Page 32 of Regal Queen

He stepped into the room, not answering but giving me a piercing stare. I used to squirm under that stare but not anymore. Glancing at the clock, I groaned. "For fuck's sake, it's three am. What's going on?"

"It's time to kiss the ring."

I sighed heavily, then pulled back my sheets and climbed wearily from the bed, grumbling. "They couldn't wait until the morning?"

Again, Bourbon didn’t answer me but watched me walk over to the closet, where they'd provided us with clothing: a row of impeccable suits in all sizes, and dresses for Rose.

"Is Rose getting ready?" I asked again about her, pretending I wasn't paying much attention to the answer as I searched for a suit in my size.

"She's bathing.”

“A shower?” I pulled out a coat and pants, pairing it with a shirt, placing it on the bed, then opened the drawers, looking for clean underwear. "Or a bath?"

"Bath," he grunted, and I clamped down on my smile. Showers were for getting ready. Baths were after sex soothing.

I guess the fucker didn't need me to help him along after all.

Something hit the back my head and I glanced at the floor. Bourbon had flung a pair of socks at me.

"Get that stupid smirk off your face. I didn't fuck her."

I turned, crossing my arms over my chest and leaned against the dressers, letting loose the full weight of my knowing smile. "You might not have fucked her, but you did something."

He just shrugged, sliping his hands back into his pockets but his eyes told me all the answer I needed.

Still grinning, I pulled out a pair of underwear, then leaned over to grab the socks and shoved them in my pocket. "Thanks for the socks." I began to walk towards the bathroom. "You should pick one out, you know."

An eyebrow crooked upward.

"A dress for her." I nodded my head towards the closet. His gaze followed the direction of my head and he turned to look at the row of dresses, then he glanced back at me, a questioning look on his face. I gave him a lazy smirk, then entered the bathroom, calling back to him over my shoulder before I shut the door behind me. "You'd better take good care of her, or I'm going to rip you to pieces."

There was no response, but I didn't need one.

I showered and dressed quickly but by the time I strode down the hallway, fully dressed, they were waiting for me at the kitchen island.

She was dressed in a sharp red dress that not only fit her like a glove but that was a striking contrast to the color of her skin. It also brought out her high cheekbones and the bright color of her jade eyes.

There was a space between them, except Bourbon was touching her hip, and her chest and cheeks were flushed, as if he'd just said something that made her blush.

He gave me a smug look. “Finally. Here comes the prima donna himself."

I stared Bourbon down, but since there was no heat to his words, I let the comment roll off my back.

"What's this?" I nodded at the glass of whiskey and three tumblers on the kitchen island.

"I figured we might need some liquid courage first,” Rose answered.

"Good idea," I took a glass, and she held hers upward.

“To the New York outfit.”

“To beauty.” Bourbon's gaze was trained on her and, again, her cheeks burned.

I didn’t add my own, suddenly feeling like an outsider, but drank mine in two large gulps. It burned down my throat, and Rose coughed. I watched, entertained, as Bourbon pulled her close, asking if she was okay.

The familiar tug of jealousy made my chest burn at the closeness between them, but the whiskey quickly loosened the the tightness there. I turned and gave myself another two fingers full. After drinking it down, everything relaxed inside me.

It was going to be a long night, and an even longer year, trying to let go of Rose, but I knew it was right in my heart.

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