Page 22 of Hers to Rule

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be delicious. And annoying.” Rio grinned and tugged on a sky blue T-shirt that clung to him in a thoroughly satisfying manner. “Come on, you’ve got an appointment in fifteen minutes.”

“What? With who?” She was up in a flash, headed for her closet.

“Someone you don’t want to keep waiting.” He didn’t offer any more than that.

When she opened the door, an outfit was hanging there. She smiled to herself. She liked being dressed by him. “Is this what I’m supposed to wear?” The white silk camisole was slinky, barely there. The red skirt was extremely short, very breezy, and hung low on her hips. Today’s panties were as frilly as yesterday’s, but this time, they were red.

“Yup,” Rio said as he tried to straighten his hair. “Shoes from yesterday. He really liked those on you.”

She dressed in a whirlwind and managed to braid her hair over her shoulder while Rio tied the laces of the sandals up her calves. He led her out of the pool house with only a couple of minutes to spare.

Rio lifted her up into his arms because crossing the yard at the pace that was needed would be impossible for her in the high wedges. He jogged with her as if she weighed nothing at all, thanks to his shifter strength. After shouldering open the back door, he set her down on the tiled kitchen floor just as Cisco was checking his watch in the hallway beyond.

Cisco took her in from head to toe in an instant, an easy smile on his lips. He stood still as a statue as she crossed to him. When she was standing next to him, he lifted a hand to the back of her neck and leaned to whisper in her ear, “You look delicious.” He inhaled a long, slow breath. “And you smell even better.” His eyes rose when Rio stepped up behind her and put a hand on her hip. “Can you grab something for her to eat? She shouldn’t go into this with nothing in her stomach.”

“Sure.” Rio leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll be in there in a few minutes.” He started to move away.

Mari glanced between them. “Where exactly are we going?”

Cisco grinned. “It’s a surprise.” He passed his hand slowly down her spine to the small of her back and nudged her down the hallway.

She leaned into his touch for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his large, warm hand on her, and then headed the way he was indicating with her head held high. Whatever he had in store for her, she was going to walk into it like the queen she was.

Cisco grumbled with approval. “I wish we were walking into the meeting with Esmé right now.”

“Well, you won’t tell me what’s happening, so I thought I should be prepared just in case.”

“Self-possession looks good on you.” He slid his hand up under the back of her shirt and stroked her skin. “We’re having dinner with her tonight. You’ll find a dress for the occasion in the room.”

Mari nodded. The idea of dinner with their biggest competition didn’t exactly ease her anxiety, but that was a problem for later. “So what are we doing now?”

“Originally, it was supposed to be just nipple piercings, but then you decided to defy me before you even got out of bed.”

Mari almost stumbled, but Cisco’s hand moved to her hip and held her steady. “How did you know?” she asked in a whisper as they continued down the hall.

He glanced around briefly before slipping his hand between her legs and cupping her pussy. “I can smell him on you.”

She swallowed hard. “Maybe he’s the one who defied you.”

Cisco smirked and slid his hand around her waist again to continue walking. “Rio doesn’t defy me if he can help it and certainly not within twenty minutes of waking.”

Mari considered what he was saying. “You knew this would happen.”

He turned them down the hallway that headed to the solarium. “I had a pretty good idea given your increasing appetites of late.”

“Why, then?” she asked, her voice getting as prickly as she felt. “Just to frustrate me?”

He pulled her to a stop and stared down at her. “Mariana, I have no interest in stifling you to control you as your father did. Quite the contrary.”

“It sure seems that way to me right now.”

“You don’t know much about how to harness and use your power. I’m trying to help you learn about both while balancing your father’s business and making sure we don’t get killed by his enemies.” She couldn’t doubt the sincerity in his voice and the openness of his expression. She’d known him too long.

The tension building in her shoulders eased. She moved closer to him. “I appreciate your help. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for all of this.”

“My payment is having very hot sex with you at every possible opportunity.” He smiled brightly. “That, and getting to run this operation as it always should have been run, with less cruelty and violence.”

Mari regretted doubting him. If there was anything she knew about him, it was his kindness. She pushed up onto her toes expectantly, and he chuckled as he leaned to meet her. His mouth was tender and unhurried as he kissed her. The magic that she had banked since her tryst with Rio flared to life. He growled and pulled her against him with one wing curled around her, deepening the kiss.

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