tsks his head, grinning at the sight of my covered body. I take a glass from his outstretch hand and lead the two of us to the balcony, then take a seat at one of the two chairs that now graces the left corner and faces the rose gardens.
“Tell me about your meetings,” I extend my glass towards his, “tell me everything that’s been going on.”
Keane gives me a small smile and clanks his whiskey against mine, the two of us settling in comfortably as we take a small sip.
“We offered my mother the position of Leading Lady of the Court of Knowledge shortly after you left,” he nods, looking out to the night sky.
Storm dips through the Bell Grove with a loud caw in greeting, then disappears back into the night.
“She has accepted with Lord Alexander acting as her second.”
“I’m glad,” I smile, knowing that the Queen will do an exceptional job of Leading Lady. “And the Discerni with Troy… he is already his second?”
“Lord Krause,” Keane grimaces.
“Of what city?”
“Lord of Airea. Though he frequents La Cour a lot.”
“And Lord Daniel?” I inquire softly, knowing how much the Warrior Discerni hates dealing with politics. “Will it still be him or Desmond?”
“My brother needs to focus on his duties as Master Informer,” Keane shakes his head, “Daniel accepted, as I told you a few nights ago. He’s still a bit reluctant, but my brother and I will both be there to guide him.”
I take a sip of whiskey in thought. The Courts are now situated, so that just leaves Keane…
Who else is advising him? Who are the people in his ear keeping him and his Leading Lords apprised of what is happening in the Kingdom? Are any human? Keane’s also the First Commander of the Armies of Disce, a title he held under Zander. Will that still hold true?
So many questions.
“What of the army?” I ask curiously.
“That status will not change. I will continue to lead with Desmond as Second Commander overall.”
I nod my head, glancing at the strong man sitting next to me.
“And your own training? Your summoning?”
Keane smiles as he looks my way, his eyes turning playful as they dart over my face.
“I want to know, Keane.”
I watch him shift in his chair just slightly. He lifts his whiskey up to his lips and takes a small drink, then looks back at me.
“I can command everything from the earth, Alexis…”
I nod.
“Everything.”
“Quicker than Lord Daniel,” I muse.
“Yes.”
“And it comes easy?” I ask, just as he’s asked of me on multiple occasions.
“Yes,” his eyes hold mine. “Very easy.”
“What do you do when you’re in close combat? Where is your weapon? What did you do in the Plains?”
Keane’s lips tip up in the smallest curve of a smile.
“I do whatever I want.”