Page 63 of The Crownless King
Smirking, he gently extracted himself from her body. “Shower, then you can rest, beloved.”
She hummed her agreement, her body pliant in his arms as he gathered her. His life was changed—hell, had been from the moment he’d set his eyes on this witch. But now that they were bonded with her heart and mind open to him, Levi understood the responsibility that came with holding her soul within him. It was a closeness he’d never experienced before and if the world thought he’d been rabid before…
They would not be ready for what he’d do to protect and keep this woman.
Chapter twenty-three
Going into the office after the morning he’d spent with his mate was out of the question, especially since she was off work today. Every instinct in him wanted to be upstairs in bed with her, savoring their newfound bond, but Levi knew he wouldn’t rest well until he found out who was trying to have him killed. So, with a relaxed body and a clear mind, Levi was meeting in his office with Lucas and Sebastian. He didn’t trust anyone else at this point.
“Congratulations,” Lucas told him, stretching out in the chair in front of Levi’s desk. “Can’t believe you pulled it off.”
Sebastian snickered. “I just knew she was finna give us all hell for another month.”
“Don’t talk about my baby like she difficult. She just one of them ones who can’t be handled by just anybody.”
“Whatever you gotta tell yourself to feel comfortable closing your eyes in bed next to her,” Lucas said.
The three of them busted out laughing. Levi knew better than to have Amaya sleeping anywhere near him during the days that she’d hated him. Especially after her escape attempt. He was almost certain she would’ve tried to kill him.
“Focus, man.” He needed to change the subject before he left his friends to go upstairs.
Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest. “Someone tried to kill you.”
“Twice,” he added.
Lucas nodded. “I want to know who poisoned you. That Buru shit will get handled like it always does, but someone getting close enough to slip Buru blood into your drink is a problem.”
“It had to have happened at the meeting, but you barely took a sip of that drink,” Bas said.
Levi frowned. “You’re right. It tasted weird, so I set it aside. Damn.” The thought of what could’ve happened to him had he kept drinking pissed him off. “I want that server and anyone who worked with her found.”
Lucas pulled out his phone, typing away. “I remember her face. You know I memorize anyone floating around you.”
That was a given. In all their years together not once had Levi questioned Lucas’s loyalty.
Bas broke the tense silence. “We need allies in the Collective.”
Levi leaned back in his chair. “Who do you think is the most likely candidate? The Fire Mujaji elder hates your guts. Lucian will try to get me kicked out that shit at the first chance. That leaves four others.”
“With the current elders? None of them motherfuckers are siding with us,” Bas informed him. “That’s why we gotta shake that shit up.”
“What are you thinking?” Lucas stopped his typing.
“Lucian gives us the most trouble and his voice is the loudest. We should replace him,” Levi grumbled.
Sebastian’s face turned thoughtful. “The Lathams are the next powerful family of border mages.”
“Their patriarch is fair,” Lucas added.
“Then reach out and see if we can get a meeting with one of them,” Levi ordered.
He didn’t care which of them accomplished that. He went to the next thing bothering him. “Did you find her uncle?”
“That bitch hiding at his daddy’s compound. If we bust in there, we’ll have a lot more problems than I feel like tackling at the moment,” Lucas said.
Levi sighed and shook his head. There was no use in stressing about it at the moment. There wasn’t much more trouble Paul could put him in.
“I need to be seen out,” he announced. “I can’t for one second let a muthafucker think they got the drop on me.”
