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Chapter 4
The Queen
We silently finish picking up the chairs and sweeping the floor. Once we clean and dry the mugs, we place them back on the shelves behind the bar. With effort, Harvey is able to get the blood off the wall, and he tosses out the cloth to rid us of the memory.
Theo can’t seem to keep his hands from reaching for me as we clean. A light touch on my back as he squeezes past me to pick up another chair with ease. A brush of his arm against mine as he reaches to put a mug he was drying on the shelf. Little touches that light me on fire and send it coursing through my veins. I’m not sure if I’m going to survive, especially since he isn’t leaving my side until he knows I’m safe at home.
Harvey steps out of the back room, eyeing the tavern.
“V, I’m going to head home to Tillie. She must be worried sick since I’m late. Don’t want her storming down here. I have the alley door locked, so once you leave, everything should be closed tight.”
He’s leaving me alone with Theo.
Oh, gods.
Beads of sweat dampen my forehead, and I swear I hear myself gulp.
“Thank you for everything, Harvey. Tell Tillie I’ll miss her the most.”
His smile is sad and so is mine, but we both knew this was going to end after a week. No matter how much we enjoyed our time together, it’s now over.
“We will miss you too, Vivienne. Write as soon as you get settled, and you are welcome back anytime.” He gives me a brief nod before heading out the back-alley door and into the night.
I barely hear the door lock over the sound of my racing heart pounding in my ears. Theo places his hand gently in the middle of my back and runs it down until it settles right above my ass.
“I take it this is your last night in Lux,” Theo says into my ear.
The hair on the back of my neck rises as his breath prickles my skin.
“Yes, I start my new job at the Fati vineyards in a few days. I’m leaving in the morning,” I reply slowly.
“Well, then we should celebrate. Come, let’s get going,” Theo says with a sinful smirk. He looks like he will devour me whole, and I’ll let him.
“Ok, but let me get the last of the candles, then we can go,” I say, hurrying to place a candle by the alley door before putting out all the candelabras in the bar.
Theo patiently waits at the back door like I told him. In all honesty, I’m stalling. I know what will happen next, but do I really want that? To finally have him, only for him not to know who I truly am and then never see him again?
My body says yes, but my heart is already breaking at the thought. I can never come back. His life depends on me staying true to my deal with Leopold. I need to be smart, but the sight of his exquisite body leaning against the door frame makes me want to do something reckless.
Unable to delay any longer, I join Theo in the back room. He holds the door open, and the faint glow of the candle by the alley illuminates the room so we can easily find our way.
I walk past Theo, brushing up against him as I go. His hand finds its spot on my back again. He follows me out the back, but I stop abruptly when I remember I brought a bag with me. Theo slams into my back and wraps his arms around me to keep us both upright.
I can feel every delicious inch of his front pressing into my ass, and I fight back a whimper.
“If you wanted me to touch you, Vivienne, you could have asked. I would happily do so,” his voice is low and rough as he whispers into my ear. I bite my bottom lip to keep the moan from escaping my mouth. I swallow hard before gesturing behind us.
“My bag, I forgot my bag,” I say breathlessly
His arms fall from my waist, and he turns to fetch my bag.
Chills run over my body when he returns to me. He hands me the bag with a cocked eyebrow. I’m going to need to put myself in that chilled box to help control my body temperature. I briefly debate doing so.
I open the door before blowing out the candle by the exit. I hold the door open for Theo to pass through, then close it, and give it a pull to ensure it’s locked tight.
The alley is silent this time of night since The Blue Stag is the last shop to close. The glow of the street lanterns barely illuminates the walkway enough to see where we are going. Boxes and pallets are stacked high along the walls, narrowing the pathway in and out. There are no windows facing the alley, as it is mainly a walkway for shop owners to access the back of their establishments.
Theo extends his arm and asks, “Shall we?”
