Page 79 of Queen Takes Triune
“I think we can find a place for you to wear it.” His voice rumbled through me, making my nipples harden against the silken material.
He picked up the end of the cape, sliding his fingers up inside until his lips curved in a slow smile. He slipped my knife inside the small, slim pocket, lifting the inside of the cape to show me.
Gina laughed softly. “When a queen says she wants pockets in all her gowns, then a designer worth her salt will surely find a way to conceal said pocket. Especially when she wants to keep selling her expensive and lovely gowns to that queen.”
I trailed my fingertips up Rik’s impressive forearm. He’d rolled the sleeves of his white dress shirt up to his elbows, and though he wore the black pants of his suit, he wasn’t even carrying the tuxedo jacket. The shirt strained across his chest and shoulders, and I had to seriously wonder how he’d even gotten into the pants. The tortured material outlined every.
Incredible.
Inch.
Thick muscle corded beneath my fingers and something popped.
A button flew off the shirt and went sailing over my head to ting against the wall.
Daire laughed so hard that he half collapsed against Mehen, who certainly didn’t mind. “Goddess help us when the zipper gives way.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Rik retorted, though without any real heat. “I already ripped the shoulder seam of the jacket. Sorry, my queen. Your alpha will have to be informally dressed for this occasion until I can get measured again.”
“Don’t fucking bother,” Daire chortled. “You’ll just keep getting bigger. Might as well rip off the arms and slit the thighs. You’ll look like the Incredible Hulk running around in tattered pants.”
I looked around at my Blood as they gathered near. Mehen was perfectly lickable in a long-tailed tuxedo. Nevarre’s kilt was tempting as always. Vivian wore an elegant suit with skin-tight tuxedo pants and a short bolero-style jacket. Xin, an elegant black-silk tunic embroidered with silver wolves and moons. Gina’s black tea-length skirt and jacket were topped off with elbow-length black gloves and a snappy wide-brimmed hat.
With a chill, I realized they all looked like they were going to a high-society funeral.
“Maybe we are,” Guillaume said in the agreeable, fatalistic voice of a Templar knight who’d seen it all and lived to tell about it. Even if he lost his head in the process a time or two. “Though it’ll be hers, not ours.”
“Fucking A.” Ezra jerked at the black silk tie hanging loose around his throat. “Can someone fucking tie this for me before I strangle myself?”
“Here, let me.” Llewellyn stepped over and tied the black silk with a flourish.
Ezra started to turn away and cursed. “You fucking rat-tailed bastard. You tied my beard in it!”
“Maybe you should trim it,” Llewellyn replied in a light, helpful voice.
Snarling, Ezra jerked the tie off and slung it across the room. “If the alpha doesn’t even have to wear the strait jacket, then surely the grizzly can get away without the tie.”
“Be my guest.” I raised my voice over the rest of my Bloods’ laughter. “I want you to be as comfortable as possible, though I admit that seeing you all dressed up makes me want to strip you down to your skin and show you exactly how much I love you. Each of you.”
Their laughter died and they crowded around me, dropping to their knees in a circle around me. I touched each one of them. A kiss here, a stroke there, a soft touch. They leaned in, pressing shoulder to shoulder to get as close to me as possible.
My Blood. Such honor and dedication and loyalty. “I couldn’t ask for any better friends, lovers, and guards. I love you. All of you. No matter what, we’re coming home and I’m going to remind you each of exactly how much I love you all over again.”
Gina dabbed at her eyes. “Not to rush you, my queen, but we only have an hour left in our deadline.”
I straightened, tipping my chin up beneath the heavy weight of the crown on my head. “Do you know where in Rome we’re supposed to go? How much time will we need to get there once we’re actually in the city?”
She grimaced. “I have no idea, but I have a feeling that Marne Ceresa will know exactly where we are once we arrive.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she has cars waiting for us,” Guillaume said. “Even though we don’t know where we’re going, she must have an idea of how you’ll arrive, or she wouldn’t have set such a short deadline.”
“Unless she wanted us to deliberately fail.” I shrugged, pushing away that doubt. “Well, let’s go. Who’s been to Rome before?”
“Are you fucking kidding?” Ezra grumbled. “Who in their right mind would step into the Triune queen’s city voluntarily?”
We headed downstairs, and Winston stood waiting at the door. He took my hand in his and bent low to kiss my knuckles. “Your Majesty, safe journey.”
“Thank you, Winston.” When he straightened, I leaned up on my tip toes and kissed his cheek. “Hopefully you won’t have any excitement while I’m gone.”
