“What!?” I just barely kept myself from shrieking, not knowing where to start. They could smell each other on me, and they were supposed to meet my needs. What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Chapter Twenty Eight: Arryn
The door to Rhowyn's room swung wide open as she stormed from the room, Lennox following behind her with a smug look on his face. The reason for his smug look made itself known as she approached me, a breeze from her movements rushing toward me and sending her scent spiraling at me. Inhaling, I detected her arousal, almost immediately going hard. Fuck. I adjusted myself as discreetly as I could, hoping she didn't notice.
“What the fuck does Lennox mean when he says you guys are supposed to meet my needs? And that you guys can smell me?” she demanded, anger flashing in her eyes.
I saw Baer enter the living area from where he'd just come from his room, pouting that she wouldn't come eat earlier. I saw the moment when he decided he didn't want to be a part of this particular discussion and tried to leave.
“Baer, get in here,” she snapped. “You are just as much a part of this conversation.”
He slunk in, going to sit on the couch guiltily, blushing as he realized she now knew what we had decided not to tell her yet. I glared at Lennox as he started to fix himself a plate, not concerned in the slightest. The asshole knew we hadn't wanted to tell her that on top of everything else she learned today. She'd already had enough bombshells dropped in one day.
“Can someone please explain what this asshole was talking about!” she shrieked, all but stomping her foot to get an answer from us.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers, knowing I'd have to be the one to explain everything to her. Neither of the guys looked like they would be all that helpful, and Callum still hadn't made his presence known since storming out earlier.
Rhowyn continued to stare us down, arms crossed over her chest and hip cocked out, waiting for one of us to answer her. Despite wearing her comfy clothes, as she called them, she still looked completely irresistible. Her black pants, made from some kind of stretchy material, clung to her every curve, hugging her legs and ass in a way I could only ever hope to do.
Her smell reached me even from this distance, and the sated desire tugged at me, keeping my dick in a semi-hard state. Though I could smell Lennox on her, I could tell he was just as frustrated as the rest of us, despite his smug appearance. All I wanted to do right now was punch him for throwing this at her on top of everything else. And, if I was being honest with myself, for getting her body before me.
“Seriously! No one has anything to say?” she complained, her patience completely gone.
“Sorry, Rhowyn. I'm just trying to figure out where to start,” I explained, trying to calm her down while also trying to buy myself some time.
“How about starting with the truth, Arryn! For once!” she snapped angrily, glaring at me.
“You're right. It's just that we didn't want to tell you this just yet since you were already struggling with all the other revelations from today. I can see now that may not have been the best decision, but it was only kept from you because we were worried about you.” I pleaded with her to understand, holding her gaze steadily.
“You think!?!” she retorted before deflating some when I flinched at her anger. She sighed out, her hands gesturing out in front of her. “Can you see now how difficult it is to get only breadcrumbs? That I'm unable to find my footing when you guys keep dropping bombs on me?”
Baer had the decency to look chagrined, blushing slightly and ducking his head, still not speaking up. Lennox just leaned against the table, his legs crossed in front of him as he continued to eat like the total dick he was.
“I guess I didn't look at it from that vantage point. I can see how this whole thing only makes it more difficult for you,” I apologized.
“I don't need you to say you're sorry. I need some answers. I need to know that I can trust y'all to have my back, being completely honest with me no matter what. Otherwise, this whole thing will never work,” she said resignedly, almost completely deflated by the end.
“I understand, Rhowyn. You're absolutely right. You deserve to know everything we know, and we aren't doing you any favors by protecting you in this way,” I admitted to her, meaning every word. “This is all very new to us as well, but we do have the benefit of knowing what to expect.”
She just raised an eyebrow at me, somewhat amused as if to say, you think? I held back a small chuckle at her expression, knowing she wouldn't appreciate it right now, but gave her a small, hesitant smile instead.
“Wait!” Baer finally chimed in. “Does this mean you'll be accepting the bonds?” he asked her hopefully, gazing up at her with barely restrained energy.
At his question, Lennox and I both watched her closely, holding our breath while waiting for her answer. She turned to look at him almost dejectedly. “It's not like I really have much of a choice, but yes, I've decided to accept the bonds.”
When he jumped up to give her a big hug, arms outstretched, she held her hands up, halting him. “At least based on what I know. Lennox has me concerned again after what he's just told me, but he refused to explain what he meant when he told me you guys can smell me? And that part of y'all's jobs as consorts is to please me? In any way?”
Now she just looked really confused and slightly uncomfortable, waiting for us to confirm or deny Lennox's statements. If I wasn’t mistaken, she seemed to be hoping more for denial.
“Unfortunately, he's correct,” I finally admitted to her, watching closely for her response.
“Which part?” she asked almost hopefully.
“Well, fae are not like humans. Many of the things we can do are different, not just magically. Our eyesight, hearing, and smell are far superior to that of humans. We also have different customs and values. It doesn't make them wrong, just different,” Baer explained, waiting for her to absorb the information.
“So, if that's true, why have I not noticed those things? I'm not hearing or smelling things that I couldn't before,” she questioned, her gaze locked on me.
“If I had to guess, most likely because of your glamor. Somehow it must also be keeping your senses dulled like a human's. It wouldn't do to have you able to hear or smell things other humans couldn't.”