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The group broke out in laughter. Kage growled, and his hand suddenly snaked around her side. ‘Don’t let him make me look bad. Just remember who’s been feeding and lavishing on you these last few days.’
She turned to face him, realising at the last minute that it was a bad idea because it put her squarely against his body with his arm still banded behind her. ‘As if I’d ever forget,’ she relented, feeling her heart drum against his powerful abs.
‘Keep it that way,kara.’
‘And what if I don’t?’
‘I’ll make you regret your dress flex,’ he whispered low and slow into her ear.
He pulled back and raised an eyebrow, so she got the full impact of his words. She felt her core flood with wet need, and she almost moaned.
The gathered group watched on with amusement as they whispered to each other. Yet, for some reason, Harlow didn’t give a damn. She was enjoying herself or at least her traitorous body was.
She reluctantly pushed off Kage’s hold and took off after Kainan to the sound of soft chuckles.
Followed by Xion’s commentary. ‘THAT is definitely something freaky special.’
‘Cool it, brother,’ Kage warned.
After Kainan placed a cocktail in her hand, Kage pulled Harlow back to the clubhouse. He settled her on one of the wide chaise lounges that dotted the cabana.
The evening unfolded with shared stories and laughs between delicious food and wine.
At one time, Harlow found herself barefoot and curled up on the chaise lounge with Kage beside her, his arm flung around her shoulders.
The ease with which he claimed her tonight, in the presence of his brothers and Selene, thrilled her. It also scared her. She knew she was playing with fire, letting him have his way. But she couldn’t help herself. A little part of her felt she deserved to be treated well by a man, this man in particular.
The group talked art, travel, science, and culture. They discussed the decline of the Rhesian empire and System politics. They shared war stories and anecdotes from the recent coup in Dunia.
And while they did, The Riders’ different personalities came to the fore.
‘You’re all so fascinating,’ Harlow pointed out to Kage, mid-sip of her cocktail.
He smiled and elaborated further. ‘Kweli. We’re a mixed bunch. Since the beginning, Kainan has always been the thinker. I’m the brawler. Zane is the money maker. Ki’Remi, the carer. Riv, the rebel and Xion, the player. We’ve all had our roles to play, and they’ve kept us alive. They, and we, haven’t changed even to this day.’
She sensed an undercurrent of tension in his words and reminded herself to probe that further, perhaps when they were alone.
‘Yo Kage,’ Zane called out to Kage, cutting through Harlow’s thoughts. ‘When’s the War of Titans?’
‘The 4th of the next lunar month.’
‘You ready?’
‘Maybe. I kicked Kainan’s ass earlier this week, so I probably am.’
A ghost of a smile played on Zane’s lips. ‘Well, so did I, so maybe it’s you and me, brother.’
‘Nada. You’d never let stadium dirt touch your designer suit,’ Kage laughed.
Harlow shot Kage a curious glance, and he caught on to her silent question.
‘Every year, The Sable Group and the Eden II Council plus key business leaders on the rock come together for an annual charity brawling event called ‘War of the Titans,’ he said. ‘It’s repped by various fighters and brawlers from all over Pegasi to raise donations for various Eden II charities and youth centres - including one we support. The showcase is based on the Titanomachy, a ten-year series of battles fought in Earth’s Ancient Thessaly, where the Titans, the older gods of Mount Othrys, fought against the Olympians, the younger gods, who eventually reigned on Mount Olympus. In our version, the older gods, in this case, fighters like myself, face younger brawlers, some of them our mentees, to raise money.’
‘It’s part of The Sable Group’s pact of supporting the community,’ Selene chimed in.
‘So you’ll be fighting?’ Harlow asked Kage.
‘Got to do my bit.’
