Page 31 of Cruelly Fated (Princes of Avari #1)

Twenty-Seven

ALLIE

T he sunlight burst through bare windows, painting the room golden. I stretched my arms overhead, slowly surfacing from a night of restless sleep and dreams of a hard, hot body pressed by my side.

After lying awake for what felt like hours, waiting for Kyon to make a move, I’d finally drifted off, resigned to prolonging the quiet tension strung between us. I bit my lip. Why did he want me to stay with him?

I couldn’t see him through the open bedroom door. His usual perch on the couch was just out of view. If I got up and strolled to the bathroom, which required me to round the bed, I’d spot him. But I wasn’t ready to face him yet. Still, I had to pee…

I rolled across the enormous bed to the far edge, the side closest to the bathroom, feeling like a child sneaking out of a fort, and promptly tumbled down, landing on the floor with a muted thud. Falling wasn’t part of my plan.

I froze, listening to the sounds of Kyon stirring. They didn’t come, so I flipped over and crawled to the bathroom.

The cold tile bit into my feet. I started the shower, goosebumps breaking across my skin. He was only a few feet away. I stripped quickly and stepped under the cold spray, lathered my hair and body, and rinsed within minutes, my heart hammering wildly, expecting Kyon to join me any minute.

I tipped my head back and groaned. What the hell is wrong with me?

Wrapping my hair in a towel, I pulled on my skimpy jeans and cropped shirt—my usual club attire.

After a restless puff of air, I finally steadied my hands enough to apply makeup.

Leaning across the wide counter wore me out fast, so I climbed onto the space between the sinks and settled there with my legs crossed.

As I swept on mascara, a shadow passed behind me. I jerked the wand and streaked black across my cheekbone.

“Shit!” I whisper-shouted, then I clamped my lips tight .

Kyon turned his sculpted back to me and pushed the glass door in like he was about to take his shower.

Wait. Surely he knew I was in the bathroom. I stared through the mirror, afraid to turn around or move at all. Afraid to breathe.

I should have scrambled off the counter and removed myself from this precarious situation. Instead, I tipped my head sideways, soaking my eyes with the divine view.

He dropped his boxers.

Sweet ass cheeks…

I shook myself back to reality and shut my eyes, humming a tune in my head to silence my dirty thoughts.

He’d been under the shower for a couple of minutes now.

I yanked some tissues from a box and removed the excess mascara, then I scooted off the counter, all while fighting the urge to glance over.

The water shut off, and my eyes rounded. If he hadn’t noticed me earlier, he’d know I was here now. And ogling him…

A flush blossomed across my face. I gripped my makeup bag extra tightly and attempted to slip out.

“You took my towel.” His husky voice was like a caress against my skin.

I squeaked, my bag flying to the floor.

Without turning around, I unwrapped the towel from my hair and extended it to him, dangling it by the tips of my fingers.

He let out a chuff of laughter.

“It’s wet. There are more towels in the closet. ”

The closet he was referring to was between the shower and the bathtub. I inhaled deeply, forming a shade with my hand to block the sight of him, and marched to said closet. Thick-spun fabric in hand, I backed up near Kyon and offered him a fresh towel.

He yanked the thing so hard that I bumped into his chest, the towel now wedged between us.

I gasped, craning my head and gazing at an entertained face hanging above.

His eyes danced over my stunned expression, a smirk plastered onto his usually hardened lips.

His hair glistened with moisture. A drop splashed against my cheek.

He sucked in a breath with an audible drag.

“What am I to do with you?” he asked, deepening his voice to a velvety growl.

I parted my lips, either to answer or in invitation—he spared me the choice. At once, his hand gripped the back of my head and his mouth crashed into mine in a searing, possessive kiss. My toes curled into the plush bath rug, and my free hand skimmed up the hard curve of his bicep.

He tugged gently on my lip before pulling back and resting his forehead against mine.

“We need to talk,” he rasped.

I nodded, our gazes locking only an inch apart.

“Go now. Before I do something stupid,” Kyon whispered, his hand retreating in slow motion, letting my damp hair slip through his fingers strand by strand. I watched, unable to tear my gaze away. The motion felt sensual and oddly intimate. Like a promise I couldn’t yet name.

With difficulty, I backed away and strode out of the bathroom. I struggled to steady my breathing.

Once in the kitchen, I dove into the fridge in search of OJ. I bumped my head against a shelf above as shooting pain lanced the base of my skull. Bottle in hand, I leaned against the counter and massaged the spot. Craning my neck upward to peer at the dragon had officially given me a major kink.

The TV switched on automatically, drawing my attention there. A morning Avari news anchor chattered in a chipper voice about the upcoming Solstice Ball at the dragon king’s estate, her tone practically vibrating with excitement.

My back pocket buzzed with a call. Luckily, Kyon’s nightstand came equipped with a wireless charger I hadn’t noticed earlier, and my cell had recharged overnight. Marley’s name flashed across the screen.

“Hello,” I answered, breath tight with hope. Maybe he’d found out more about Mom’s death.

“Are you at his place now?” he asked.

I blinked, caught off guard by the question.

“Yes…but I’m leaving for work soon. Would you like to meet somewhere?”

“It might be best if you leave. Take all your belongings and come to my place.”

I eased onto the barstool, a knot forming in my gut. Something was wrong. But what did Kyon have to do with it ?

“Please,” I said, my voice tightening. “Tell me everything. Right now.”

“Can you leave?”

“Is my life in danger?”

“I don’t think so. No—he wouldn’t be that reckless.”

A dull drumming filled my ears, drowning out logic. I couldn’t think straight. Could barely move.

“Tell me,” I whispered. “All I’ve ever known is what they wrote in the report—that she was the victim of a robbery gone wrong. But Grandpa always said there was more. I just wasn’t ready to hear it.” I drew in a breath. “But I am now.”

“As you wish… The incident in the alley initially appeared to be robbery. However, the unit working on the case uncovered a new lead in the past few weeks. The vampire who drained your mother was also a client at Eros Nocturne.”

He paused. “That’s the same club where your mother had a gig.”

I went still, a slow chill creeping up my spine.

“Witnesses say that night, she participated in a hunting event. The club pays double to willful victims since there’s a risk of vampires losing control.”

My voice came out hoarse. “So the vampire followed her home?”

“The crime scene expert made an interesting note; he thought the body was moved. She wasn’t killed in the alley…”

My heart stuttered. She died during the hunt .

“Did they arrest him?” I asked, barely able to form the words.

“They haven’ t confirmed his identity. The club is…extremely protective of its clientele. And word is they’ve had workers turn up dead before.”

Larry’s words about that girl who left his club echoed in my skull: They found her in the river.

I dropped my forehead into my hand, elbow braced on the counter. Rage and grief warred inside me. The injustice in Avari was suffocating. The city didn’t bat an eye at the elite, their wealth and status shielding them, while low fae like my mother lived—and died—for their entertainment.

“I’m begging you, Allie,” Marley said, his tone sharper now. “Leave Voltaire’s residence. Immediately. He is not to be trusted.”

My blood iced. If there was even the slightest connection…

“Who owns Eros Nocturne?” I asked.

“The Voltaires.”

My stomach hollowed and I gripped the counter to steady myself.

“Thank you,” I whispered and ended the call, phone clattering against the marble.

I sensed Kyon’s presence. With narrowed eyes, I faced him. He stood leaning against the doorway, dressed in a navy-blue t-shirt and dark jeans, that dangerous scowl carved deep into his face.

“You heard?” I asked. Of course he had. His defensive posture was proof enough.

“Is it true?” My voice cracked, heat prickling behind my eyes .

“It’s my family’s business. One. Of. Many,” he said, each word clipped as if that explained everything. My brows lifted, disbelief blooming in my chest.

I got up and squared with him. “Is that your answer?”

I met his blazing gaze, those dragon-lit eyes, and my gut twisted. Fae gods, I had almost given in to him again. Almost ignored the radar that blared warnings not to trust a man with my heart.

“Did you know her?” I demanded.

“No.” The word came out on a growl.

How dare he bristle like he was the wronged one when it was my mother who lost her life?

“Was all this to make sure I didn’t talk?”

His arms fell to his sides, muscles flexing. “You approached me , remember?”

I glowered at him.

“Why should I believe you?” I asked.

“I don’t know the ins and outs of my father’s empire,” he seethed. “I’m an enforcer. I follow orders.” His chest heaved, the rise and fall pronounced beneath his shirt.

I gripped the chair behind me, my eyelids blinking rapidly. “Maybe you shouldn’t follow orders blindly,” I whispered.

“You know nothing about what I do or who I am!” he roared. A curl of steam rose from his nostrils. For a beat, he looked like the self-righteous dragon prince I had always imagined: regal, ruthless, and demanding obedience.

Then he caught himself, and the edginess around his eyes abated .

“Baby—” he said, voice quiet and strained.

“Stop right there,” I said, arms outstretched and palms facing him.

My eyes blinked on overdrive now as liquid threatened to spill.

“You’re right, I don’t,” I whispered, my gaze flicking to the bag I’d hastily thrown together after leaving the bathroom, now slumped against the kitchen island. Was that my sign?

I peered at him. His expression hardened. He didn’t want me to go—but what did he expect?

Rage surged up my spine. I’d let myself care for this savage billionaire. To be fooled by his seemingly down-to-earth demeanor and magnetic presence. He’d made me feel wanted. Safe. Like I mattered. What a fool I’d been!

I whirled on my heel and snatched the bag, then darted toward the elevator and jumped inside it. I swear the door worked against me, refusing to close. Come on, come on. I looked everywhere but at him. Finally, it began sliding closed.

When the door was halfway there, Kyon stepped into view. Fury rippled off his tense frame. His eyes burned green and wild, swirling like a storm barely held back. His face shifted into something raw. Desperate. My name fell from his lips just as he surged forward.

I backed into the elevator, heart pounding as the gap narrowed. It was a race, him against the door.

“Close,” I whispered. As if obeying, the door snapped shut.

For a moment, all I could hear was my breathing .

Bang! A fist slammed into the other side, the metal groaning. I flinched as an indentation swelled inward the shape of a clenched fist.

My body trembled. Was I afraid of him? Surprisingly, no. But I couldn’t get past what he stood for. My mother was dead because of his family.

Sniffling, I shouldered my way out before the elevator door could fully open and raced to my car. I drove off with the wheels squealing and my heart breaking into pieces.