Damned loins.
Kyros threw back the lid of a pizza box. “He won’t, no.” The vampire even managed to sound cool and collected about it. Kyros didn’t look my way. He didn’t make any comment about Lionel’s arm around my shoulders.
The siblings exchanged long looks.
Neelan opened his mouth, and Kyros’s menacing rumble filled the room. I couldn’t blame Neelan for shutting his gob.
“She will be leaving once he stops sulking,” I replied in the same even tone.
His fury nearly left me gasping, but I was sick of this.
I’d tiptoed around his bullshit when I should have pushed him to breaking point from the get-go. At least when he was furious, he actually spoke to me. I wasn’t leaving because I was bored out of my mind or because his behaviour was tearing at my insides. Not really. There were things that I couldn’t do outside of my grandmother’s office. I hadn’t contacted my Churchill team for a fortnight. I needed to see Tommy with my own eyes.
“You know the repercussions,” he replied. Not even his siblings were fooled by his breezy tone.
“More death?” I shot back. “Because there hasn’t been nearly enough of that.”
He lowered the slice of pizza in his hand. “No, there hasn’t.” His green eyes blazed.
“Kyros,” Dierdre said, her gaze lowered. “Father has ordered that Trenit and Tynan are off limits. You know what the consequences for killing them would be.”
She darted her eyes to me.
Wait, wait, wait. I’d die? Fuck me. Sure, why not? That made total sense.
“Father and Mother are here,” Francesca announced, zooming to lay a kiss on Kyros’s cheek. “I love you, brother.”
“I love you, too, Frannie.” His gaze softened though his jaw didn’t unclench. Kind of like his ass cheeks.
The king and queen were coming for the pizza party. That was my cue.
I scrambled to my feet. “Time for my daily nap. Kyros is such a chatterbox today. I’m worn out.”
His eyes narrowed.
“One thing,” Gerome called.
Ugh, nearly made it to the hall.
“It can wait,” I replied, high-tailing it out of there.
He zipped in front of me and threw me over his shoulder, carting me back to the lounge. Unfortunately heightened senses didn’t mean heightened reaction time or strength. It just meant I could see and hear it was coming.
The world had a great sense of humour.
His shoulder pressed on my stomach bruises, but I gritted my teeth until he set me down between Rory and Neelan on the window seat.
“I’m calling in the favour you owe me,” he stated.
I stared. “What in the ever-loving hell are you talking about?”
He grinned. “I gave you the name of the nightclub owner so you could buy the lease. You promised me a proportional favour with no nudity involved.”
Groaning, I rubbed my face. “I remember. What is it?”
“I’m giving the favour to Francesca.”
“Nope. It’s non-transferrable.”
He glared. “Fine. In return for my boon, you’ll participate in Frannie’s fashion parade next week.”
It took a few moments to click. “The launch of the boutique stores in Green?”
The vampire nodded.
Dammit. I’d known this would come back to… well, bite me. “Participate how?”
Francesca smirked. “Catwalk.”
I fixed her with a flat look. “This is your turn, isn’t it?” Her sibling turn to fuck with me and piss Kyros off.
Because he wasn’t nearly pissed off enough.
“Whatever,” I said, pushing at Neelan’s thigh until he budged over.
“Have you considered asking politely?” he snapped.
Honestly? No.
Growing up a billionaire heiress could do that to a person.
I tensed as the front door opened, and blood pounded in my ears, surging as Neelan sniggered over my automatic reaction to the king’s arrival. He was one powerful fucker, and I hadn’t seen him since waking.
The queen wasn’t happy that I’d put her entire family at risk by entering Fyrlia territory.
It occurred to me her husband may not have taken it well either.
“Children,” the queen said happily, sliding into the kitchen ahead of her husband. Her nipples were covered today. The world should mourn the deprivation. They were art.
“Hey, Mom,” the siblings murmured back.
The king scanned the room when he entered, not speaking, his gaze settling on his eldest son.
My phone buzzed.
Thank fuck.
Drawing it out, I read the message from Rory.
Who dis?
I rolled my eyes.
Beside me, his thumbs blurred, and another three messages buzzed through a second later.
What’s happening between you and gyros?
Oops. *Kyros
#autocorrect LOL
Was he serious? Texting while beside me? Sometimes, it took a lot of effort to remember how old these vampires were.
He nudged me until I typed a reply.
He thinks he failed your family and me. He’s pissed.
<3 <3
Rory showed the message to Lalitta on his other side, then typed again.
I read his reply.
Can you un-angry him?
He’s being a pain at work and we need him on the ball.
They did? Were Fyrlia already moving on the information I gave them?
I sent my text.
Why? What’s happened?
Rory cast a look at his father, who prowled about the room looking about as out of place as a wolf at a roller disco. My tension inched upward as he passed close by, flicking his ancient blue eyes to the wound on my neck.
Please keep moving, please keep moving.
My shoulders didn’t relax one bit as he stalked past the window before returning to his queen’s side.
I opened Rory’s message.
Things have stalled with the recent distractions
Things like the Mr Ringly bluff? Fuck. It was starting. The Sundulus clan, unknown to most of their minions, were doing their best to sabotage a subdividing project that would trigger the end of the game.
Mr Ringly was a drug addict, and one month ago, Kyros was certain of the win.
Until I opened my big mouth to save Tommy.
If Fyrlia was pushing back, I had to get out of here and figure out a solution without delay. Which meant, it really was in my best interest to un-angry Kyros.
I nodded at Rory and Lalitta, texting:
I’ll try
How the hell I’d achieve that was the next question. Nothing came to mind.
My phone buzzed incessantly and I glared at Rory before seeing it was a call from Tommy. This had to be number fifty at least, despite my messages to her. I got her neediness. It was the same for me too. I just couldn’t stand for her to be compelled after everything Theodore did to her.
“Do you intend to answer that?”
My chest seized at the king’s silken voice though he was speaking quieter—like all of the Sundulus royals—because of my ears.
I darted a glance at him. “No, I—”