I also didn’t have a right to be so territorial…What was wrong with me?
Before I knew it, Kolvar had me wrapped in his large arms, and his lips brushed against the shell of my ear. “I have eyes only for you, darling.”
I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to contain the surprised sound that threatened to escape.
He had read my mind. That was the only option, right? Were my emotions that easy to read?
“Oh,” I breathed out, experiencing the overwhelming warmth that spread through my chest at his admission but unsure of how to respond. I’d never had experience with flirting and being courted. Thankfully, my brain caught up quickly, and I reached up to wrap my arms around his neck.
“That makes me happy,” I admitted. If he could be vulnerable and open, then so could I.
I turned to face the others again, loving the easy way in which my body melted into Kolvar’s side as he put his arm around my shoulder. He was such a calming pillar for me, an anchor to this new reality.
The moment caused Dakath’s darker, more intense side to come to the surface as he offered what was almost a challenging look. Somehow it was a dangerous look with the way his eyes glittered with heat.
“And what about me, Ky?”
Ky…The nickname made me pause, but I found that I liked the way it sounded. It felt intimate.
All three of these men seemed to call to a different part of me and maybe it was because I finally felt like I had more of a clear head, but I couldn’t help but want to embrace the draw to each one of them. Where Kolvar was like a ray of sunshine in the darkness I’d been cast into most of my life, Dakath was an intense wildfire that was contained underneath a reserved and more serious front…one that seemed constantly on the precipice of shattering. Then there was Elijah, who despite his duty bound collected and honorable manner, clearly felt something for me. I could feel a spark between us and I had a feeling that heneededme…I knew that didn’t make sense, but I could feel it and because of that I kept pushing him. I just couldn’t bring myself to give up on him. Being surrounded by the three of them feltright.
Feeling emboldened by Kolvar’s admission and the confidence I felt in myself after getting ready, I detached from my gentle giant and walked to Dakath. Grabbing his large hands, I tipped my head back, noting that the bronze streaks in his chocolate eyes were brighter than normal.
“Are you interested in me as well?” I questioned boldly.
I thought that he was—my instincts told me he was—but it would be foolish to assume. That would only lead to heartbreak or embarrassment. I loved the easy and open communication I had with these two, and I wanted to keep it up. When it came to Elijah, I’d have chip away at that wall a bit more.
Pulling his hands from mine, Dakath moved to grip my jaw in a commanding hold as I saw a flicker of vulnerability and maybe even nervousness run through his eyes. I was about to ask what brought that to the surface, but a second later, his soft lips were pressed to mine in a featherlight touch.
My lashes fluttered, my body stilling.Holy crap.
As he went to pull away, probably thinking he had done the wrong thing due to my lack of reciprocation, I snapped out of it and drew him back to me, closing my eyes and pressing my lips to his. The world fell away, and all of my thoughts of the unknown and the nerves about the outcome tonight were suddenly far, far from my mind. I felt a slight pain on my ribs as Dakath pulled me tighter against him, his other hand gripping my waist in a hold I couldn’t break away from as he deepened the kiss. A kiss that had gone from sweet, to deadly, as a heated flush broke out on my skin and I felt my head spin from the consuming nature of it.
A low growl from Elijah’s direction broke the intoxicating moment between Dakath and me. As we pulled away, Dakath gripped my chin slightly tighter and dipped his head to press a kiss to my forehead. “Is that answer enough?”
Yeah, that was an amazing answer.
“If you three are done, we have a dinner to attend,” Elijah snapped, his voice sounding rough and uneven. While I understood that he wasn’t as open with his emotions, I was frustrated with the tone he was taking, especially towards these other two men.
I spun to face him, and our gazes clashed, the anger in his bright eyes clear as day. Words poured out of me before I could think them through. “If you would take a moment to stop pretending like you feel nothing for me, you would see that I feel similar for you, Elijah. But if you continue to act this way…I won’t accept that. I’ve been through too much to be treated that way.”
Once I realized what I’d admitted, my instinct was to cower away, but this was my truth, and I would stand tall in it. Even if it was beyond nerve-wracking.
His annoyance melted away, replaced with genuine surprise and then…longing? Was that what I was seeing in his gaze?
Shaking his head, the emotion was gone in a flash, replaced with his normal tightly controlled expression as he gestured towards the door. “Please, can we go to dinner? Our ruler is waiting for us, and considering the decision being made, it wouldn’t make a good impression to be late.”
My lips thinned at his dismissal of my statement.Fine.If he wanted to deny those emotions and that part of himself, there was nothing I could do about it—for now. I didn’t think he could last forever though…or maybe the truth was, that I couldn’t last forever. There were only so many times I could handle this dismissal he seemed to revert back to. Had I imagined the tender moments? Sometimes they seemed fleeting enough that I could convince myself that they were imaginary.
Whatever the case, I wouldn’t allow him to be rude to Kolvar or Dakath for not following his lead, and I wouldn’t let it tarnish the blossoming affections I held for them.
My response was short and clipped with attitude. “As you wish.”
Hooking my hands into the crook of Dakath’s and Kolvar’s elbows, we began our walk to the dining room.
I refused to look back at Elijah the entire way down—he’d made his bed, and he could lie in it.Alone.
ChapterFifteen
