Chapter 73

 

I wouldn’t be if he kept standing there looking at me with that pained look in his eyes. I was girl after all, even though I was raised a little rough, I still had a heart for crying out loud. “Yeah.” I croaked with my mouth so dried out I could barely swallow. “I just need to regroup, nothing serious.”

With a soft sigh, he looked away from me briefly before turning those hazel eyes back on me. “I would like to discuss something with you that I feel may be required.”

His regal ruler tone had returned and my stomach tensed. I may not have known him for long but I did know enough to get that if he was back in monarchy mode, I wasn’t going to like the topic. “What’s that?”

Clearing his throat, he stepped to the window and stared out. “I have to consider your safety at all times, even when you are on your own side.”

“I’m fine when I’m over here.”

Turning, he tucked his hands into his jeans and paused to consider his next words. “I am not certain you will ever be until Marcus is brought to justice.”

I squeezed my eyes shut for a second. Why hadn’t I thought about that? I had challenged the big bad face to face, of course he was going to be jonesing for a piece of revenge. “What are you thinking?” My guts twisted, I knew what was coming before he even said it.

“I think it would be best if you weren’t alone while you’re over here.”

I groaned inside my head, really loud. He was right, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. “Who did you have in mind?” I held my breath.

He actually grinned. “I believe the decision was made for me on this matter. Quinton has gone home to collect a few things.”

The idea of Quinton hovering over me was way better than any of the others. “Fine.”

A look of surprise filled his eyes, but he didn’t say anything about it. “It’s a good thing you agree with Quinton, because Arius was the other volunteer.”

I cringed at the thought of trying to go anywhere with him on my side. We could dress him down into the grubbiest clothes around but with his pale grey eyes and long black hair there was no way he’d ever blend in. “I’m a little more comfortable with Quinton.”

“I’ve noticed.” He paced over to the bedroom door and looked in for a moment before turning. “Why is that?”

His question shocked me. I shrugged. “I’m…I don’t know I just am.”

“He’s very protective of you.”

Rolling my eyes, I moved away from the window and went and stood behind the couch feeling more at ease with a piece of furniture between us. “I’ve noticed that.” He didn’t move or say anything to that. “I feel safe with him. He feels like the brother I always wished I’d had.”

“Anyone of us would keep you safe, Daxx.” He almost sounded offended.

“I didn’t say he keeps me safe, I said he feels safe, comfortable.”

With slow predatory steps, he moved back in my direction, stopping on the other side of the couch. Suddenly the couch didn’t seem big enough to me. “You only feel comfortable with Quint?”

The tone in his voice reminded me of a child. “Well, no, Rafael is okay except he always wants to hug me.”

There was long silent pause before he spoke again. “I see.” He squinted at me. “I find myself wanting to be able to read your thoughts, to understand.”

I for one was glad he couldn’t read them. “What don’t you understand?”

“Have I done something to offend you? Is that why you’re not comfortable with me?”

Oh, so it wasn’t about the brothers, it was about him. “No. There’s just this …” I waved my hand around like I could pull the words out of the air, “vibe between us, it’s a little intense at times.”

“Wasn’t there a vibe,” he paused on that word for a second, “between Chase and yourself?”

Glancing at the door, I wished for Quinton to return, now. “It wasn’t the same.” Brushing my hair back from my face, I studied him. “I can’t explain it, it’s just a feeling.”

“You tense every time we’re in the same space.”

“I hadn’t noticed.” I lied.

“Mmm, perhaps it’s my mistake then.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and sighed. “Please give me a moment.” Opening it, he strode to the other side of the room. “I was in the middle of a conversation.” He said with an annoyed tone into the phone. “No.”

I looked around the room, like I shouldn’t stand there and watch him talk.

“She appears to be fine.” He glanced at me again. “Most likely.”

His whole posture had changed since he’d been standing in front of me. Now he stood there rigid, his shoulders tensed.

“In a few days.” Closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Quint will be staying with her. I know. I will.” He flipped the phone closed and put it back in his pocket.

I looked at the door, what was taking Quinton so long to get back?

“I’m sorry about that. Chase wanted to make sure you weren’t over here alone.”

I tried to shrug it off. “I really think you guys are overacting, I doubt Marcus will be looking for me here.” I motioned around the room.

Shaking his head, he came back over to me in a few strides, this time stopping on the same side of the couch. “I won’t take a chance. In this, you have no choice,” he growled at me.

I’d had men go all alpha on me before and I usually had to stifle a laugh, but with him there was nothing funny about it. Alpha was something he aced without even trying. My heart trotted inside my chest and I wanted to tell him this was the kind of vibe I’d been trying to explain. Of course, my brain and body weren’t on the same page. “I don’t take orders gracefully, Troy.” It was meant as a warning, but he didn’t see it that way when he grinned down at me, moving close enough I could smell him again.

He grasped my chin with a firm hold, his eyes burning into mine. I couldn’t have looked away if I tried. “Gracefully or not, I will not let anything happen to you and you will keep someone with you at all times.”

I wanted to buck against this overbearing side of him, but the way his eyes moved over my face, like I was something precious had me pause.

“Nothing can happen to you.” His voice was gravely, but his hold was still unmovable. “I spent well over a hundred years awaiting your arrival, needing to see for myself that you existed.” I watched his eyes turn red, expecting him to step back with they did. He leaned closer. “There is nothing in this world or any other that will prevent me from keeping you whole and well.” His hand gentled against my jaw. “Please obey me in this, my little queen.”

I wasn’t sure if it was a question or not, but he had just successfully disarmed me. There was no way I could bring myself to verbally agree to obeying anyone, but I wouldn’t argue with him on it.

We stood there, his red eyes holding my own with neither of us blinking.