Page 61 of Fake Fae-Ancée

Kai’s expression slipped, her mouth fell open. I gritted my teeth, my chest tightening. Damn! I didn’t want her to know about Svalbard or any of the details. Or if she ever got to hear about it, it was sure as hell not as a piece of secondhand information coming along with an insult from my brother.

"Nici." My voice had a threatening edge.

"If you want to make me believe this is not an elaborate ruse from this gold-digger over here, you better show me how real your relationship is."

"Shut up," I growled.

"Er… Nici, you really shouldn’t…" Even Kostya looked a bit upset now.

"Kiss her." Nicolai glared at me.

Silence erupted in the room. Kostya stopped chewing. Nicolai’s words hung in the air like a bag of cement. I caught Kai’s glance. She had grown pale and now flushed bright red.

My pulse stuttered, only to hammer on in double speed. Kiss her? In front of them? The last kiss we had shared had not exactly gone smoothly. Dammit. We were so busted. If we couldn’t even convince my own blood, how could we…

Kai rose from her seat. Grim determination written all over her face, she crossed the short distance between us and was suddenly looking down at me — her standing, me still sitting and gaping.

So,close.

Bear bristled his fur.

She swooped down, one small, warm hand cupping my jaw — my stubble scraping against her skin — and kissed me.

My brain crashed to a halt. All thoughts froze, my mind stopped working for the long moment her lips pressed on mine. Only Bear gave a low growl. Extremely pleased.

Her kiss was no more than a peck, lips closed, hard and unyielding. But a pleasant warmth trickled down my shoulders. Kai moved closer, and one of my hands sneaked around her waist, pulling her slightly in. But before I could react any further, she broke away.

Her eyes were midnight-black now, hooded, resting on me for a heartbeat that lasted as long as an age.

"Is this enough?" she asked sharply, turning away, "Or do you need more?"

My dazed brain needed another second before I realized that she was talking to Nicolai. My brothers both looked back at her, utterly stunned.

"What? Is this enough? Or do you need your future king to rip my clothes to shreds and claim his queen right in front of you?" Kai continued, voice like ice-cubes. "How much exactly do you need to see before you believe it? Is that how this is dealt with in royal circles?"

Nicolai at least had the decency to avert his eyes and now stared coyly at the samovar.

"Hey, I didn’t doubt you," Kostya complained.

I stared at her, small and stubborn and absolutely terrifying even without her Fae powers. I kinda enjoyed her telling my brothers off.

And I'd never been so turned on.

"Any further questions?" She put her hands on her hips. Nicolai said nothing. Kostya shook his head with a grin.

"Thought so." Kai said icily, then dipped into a mock curtsey that was so perfect, Bates would have cried with joy. "I will leave you gentlemen to it now. You have much to discuss."

Kai

I was re-assemblingmy favorite assault rifle when someone knocked on the door.

"Request permission to enter."

"Denied!" I was so not in the mood to talk to anyone. Bad enough that I had flipped and just gone and kissed Kalinin like I was now completely bonkers. In what universe had it ever been a good idea to kiss him?

The door squeaked and someone wide and tall pushed their way into the room.

"Nice boudoir," he said with a grin. It was the youngest of the Kalinin brothers, the one with the crooked sunglasses.

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