Page 20 of Heavy is the Crown
The scent of eucalyptus suddenly floods the room, and I don’t have to turn to see that Drago has meandered in. When he clears his throat, I angle myself toward him. Hair still wet from the shower, the blond strands hanging in pieces in front of his blue eyes, he finishes buttoning up his dress shirt. As I watch his fingers move, my mouth waters and my pussy clenches at the thought of how it would feel to have those fingers inside me.
He looks me over, my unwashed hair, pajamas I have been in for gods know how long, and my makeup-less face. His body tenses at whatever he sees, and for a moment, I worry he’ll kick me out right in this very second. But in the next, concern washes through those brilliant eyes. “What are your plans?” His voice vibrates my core, and I shut my eyes briefly against the sensation.
“This.” I gesture to where I’m seated, book now properly in my hands. “And looking for a job, I don’t have anything left, so I’ll need to start somewhere. I used to bartend and dance before I was taken. I could try to get something like that.”
A low growl emits from him. “You aren’t fucking dancing somewhere.”
Curious, I cock my head at that and watch him take a deep breath.
He frowns. “You don’t need to leave. You can stay here as long as you want.”
I let out a small laugh. “Look, Drago, I know you don’t want me here. I get it. I really do. I’ve invaded your space. I just need a little more time to figure it out and I’ll be gone. You won’t have to deal with me again.”
“Ava, come with me to work tonight.” The way he says my name should be illegal, given I’m his stepbrother's unwanted mate. I open my mouth, but he holds up his hand, halting whatever he thinks I’m about to say.
I blink, once, twice, and then allow my face to form a confused frown. “To your club?” It isn’t lost on me that Drago owns Club Eufori and what that means. That place is notorious, and I have always wanted to see the inside of it. This is the first time he’s suggested I go with him to work.
“Yes. If you like it, you can come work for me.” He says it so simply. “Now, go get dressed for tonight. I’ll wait for you. You’ll find some clothes in your closet.”
My mouth goes dry, and I weigh my options. If it were any other club, I would balk at the idea, given the risk of someone from my home being there, but his club? It might be the safest place for me. And the idea of sitting alone for another night sounds like utter torture. So, I give him a small smile and scramble to my feet, running toward my room.
Drago
(“Rumors” – NEFFEX)
Shooting a text to Kai, I let him know I’ll be running behind and that Ava is coming with me tonight. She’s like a ghost in my home, haunting every portion of it and reminding me thatShadow chose her over me. What's potentially even worse is the strange obsession I’ve developed for her. I find myself watching her damn near all the time, hidden in the dark so she doesn’t catch me. Work has been my only escape, and now I’m letting her invade that space as well.
Seeing her tonight, she looked so broken, and when she talked about leaving, my dragon damn near tore from my skin to keep her here. So, I did the only thing I could think of: offered her a job. Against my better judgment.
A throat clearing has me turning, and I swear to all the gods, my mouth dries up and my cock hardens immediately. Ava stands with long pink hair braided into some mohawk style down the center of her head. “You changed your hair?”
She nods. “I wanted something different. I’ve been blonde my whole life. I needed a change.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask her exactlyhowshe did it, but I get the distinct impression that she doesn’t trust me enough to be honest. “I like it,” I respond simply.
A blush creeps up her cheeks. She's applied smoky eyeshadow and a dark lipstick that pops against her pale skin. Golden heels wrap around her slender calves, exposed by two slits in her black skirt that go all the way up to the top of her thighs. The high waistband covers her scar and stops just below the band of black lace that wraps her breasts.
I stare at her, my gaze traveling all over her body, gobbling it up and storing it in my memory for later. When I finally land on those silver eyes, they are heated, and I have to remind myself to stay put on the other side of the room. “You look beautiful.” The words spill from my lips before I can control myself.
She smiles wide. “Thanks. It’s been so long since I’ve done this. It feels good.”
Indeed, she looks completely different from the girl who was just sitting on the chair. She looks fucking radiant, and I’m regretting my choice to bring her to the club.
We’ll kill anyone who touches her,my dragon rumbles.
She’s not ours, I remind him. But he says nothing. Only growls, low and deep.
I drag my hand down my face, trying desperately to disagree with him but also knowing if someone does touch her, I won’t have control.
“We going?”
I open my eyes and realize she’s crossed the room, her body now positioned directly in front of mine. Her lilac scent invades my nostrils, and by the slight surprise in her eyes, no doubt she just saw my dragon peek through. He’s like a cat in heat, the way he is demanding to be let free. My skin feels like it’s too tight, and my cock is now so hard, I’m fairly certain it’s going to rip through my pants. It’s confusing as hell. So, I simply nod and whirl around, trying to avoid the awkward situation of getting a hard-on for my mate's mate.Jesus, could this get any more complicated?
Yeah. She could be both of ours,my dragon replies.
Fuck.
ELEVEN
