Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
OBSIDIAN
T he next morning, I arrange a meeting with my brothers. Since the four of us all run the Ritual Room, I need to give them the heads-up that I’ll be initiating Ariana at the next meeting. I also asked for Asher and Kol’s wives, Anabelle and Rapsody, to be here, and Nero’s girlfriend, Cinder. They’re as much a part of this as my brothers are. Plus, I think they’ll be on my side if any of my brothers try to give me a hard time about wanting to bring in Ariana.
The mood is tense when I walk into Asher’s office and find the six of them already there. I’m not sure what they think I’m going to spring on them, but they clearly don’t think it’s good news.
“Thanks for taking the time to meet with me this morning,” I say after I’ve closed the office door.
“This can’t be good,” Kol mumbles, his hand linked with Rapsody’s.
“And why’s that?” I ask, not bothering to sit.
“You’re starting in like you’re at the head of a boardroom table—lubing us up before you really fuck us up the ass.”
I set my hands on my hips. “Fine. I’ll get right to the point then. I’ll be initiating Ariana into the Ritual Room at the next meeting.”
A stunned silence fills the room.
“You’re sleeping with your assistant?” Asher says, clearly unimpressed.
I narrow my eyes at him. “Are you of all people really asking me that question?” I look at Anabelle.
Her cheeks go red, and she shrugs.
“What happened to wanting to get rid of her?” Kol asks.
I’m unwilling to explain to everyone the pull I feel toward her, so I don’t answer him.
“You know what it means if you bring her in,” Asher warns.
“She’s here to stay then? You care about her that much?” Nero asks.
I can’t tell them the truth—that we have a deal that doesn’t involve emotions. They’d never clear her to join. So I have to lie. The rest will work itself out. Why should I be the only one of the four of us who can’t have the person they want there with them?
“I know what it means,” I confirm with a nod.
Kol stands from where he sits beside Rapsody on the couch and walks over to grip my shoulder. “I’m happy for you, Sid. You deserve this.”
All the women have big smiles and trade comments about how they can’t wait to get to know Ariana and how she must really be special if I want to initiate her.
Jesus, the way they’re reacting, you’d think I just told them I’m engaged.
Nero walks over with a huge smile. “This is a good thing. Don’t look so uncomfortable.”
The only reason I’m uncomfortable is because of how things went down between us before I took off. I haven’t really seen much of him, but I realize now that I owe both him and Cinder an apology.
“Listen…” I shove my hands into the pockets of my suit pants. “What happened before all the shit went down with you and Cinder, and I took off…”
The smile drops from his face, and he becomes serious. “I know you were in a bad way, brother. Don’t worry about it.”
I nod. He knows our history, my past, and I’m grateful to him for letting me off easy and not making me grovel. “I appreciate that, but I still need to apologize to your girlfriend.”
Nero gives me an appreciative smile that tells me all is really forgiven now, and he calls Cinder over to join us. She does, if a bit apprehensively.
“Cinder, I just wanted to apologize for the things I said to you before. My head wasn’t in a good place, but regardless, I should never have said them. I hope you can forgive me.”
She doesn’t put up a fight, just smiles and draws me into a hug, which I return even if I just pat her back and never step all the way into the hug. “I appreciate the apology. Let’s start fresh, okay?”
She pulls away, and I nod.
I chat with Nero and Cinder for another minute before I excuse myself, saying I need to get back to my office to start my day. Before I go, I step over to Asher, who’s standing on his own, leaning against the mantle of the oversized fireplace, hands in his pockets, observing the rest of us.
He doesn’t look away from everyone else as I approach. “Who would have ever thought this was possible?”
My forehead creases. “What do you mean?”
He spares me a glance. “Look around, Sid. How long has it been since this place was filled with anything but hurt and sorrow, misery and violence?”
I follow his gaze to the sight of them laughing with each other and chatting easily without an ulterior motive. My gut churns because I’m still not a part of it. Not really.
My brothers have found their life partners, but I can never be that to someone. If I even tried, I’d end up hurting and destroying them. There’s too much of my father in me for any other outcome, and I refuse to do that to the person who’s supposed to mean the most to me.
I clear my throat. “Yeah, I see what you mean.”
It’s all I can offer him. I’ve already lied to them today by making them think that Ariana is the end game for me. I don’t have it in me to double down on the lie.
But Asher being Asher, he picks up on my little avoidance tactic. “Something wrong, Sid?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s just a lot, you know.”
Understanding flits in his blue eyes. “It is. Especially when you were raised the way we were. But you’ll get used to it. Learn to trust it.”
I nod, because what else can I do? “I need to get back to my office. Have to finish going over the contract Havis Corp sent over for the acquisition.”
“Let me know if anything seems amiss.”
“Should be fine. The team’s been over it already, but I just want to be sure. See you later.”
He nods, then joins Anabelle.
I leave his office with anticipation firing in my veins, eager to brainstorm all the ways I can initiate Ariana next weekend, but at the same time, there’s a lump in my throat. Because despite all the changes in my life, I still carry around a piece of the feeling I had on that stormy beach—that I’m not meant to have what my brothers have found.
With one final thrust, I push into Ariana and hold myself there, spilling inside her.
Her hands skim over the scars dotting my back, but she doesn’t ask about them. Hasn’t asked about them, thankfully.
Leaning in, I kiss her neck, then I roll off of her, throwing my arm up over my head, and work to control my breathing.
Since our deal was struck, we haven’t been able to get enough of each other. I feel as if I’m a slave to an addiction because even minutes after I’ve come inside her, I want her again.
She groans next to me, and I roll over to face her, lying on my side with my head in my palm.
“I have to go shower and get ready.”
I frown. “Where are you going?”
She rolls over to face me. “It’s Saturday night. I’m going to meet my brother.”
Fuck. I had so many other plans for her and for her body tonight. “Does he visit you every weekend?”
She stills at my question and alarms flare red in my mind. “We’re close. We both still lived with my dad before I came here.”
Ariana hasn’t said much about how she grew up, but the little she has said, and knowing that her mother took off on her, makes me think it wasn’t an easy upbringing. I know better than anyone how trauma can bond siblings.
I want to ask her more questions: Where is she from? What was her childhood like? What’s her brother like? But I’m trying hard to stick to what we’ve agreed to, and knowing more personal details about her will only make it more difficult.
“Well, make sure you tell him you’re unavailable next Saturday.”
She gives me a questioning look.
“It’s your initiation into the Ritual Room.”
Her eyes widen.
“Having second thoughts?” I try to keep my voice casual as though it wouldn’t matter to me either way, but I feel the panic course through me.
“Not at all. I’m just nervous, not sure what to expect.”
I kiss her shoulder. “Expect to be satisfied.”
She hums low in her throat, and my dick twitches to life where it’s pressed against her thigh. A rich, hearty laugh escapes her, and I pull back to enjoy the sight of her amusement.
“Again? Already?”
I grin at her. “What can I say? You make me insatiable.”
With that proclamation, she rolls away from me and slides out of bed. “Well then, I better flee while I can.”
I enjoy the sight of her naked body. Her perky breasts with dusty pink nipples, the way her waist nips in, and the swell of her hips. The tiny patch of red between her thighs. Everything about her is tailor made to draw me in.
Ariana slips on the shorts and shirt she had on earlier before I divested her of them.
“You sure you have to go?” I stroke my half-hard cock.
Her eyes heat, but then her mood shifts, and she turns away. “I do. Believe me, I’d much rather stay here in bed with you.”
“Maybe I’ll sneak into your room while you’re sleeping…”
The offer hangs, knowing she’ll understand the implication.
She bites her lower lip. “I’d like that.”
I nod, my dick growing even harder in my hand. “I’ll see you later then.”
She walks toward the bedroom door, granting me a smile over her shoulder before she leaves me with a damn hard-on.