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“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Fuck. Why did I say that? All it’s done is dig the hole deeper.
“I suppose so…” He reaches forward, this time waiting for me to place it in his hands like a good boy. “I didn’t know you were into this, but I guess it makes sense.”
Makes sense?Has he met me?
Kai flips through the pages, skimming the text and looking at the vast number of explicit pictures. Hell certainly takes their DIY books seriously. I gulp.
“Maybe we could–”
I snatch the book back. “Oh, we don’t have to. I just enjoy reading about it. You know, for science… Strictly research.” I tuck the book beneath my arm and glance off toward the shelves of books. Why didn’t I pick one of those?! Pulling at the collar of my shirt and clearing my throat, I meet his eyes once more. “Well, I probably should be going. Prisoner and all. Wouldn’t want to be out of my cell after curfew. I’m all good to go now that I’ve found my reading material.”
Needing to shut my blubbering mouth, I spin and head toward the door.God, if you hear this, strike me down now.
“Wait,” Kai catches up to me, snagging my arm so I have to face him. “I’m sorry, Alice. Please know that everything I do is to—”
“Keep me safe. I know.”
I continue toward the door as he calls out behind me. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” I say, clenching my jaw hard enough that my teeth threaten to crack.
8
Kai
“Where’s Alice?” Finn falls into step to my right. “I’m assuming since we’re keeping this little debacle from her, that you at least gave her something to do to keep busy?” He lifts the thermos to his lips, but I don’t know who he’s trying to fool. I can smell the whiskey from here.
“Oh, trust me. She’ll be plenty busy with her BDSM for dummies book. Last I saw her, she was heading up to our room.”
He coughs into his arm, clearly having swallowed his pick-me-up shot wrong. I probably shouldn’t have said that so casually, but I’m not used to choosing my words in front of him. Slowing my pace, I wait for him to get himself together. We’re not far from the meeting hall, and I’m still not sure what the hell I’m going to say to the village masters or my father.
“Her what?”
“You heard me. I was just as surprised as you.”
Finn’s eyes fly open as he locks his gaze on the floor and clips the thermos onto his belt. The hall is quiet, too quiet for right before a meeting. It’s usually filled with people waiting on my father. I know I’m early, but usually, there’s someone here earlier than me. We round the corner, finding the meeting hall doors shut.
Hmm. That’s why. He started without me. The man has shunned every duty he’s held as king for the last year, leaving me to pick up the pieces. Yet when something actually matters to me personally, he decides to step back into the role? I don’t fucking think so.
“Well, I guess I’ll be here,” Finn says, moving to lean against the wall near the doors. “Good luck.”
I wrench open the doors, and the talking ceases immediately. All eyes land on me.
“How lovely to see you all. Excuse me while I forget the fact that I wasn’t formally invited,” I say, grinning from ear to ear with a fake-as-shit smile and letting my eyes linger on my father for far too long. I want to make sure my motives are clear to him before proceeding to my chair at the other end of the long wooden table.
One of the lords has decided to sit in it, and this will not do. My boots click against the floor, echoing around the room as I approach the man taking up real estate in my chair. I know him well. This fucking prick runs a little village off of the tail end of Styx and he’s never had anything good to say.
My boots come to a halt next to him, and I link my hands behind my back and clear my throat. The man looks up at me with violet eyes, then turns them to my father, who has yet to look away from me. Lucifer’s hands are clasped together, elbows propped up on the table and thumbs pressed to his lying lips. Why would he tell Finn the wrong time? Did he want to meet them without me present for a reason? Did he think my emotions would get in the way of my decision-making?
“Pardon me, my prince.” The man collects his papers and things, then scoots the chair back. The wooden legs scratch against the hardwood, making my teeth hurt. “I was not aware you’d be joining us.”Can he pack any more displeasure in his voice?
He slips to the empty chair to the right of mine. Serves him right.
I take my seat, leaning back until the chair groans under my weight and balancing my elbows on the armrest. My fingers weave together over my stomach and I can feel their eyes on me, creeping over my flesh like parasites. I meet their eyes. “Well, don’t stop on my account.”
Every person around the table except for my father moves or flinches in some way. Whether to rearrange the papers in front of them, adjust their clothes, or comb fingers through their hair, doesn’t matter. They all resume business as normal except for my father. His blood-red eyes lock on mine from across the table and there’s not a doubt in my mind as to why he’s sitting deathly still. He’s trying not to let out the monster. Good. I’m glad I got beneath his skin. Maybe now I have his fucking attention.
After a moment, they fade to their normal coloring and he clears his throat. “Well, where were we?”
