And answering her call last night left me sleeping in her bed.
She’d never admit it, but I was wearing her down.
“Did you come out of my daughter’s tent?” I turned at the sound of Caterina’s voice. Her face was etched with pleasure and confusion.
“I did.” I bit my lip to stop myself from saying more. Caterina had made it clear to me more than once she was keen on the idea of me and Luce together. Even if it was for just a night. A weird fucking relationship the two of them had for her to be talking to me about how Luce needed to get fucked, but at least I think Caterina liked me.
Although a night with Luciana Ambrose is something I’ve dreamed of since I first laid eyes on her, I had no intention of fucking her simply to help her destress and to please her mother.
Like I said, they had a fucked-up relationship.
My family was—had been open with one another, but my mother never tried to set me up for a night of stress relieving.
At least not that I knew of.
Had I done that to my brother? Dozens of times. But Stellan had a permanent stick up his ass that even his wife couldn’t dig out so clearly my efforts were in vain.
And he’s my brother. Not my mother.
“Hmmm.” Caterina plucked a leaf from a tree and twisted it between her fingers.
“I was going to sleep on the ground last night, but Luce was being her hospitable self, doing her job as general, really, by forcing me to sleep in her tent instead.”
“I’ve never considered Luciana hospitable, but if you say so.”
“Do you know where she went?” I squirmed under Caterina’s assessing gaze.
“I think she’s checking on the potions.” She pointed a finger behind me. “They’re set up in the woods back there.”
“Thank you,” I called over my shoulder.
“Nico.” I stopped in my tracks, taking a minute to collect myself before turning toward Stellan.
“What do you want?”
He caught up next to me. “Where are you going?”
I hesitated for a moment. “To find Luce.”
“Are you two together or what?”
I huffed a laugh. “No, we’re not together.”
“Just a friend with benefits?”
“What the fuck, Stellan?”
He punched me in the shoulder, playfully like we used to growing up. “What? You did spend the night in her tent. Can’t blame me for thinking there was something going on.”
“Well, let me make it clear: there is nothing going on between me and Luce, we’re just friends.” She wants nothing to do with me in the romance department; she’s made that abundantly clear.
“If you say so.”
“Why are you following me, Stellan?” I let my irritation leak into my voice.
“I saw you and no one else is up yet…I just—I figured it might be a good chance to spend some time with you. You have been gone for three years, can you blame me for wanting to spend time with you?”
His words stunned me into silence. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep through my nose. “Stellan?—”
