Page 29 of Obsessively Yours (Fae Kings of Eden #2)

29

Roman grinned down at the dried drool staining Violet’s cheek. Last night, after putting up a good fight, she’d given up and melted against him, falling into a deep sleep.

Nothing this woman did bored him. From the way she slept to the way her eyes blazed with fury. The woman seduced him without trying, but when she did try, gods. He bit back a groan. Watching her trail her hand under her nightdress… fuck . His cock hardened again at the thought.

He lifted her arms over his head to untie the strips of cloth. Violet stirred and blinked slowly into consciousness. She sat up so fast, Roman had to swerve to avoid a busted lip. “Easy,” he chuckled.

She glared. Still mad, then . “You tied me up.”

Flashes of lovers tying each other up at the pleasure house assaulted him, and his lips curled into a slow smile. “The last time I checked, you couldn’t rub your legs together hard enough during the bondage shows.”

Every exposed inch of Violet’s skin turned cherry red. “You tied me up to not have sex. It’s not the same.” She rubbed her wrists and slid out of bed. “Besides.” She gazed at him over her shoulder. “You’d be tied up, not me. We’ll see how much you like not being able to touch.”

Over his dead body. Roman launched across the room and threw Violet over his shoulder. Shrieks of laughter and protest filled the air until his hand came down on her ass with a resounding slap.

“Shit,” she hissed. “That stung.”

“Good.” He slapped her ass again, causing her to yelp. “The next time you threaten to keep me from touching you as I please, remember this.” Another slap, followed by a tender caress over her red, heated skin.

“You refused to fuck me because you didn’t want me to be tired and uncomfortable during our ride today, yet you’re spanking my ass raw.” She unsuccessfully swatted at his backside from her upside-down position. “How do you think sitting on a sore butt all day is going to feel?”

“I’ll get you a pillow.”

Huffing, she let her arms hang limp, turning into dead weight on his shoulder. The skin of her bottom was warm under his lips when he placed a gentle kiss there. He hadn’t hit her hard enough for the pain to linger longer than an hour. Still long enough to learn her lesson.

Half an hour later, he heard Violet cursing as she dug through her trunk.

“What’s wrong?”

She stood and turned with a groan. “I can’t find my underarm crystal.”

Roman reached into his own trunk and pulled out his. “Use mine.”

You’d think he’d offered her a mayonnaise covered serpent by the way she recoiled. “I’m not using yours. That’s disgusting.”

“Why?” Slight offense laced his tone. “I don’t stink.”

“I didn’t say you did, but sharing an underarm crystal is not sanitary.”

He raised his brows. “I’ll have you sitting on my face at some point, and you’re worried about sharing an underarm crystal?” Her mouth fell open, and he stepped forward, placing the stone in her hands. “Use it.”

* * *

Violet climbed into the carriage, wiggling on the cushion to find a comfortable position. Her skin was still tender from Roman’s love taps , but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like it. Damn him.

Violet froze when she heard Roman say, “Marissa?”

“Roman, thank the gods,” Marissa’s breathy voice returned. “I’ve been worried about you.”

Violet popped her head out of the window just in time to see Marissa throw her arms around Roman’s neck. The woman beamed at him, her gaze dipping to his lips. Roman had Violet’s full trust, but Marissa did not.

Violet remained in the carriage only because Roman didn’t return the woman’s embrace; he pried himself away and took a step back.

“What are you talking about?” he asked the redheaded woman who stared at him with big doe eyes.

“I heard about the rebel attack at the border,” she explained. “I came as fast as I could.”

Violet’s lips flattened. That didn’t make sense. Ares said if they rode sunup to sundown with minimal stops, it’d take them three days to get home, and a day less than that if they left the carriage behind. The attack was two days ago.

Two days ago. Is that all? Violet had effectively blocked out the trauma from that day. If she allowed herself to dwell on it, it would break her like all those years ago. She’d made so much progress, and she refused to back pedal. Only time would tell if her bravado would hold.

How could news of the attack have made it to Saltu fast enough for Marissa to hear and meet them? It couldn’t have. Three days to Saltu to deliver the news and another three back, give or take a day to adjust for speed, it’d take at least eleven days.

No, that wasn’t right. Three days there, three days back. Violet counted on her fingers but stopped when Ares voiced her own concerns. “It’s impossible for news to have traveled that fast.”

Marissa fidgeted with the end of her braid, looking decidedly embarrassed. “I was already on my way to the border.”

“Why?” Griff mused.

Marissa blushed furiously and flitted her gaze to Roman. “Can I speak with you privately?”

That’s enough. Violet couldn’t kick Marissa’s ass because the warrior would beat the crap out of her, but the old, complacent Violet no longer existed. She swung open the carriage door and stepped down. “Hello, Marissa,” she sang and made her way to Roman’s side. His lips twitched when he saw her sauntering toward him. “Had I known you missed me enough to meet me at the border, I would have written you while away.”

The tips of Marissa’s pointed ears turned red, but her face remained impassive. “Roman kept me updated on you,” she replied smoothly and smiled at the prince. “We kept each other company.”

“No, we didn’t,” Roman protested and glanced warily at Violet.

Marissa tilted her head with a faint smile. “We hung out every day. What would you call that?” She turned to Violet with a saccharine smile. “We really did miss you. You would have loved to watch Roman get all those tattoos.” She waved her arm over his torso. “The first time the needle touched him, he almost came out of the seat.” She laughed good-naturedly, and Violet wanted to rip her hair out.

Roman’s stance loosened at Marissa’s friendly tone, but he clamped his hand around Violet’s, a movement that did not go unnoticed by the other woman.

That’s right. He’s mine.

Griff threw his arm around Marissa’s shoulders and squeezed. “I missed you, Red.”

Marissa’s lip curled. “I hate it when you call me that.”

Griff, the traitor, picked up Marissa’s braid and dropped it. “It’s fitting.”

“Who told you about the attack,” Roman’s voice cut through their friendly banter.

Marissa jerked her thumb over her shoulder toward Saltu. “I passed the messenger sent by the border guards yesterday. He was riding like hell, so I stopped him to see what was going on.”

All plausible. Dammit. Violet tended to take people at face value and see the best until they proved the worst, but Marissa rubbed her the wrong way. The warrior wanted Roman, that much Violet knew, but as far as her excuse for getting here so fast, it made sense. Yet, Violet couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d lied.

“You never said why you were already on your way to the border,” Violet said, going for casual.

Marissa’s eyes slid briefly to Roman. “It didn’t feel right being in the capital without Rome. I don’t really have any other friends.” She shrugged. “I left a few days after him.”

“It’s not safe for you to be traveling alone right now,” Roman interjected. “The rebels are growing bolder. They openly attacked the Desert King and Queen with me on the other side of the border.”

“It’s not like them to be that stupid,” Ares added. “There were five of us and a dozen border guards within running distance. They only had eleven fighters. It doesn’t make sense.” He looked disapprovingly at Marissa. “It was foolish of you to come alone.”

Marissa threw her hands up. “There hasn’t been a rebel attack in the Tropical Kingdom in years. The attack at the border happened after I left. How was I supposed to know?”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Griff butted in before addressing Roman. “Are Amos and Clover travelling with us?”

Roman shook his head. “I’ve asked them to go back home.”

Everyone froze. “They’re not coming to the coronation?” Ares asked.

“I’m not having a public coronation.” Roman looked calm, which was absurd because he might as well have said he was setting the entire kingdom on fire. “It’s too dangerous to have that big of a gathering after what just happened. I’ve already sent word to the other kingdoms and to every general in our kingdom.”

Griff whistled. “People are going to be pissed. That’s all anyone in the capital has talked about for the last few months.”

“We’ll have a public celebration,” he explained, still calm, “but not until later, once we have the issue with the rebels under control.”

“I get it,” Griff assured him. “All the royals in one place is like a barrel of fish.”

“It’s never been a problem in the past,” Ares pointed out. “All the royals together are unstoppable. They could easily glamour themselves invisible and then slaughter every rebel one by one.”

“ If they see the rebels coming,” Marissa said thoughtfully. “I agree with Roman. Having a private ceremony is safer.” She smiled warmly at Roman, but he ignored her, his mind already on his next task.

To Violet’s delight, the woman looked thoroughly annoyed.

* * *

By the time their party stopped for good, Violet wanted to lie in front of the carriage horses and tell them to trample her. Her hips and back hurt from sitting for hours on end with little reprieve. They’d only paused twice, just long enough for Violet to relieve herself. Roman had stocked the carriage with food that morning and the others had food in their pack saddles, so they’d not have to stop for meals.

The trip might not have been so unbearable if she had someone to talk to, but Roman explained that the lighter the carriage, the faster the carriage horses could go. He could have at least ridden close enough to the carriage for her to speak to him out the window. Instead, he hung back to bring up the rear. All in all, she was sore, cranky, and bored out of her mind.

It didn’t help that she could hear the others chattering amongst themselves. She’d tried to talk to them through the window opening, but she’d had to yell for them to hear her over the road noise.

The only one who’d stayed close to the carriage was War, and he could do nothing more than offer her pitying looks.

The rumble of Roman’s voice followed by Marissa’s laughter had Violet’s mood darkening. Fumbling with the door handle, she almost fell face first to the ground when Ares opened it from the other side.

The man’s quick reflexes saved her from embarrassing herself more, and he chuckled. “Easy.”

Roman appeared at their side in seconds, tugged her out of Ares’ hold, and tucked her into his side. Fire would have burned Ares alive slower than Roman’s glare did. Ares held his hands up. “Someone had to help her out of the carriage.”

Violet didn’t miss the challenge in his words, and neither did Roman, if the stiffening of his body was any indication. “I was about to.”

Marissa stood in the background with a smug smile on her face. In times like these, Violet wished she had trained with Viv so she could attack the woman properly. Her father had only taught her defense.

Reaching up, Violet grazed Roman’s jaw to grab his attention and tapped her lips teasingly. “I haven’t spoken to you in hours, and this is how you greet me?”

His face softened, and he leaned down and kissed her deeply. “Next time, wait for me to help you out of the carriage.”

She arched a brow. “Next time, don’t take so long.”

Satisfaction graced her lips when Marissa stormed off. Roman realized her game and huffed out a laugh. “No need to stake your claim, princess. She knows I’m yours.”

Violet patted his arm. “You poor, dense man. That won’t stop her from trying to take you away.”

Roman’s brows pinched together. “Marissa doesn’t want me. She’s just clingy because she doesn’t have any friends other than Griff and me.” He paused. “It’s annoying, but she’s harmless.”

“You don’t believe me?” Violet tried to step back, but he pressed her tighter into his side.

“I don’t think she’s a threat to you,” he replied. “If she were, she wouldn’t be breathing.”

“I didn’t say she was a threat, but when she oversteps, and she will, I hope you’re ready to face the consequences.”

Roman’s head popped back. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Violet succeeded in extracting herself from his hold and shook out the skirt of her dress. “It means that I’m telling you she has feelings for you, and if she kiss-attacks you, I’ll never let you live it down.”

He frowned at her. “I want you to trust me.”

“I trust your faithfulness,” she informed him, “but I don’t trust your judgement, and I don’t trust her.”

Roman reached forward and ran a thumb across her lower lip. “If she has upset you, I’ll take care of her.”

Violet balked. “You make it sound like you’ll kill her.” The prince merely stared back at her. “Okay, calm down. It’s not that big of a deal, just don’t be alone with her. Actually, don’t stand close to her either.”

Roman looked away to hide a smile. Glad he thinks this is funny. “I’ll stay away from her, but if she upsets you, let me know.”

Violet beamed and brushed her lips across his. “Thank you.”

“And I want you to stay away from every man in Eden.”

A laugh burst out of Violet, and he scowled. “Come on, prince. I’m hungry and in dire need of a bath.”