No. I’d corner him tomorrow. I’d get my answers. If he lies to me then, when he has the wherewithal to decide on his own, I’ll know that this was all a game. I’d make my final decisions then.
He will have to explain, in detail, why he is wearing a ring with a seal stamped on it.
The seal of a kingdom.
The seal ofmykingdom.
Weston is from Blackwood.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Pounding at the door makes me stir, and I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for it to stop. I’m too tired to get up, because I couldn’t fall asleep for what felt like hours after discovering Weston’s ring. My eyelids feel like they are full of sand, and my vision blurs when I try to open them. The suns have barely begun to rise, and the room is still dim, so I shut them again and nestle back into the warm comfort of the bed.
Nuzzling back into the pillow, I shift my shoulder and press into something firm and warm. My eyes fly open and my body stiffens as I realize why I’m so warm and comfortable. Weston’s body is wrapped around mine, and all of my senses heighten instantly. I don’t move. If I do, I might wake him and I don’t want him to know I found us curled up in each other like this.
His bare chest is flush against my back, pressing into me firmly, and the heat coming off of him sears me through the thin shirt. His arm is under my neck, his elbow bent so it folds over my chest, his hand clutching my opposite shoulder while the glint of that ring teases me in my peripheral vision. His breath tickles the hair on the back of my head, and I try not to squirm.
I must have moved though, because without warning, he pulls me in tighter, his arms constricting around me, and Iswallow a gasp. The shirt has ridden up over my hips in sleep, and his other arm is draped over my hip, his hand splayed over my low abdomen. His skin sears mine, but I can barely feel it over the throbbing between my thighs as his leg presses, wedged between them.
His breaths are even with sleep, and I close my eyes, trying to slow mine to match. Heat pools between my thighs as he clutches me closer again, our aligned hips fitting more firmly together, as his hard length presses onto my backside.
How long have we been like this? The drink must have removed all his inhibitions, at least in his sleep, enough for him to migrate to my side, invading my space and forever altering what I’ll think of whenever I get into this bed.
The pounding that woke me sounds again. Whoever was banging on the door clearly still needs the captain. Weston jolts behind me, inhaling quickly in my ear. I relax my face, trying hard to seem like I am still asleep despite the pounding in my chest and tingling over every inch of my body.
I know the second his mind clears because the heat disappears. Everywhere his body was pressed against mine is now cold and empty, and he slowly slides his arm out from under my neck. The bed jostles underneath me as he moves farther away, and I stay still, breathing steadily and focusing on keeping my face relaxed and neutral.
“Fuck,” he curses softly behind me.
There’s more pounding on the door, followed by Weston’s footsteps crossing the room. The latch clicks as he opens it before murmuring, “I’ll be right there.”
He pads back over, and I listen to his every move, waiting for him to leave so I can relax. I’m not ready to confront him just yet, especially not after waking up to the press of his body on mine. I need to clear my head, to remember what I discovered, and the questions I want answered.
He leaves a few moments later and softly shuts the door behind him, just before the latch clicks, and I immediately roll to my back, chest heaving. My skin feels like it is on fire, and tingles everywhere he touched me, like it misses his contact.
He lost control again. This time, his subconscious mind took over and eliminated the space between us. I would be lying to myself if I said I didn’t want to be close to him, too.
But after my discovery of his lies, after knowing he thinks it is all a mistake, I can’t feel that way. I need to stay focused. I need answers.
Energy thrums through me, not just from what happened moments ago, but also from my discovery. The ring. Blackwood.
I will confront him, but first, I need to question someone I thought I trusted, someone who has been complicit in his lies this entire time.
Sig.
I dress quickly and push the door open, making sure he isn’t in the hallway leading to Sig’s room. The ship is quiet, the early morning rays just peeking in through the opening to the main deck. He’s nowhere in sight, and I breathe a sigh of relief before striding swiftly down the hallway.
I burst through the door without knocking. Sig is sitting up in her bed, back against the wall, with Jorn’s head propped up on her lap. She takes one look at me with whatever emotions are displayed on my face, and her expression falls.
“Shit. You need to leave.”
Jorn looks confused as she pushes him up and rushes him out of the room. Tugging me inside, she closes the door firmly and leans her back against it.
“What did he do?”
I ignore her question. Now isn’t the time to discuss how confusing Weston’s actions have been compared to his words.
“What do you know, Sig?”
