Page 23

I’d spent a little over an hour throwing up before Rhys helped me bathe to clean us both. After he’d insisted on aiding me into a long, flowing white dress of the softest fabric I’d ever felt against my flesh, he’d moved me into what I suspected was supposed to be the living room.

It sat below the entryway, nestled between the pulsating magical walls. A large white sofa sat before a gurgling fountain, feeding the pool of water that flowed down quartz crystals into a narrow, manmade body of water.

Rhys ensured my comfort on the sofa before disappearing into the kitchen. The surrounding space pulsed with magic, causing the fine hairs on my arm to rise.

Inhaling the calming scent of lavender and lemongrass, I frowned as a heaviness settled in my middle. Lavender and lemongrass helped alleviate my first trimester morning sickness. Nyota must have informed Rhys. It felt like a betrayal.

I’d trusted Nyota to keep her word, making me the biggest idiot ever. Not that she’d spilled any of the big secrets, at least that I was aware of. We had made a pact. What happened or what she saw in our house remained in our house. What happened at Rhys’ house also remained there. She’d broken it, though. It had to be Nyota because Nyx hadn’t been able to get close to me if I were sick. The one time she had, she ended up sharing the toilet with me as she’d spewed right beside me.

Smelling ginger and chicken wafting from the kitchen caused a rumbling in my belly. Curiosity forced my attention toward the soft glow behind the bar. Rhys had vanished through the door behind the bar, causing the desire to snoop to arise.

The sound of something clanking erupted right before a bevy of cussing sounded. A soft smile played over my mouth, growing as I listened to Rhys inside the kitchen. Did he even know how to cook? He must not be skilled, or there wouldn’t be colorful words drifting out of the kitchen to reach my ears.

Several explicit words later, Rhys appeared with a tray laden with food piled on it. With an uncertain glance, he placed it on a small coffee table.

“How’s your stomach, Love?” Genuine worry glittered in his eyes. It caused humor to grow and expand inside my chest. It threatened to ruin the moment, forcing me to smother it before it could.

“It’s only morning sickness. I’m uncertain why they call it that. It happens without warning pretty much throughout the day. Or it did. It’s eased up since entering the second trimester. It was horrid at the start.” Looking up from the tray, I discovered Rhys staring at me with an emotion I couldn’t name filtering over his face.

“I asked Nyota about you. She refused to supply me with any information. I was unaware that you’ve been ill during your time away from here.”

“Why would you want to know anything? You threw us away.”

“Something you don’t intend to let any of us forget,” he muttered.

I wanted to scoff at what he’d said. I also wanted to argue that I hadn’t been off on a posh luxury vacation. He’d kicked me out of his house and off his land. I’d not left because I’d wanted to do so.

The moment hung between us as I shrugged my shoulders. “Everything I read said nausea is completely normal during pregnancy. In the first three months, there are so many changes to the body, and then add in the highs and lows of the hormones. It’s a recipe for disaster. I was a colossal mess, but somehow, I made it through rather unscathed.”

“I didn’t believe that you were pregnant,” he offered in reply.

Nodding, I stayed mute to avoid causing an unnecessary argument. The only response to his admission would’ve been, ‘ No shit, Sherlock.’

“I made you some ginger tea, chicken broth, saltine crackers, a few different soups, and other things Talia advised would alleviate nausea.”

The sincerity in his stare made my stomach flip-flop, which had little to do with morning sickness. I needed distance from him before I ended up doing something we’d both regret. I wanted to ask him why he hadn’t believed me, but I didn’t want to revisit that day. It was the worst day of my life.

“That was thoughtful of you. You didn’t need to do that, though.”

“I’m the asshole who knocked you up, Remington. Making you soup to ease the sickness is the least I can do.”

“Admittedly, I don’t know how to respond to kindness well. I’ve little experience with being on the receiving end of it.” Wringing my hands in front of me, I waited for his reply, but his eyes widened, as if he were momentarily caught off guard.

Shuffling his feet, he shoved long, slender fingers through his messy ink-colored hair. I’d never known Rhys to be at a loss for words before. He appeared pensive and maybe even a little remorseful. He waited for me to speak, causing a blush to paint my cheeks pink.

The pregnant silence slowly suffocated me to the point I ended up blurting out, “I’m sorry I threw up on you!” Mortification shot through me as his lips twitched at my expense, as if he struggled not to laugh at my awkwardness.

My eyes scrunched close to the discomfort I’d created from what had been a tender moment. This was my life now. The gaudy redhead who spewed random shit, then threw up on the man she fantasized over.

A clap of laughter left his lips at my awkward apology. I wanted a sinkhole to open beneath me, devouring me entirely. Heat burned the tips of my ears as it spread down my face, neck, and chest.

“No, you’re not, little liar,” he muttered as his palm slid over his face, as if scrubbing away whatever emotion had gripped him. “If you do, you shouldn’t. I deserve it for not releasing you.” I expected Rhys to leave once he’d said his peace. Instead, he sat down, leaned forward, and then passed me the tea. “Talia said to start with this. She mentioned the essential oils will ease the sickness, but the tea will ensure you suffer no more tonight.”

Whispering thanks, I accepted the tea. A subtle hint of floral mingled with the comforting notes of citrus and warm spices during inhalation. Sipping the mixture, I closed my eyes as it exploded like fireworks over my taste buds. Soothing the ache in my throat from the hour spent heaving, it slid down like silky cream, easing the soreness.

I didn’t need to ask whether magic enhanced it. It tasted sweet and mystical as it moved toward my stomach. The gentle pulse of it drifted throughout my system, easing the nausea altogether. A sultry moan escaped as I felt the magic pulsing through my entire body, as if it had entered my veins and then flowed to every cell in my body.

“That good, then?” Rhys asked, then placed his hand on my thigh. Sparks shot up my leg, each one connecting against my clit. It caused me to jump, spilling tea over the front of the white gown I wore. “Are you okay?” he demanded as he launched off the couch, pulling the front of the gown away from my skin.

“I’m okay,” I yelped, rising to prevent him from ripping the gown. We both stared at the dark spots that were vanishing before our eyes. “Magic tea. Remember? It isn’t meant to harm, meaning it won’t burn me.”

Rhys’ grip on the gown lessened until it released the fabric. Pushing his fingers through his hair, he brought his eyes level with mine. Worry swam in the aquatic depths of his azure gaze. It needled me to assure him that I was fine.

“I’m okay. Promise.” Placing the delicate cup down, I ran my palms down the front of the gown, a soft smile playing over my mouth.

“Good. I take it you enjoyed the tea before you ended up wearing most of it.” This time, he didn’t form it as a question. “You moaned as you took the first sip. A moan I would enjoy you making for me—” My brows lifted in silent question as he paused, then continued. “—Never mind. I need to leave. If you can, try to eat something with at least a little nutrition. I’ve been made aware of your eating habits and that they weren’t the healthiest choices.” Rhys rose to a standing position, rubbing his palms over his upper thighs. “Is there anything you need before I go?” He glanced down at the tray, then brought his pensive stare back up, searching my face as if the answer was written somewhere on it.

“Is there a TV I can watch something on?” I asked, shyness spreading through me as I squirmed beneath his intense scrutiny.

My question caused a grin to tug at his lips. As I watched, he strolled to the bar and retrieved a remote. The moment he pushed a button, a humming noise started from above our heads. On the far wall, something descended until it revealed a theater size screen.

“What’s your comfort show, little silver?”

“Snapped,” I stated, then smiled as he repeated it into the remote before he offered me some serious side eye on my choice.

“You think that’s a comfort show?” As I pulled my legs up beneath me, I grinned. Chewing my bottom lip, I noted the way his eyes zeroed in on my mouth as he ran his tongue over his lips. “Not that I’m judging your choice in comforting shows.” The smile spreading over his generous mouth told me otherwise.

“Liar,” I admonished, fighting the smile threatening to spread over my mouth. “Some women love the Hallmark channel. Me? I prefer watching documentaries about murder. It’s quite comforting to know that no matter how messy my life is, someone else’s is much messier.” Adjusting on the couch, I pulled the skirt of the dress up, then tucked it beneath my legs. Rhys’ stare lowered to my midriff, as if he were trying to see beyond the material concealing my naked flesh.

“Is there popcorn in the kitchen?”

Rhys chuckled, then muttered. “There are forty-three seasons of people snapping and committing murderous acts?” Snapped was my newest guilty obsession.

“It seems to be something mortals enjoy doing a lot of according to this show.” Waiting for him to reply, I allowed my gaze to slide over his physique. The man had been built by the gods for sinning. Dark lust was threaded throughout his genetics, causing lustful intentions to always heighten in his presence.

I wasn’t winning the fight against my overactive libido. A libido that was currently working overtime. If given the chance, I’d rip off all his clothing, then taste every delicious inch of him until the ravenous hunger that sat heavy in my bones was satiated. I was so screwed if I couldn’t make the aching throb between my thighs stop pounding.

“What are you thinking about right now?” he asked, causing my eyes to round as I released the hold my teeth held on my bottom lip. My nipples hardened to painful tips that begged to be suckled and tasted. Arousal shot through my core, forcing his nostrils to flare, as if he scented the tormented sexual state of my body. “Remington?”

“I was thinking I’d butter your cock— No! No, I wasn’t thinking about your penis. I was cocking my popcorn. Cock my butter? Nope. Shut up, Remington! I was wondering where the popcorn was kept. But I also need butter. Butter doesn’t belong on a cock.” I couldn’t get any redder than I’d become over what had spewed from my lips.

“I’m not against food play by any means.” The glint in his eyes told me he was enjoying my discomfort. Rhys slowly rounded the coffee table, then kneeled in front of me, a cocky smirk playing over his generous mouth. “I doubt you’d enjoy the aftermath of butter being used in your more . . . delicate places.”

“I don’t know what is wrong with me.” His lips jerked up in the corners of his mouth at my explanation. “I forget how to speak when you’re around. Then, the weirdest shit ever spews out.”

“Is that what happens? Maybe if you told me what you’d been thinking about before you spoke, I could help you solve the problem?” The Cheshire Cat grin on his lips told me he was enjoying needling me. “Do you recall what you were imagining before you spoke?”

“Popcorn.” The lie came easily because, while I’d been thinking about buttering popcorn, I’d also been imagining him naked between my thighs.

“Indeed. Only popcorn?” he asked in a voice laced with sex and loose gravel. The huskiness of his tone caused goosebumps to spread over my flesh. “Or was there something else on your mind?”

“Butter and popcorn. Just the two together. Nothing else.” I was mortified that I’d placed both his cock and butter in the same freaking sentence together. Who in the hell said shit like that? Me. That’s who.

“Well, then I fear I won’t be much help with your issue,” he rasped as his hand lifted, touching my thigh. “What season would you like to watch?” His hand caressed my thigh, applying just enough pressure to jerk my thoughts away from pushing him onto his back and riding his magnificent cock until we were both too tired to argue or do anything but breathe.

“Season five, episode three. I haven’t been able to watch it since I left E.V.I.E.,” I added while still ogling him like a piece of prime meat. Rhys lifted, leaving his pelvis blocking my view of anything else. Licking my lips, I managed to restrain the groan as I noted his semi-hardened state. Fuck me, I needed an ice-cold shower and a vibrator.

“You didn’t catch up on your murderous show with Nyota and Nyx?”

His question forced my eyes to drift up to ensure he wasn’t joking. A snort of laughter broke from my lips before I could suppress it.

“It was just a question, Love.”

Just a question? Was he serious right now? “We couldn’t afford such luxurious things as cable television. Hell, the dog ears, as Nyota termed them, were shit. We barely got the local channels on the secondhand black and white TV Nyx purchased from a secondhand store downtown.”

“Why not just—” Rhys’ question stilled on his tongue as he answered the question himself. The reminder of what he’d done cooled my ardor right along with his. “My mistake. I’ll be back with your popcorn.”

“If you show me where it is, I can make it myself.” If Rhys heard what I’d said, he chose to ignore me. Within moments, the buttery scent of salty, delicious popcorn wafted throughout the space.

My stomach growled with eagerness for the salty snack, as Rhys carried in a hulking bowl, setting it down beside me. Eyeing the butter-covered popped kernels, he frowned.

“Try to eat a little broth. You need the nutrients in it, Remi.” Pushing his hands into the pockets of his slacks, he waited beside the couch. For what, I wasn’t sure. “Don’t try to escape from me. It’s the safest place for you right now. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have brought you here. Talia herself reinforced the space with enough magic to protect the entire town.” Frowning, he started for the staircase, then paused, turning to look at me.

“Forget something?” I asked, uncertain what emotion was warring for dominance over his features as he silently stared at me.

“I shouldn’t have frozen your accounts. It was an automatic reaction. I regret doing it now. I’m not saying I won’t do so again if I thought you were trying to leave town. That was my intention, Love. To stop you from leaving. Believe it or not, I didn’t want you to leave, but couldn’t handle being near you either,” he susurrated.

“Oh.” I wasn’t sure how to respond to what he’d admitted. He didn’t want me to leave, but he didn’t want me to stay. It wasn’t something I could say thank you to. It was the only word I could formulate.

Rhys scratched his neck as he remained rooted to the spot. An uncomfortable silence drifted between us, almost like it was waiting for an apology from me in return. I wasn’t sure what I’d done, if anything, to offer him an apology for.

The skin between my eyes creased as the uneasiness caused me to fidget beneath his perceptive stare. “I’m sorry that my mother was your ex -lover, or whatever. If she had swallowed, we wouldn’t be having issues right now. Of course, she was more a taker than a giver, I guess. I’m sorry about Nyota, even though I didn’t harm her. I wouldn’t have done something so tasteless or stuck around to be punished for it, either. I’m also sorry I got Nyx shot, resulting in Acyn having to heal her. Not that either of them will be put out about spending time screwing like rabbits.”

Rhys’ intense stare caused my brain to malfunction, resulting in the need for me to fill the awkward silence with whatever came to mind. Unfortunately, it ended up being the worst thing that could’ve spewed from my lips.

“Rabbits . . .” Don’t say it, Remington. Do. Not. Say it! “Did you know they have to eat their food twice and will eat it out of their ass? Disgusting, right? Plus, they can’t throw up. So, if they’re eating their poop and then decide they don’t like what they ate the first time, they can’t even gag or toss their cookies to expel it from their stomach.” Slowly blinking, I replayed what had just word-vomited from my lips and felt heat scorching my cheeks. “What the hell, Remington? Rabbits and your mother? Jesus on wheat rice and animal crackers!” The steady stream of anxiety added to the tension forming between us. Placing my hand on the back of my neck, I silently promised the floor sexual favors if it would swallow me whole.

Azure eyes glittered with laughter as his lips twitched. “I didn’t know that about rabbits.” Rhys slowly drifted closer, placing his hands on the arm of the sofa. I, on the other hand, inwardly chided my idiocy and nervousness that caused the impromptu word-vomit. “I’m personally very thankful the murderous bitch didn’t swallow you. I enjoy being around you. Even when you spew words out at a crazy pace to fill the silence between us. Just to be clear, Love. I’ve already said I never fucked your mother. She and I were intended to wed but shit happened.”

“Oh,” I whispered as a nervous laugh escaped with a single word. “Thank you for not pointing out how insane I sounded.”

“It’s fucking adorable.” One hand cupped behind my head before he brought his lips flush against mine. My stomach fluttered with warmth as butterflies stirred in response. His tongue slid against the seam of my lips, parting for his kiss. Before I could grant him access, he pulled away. “Don’t fill up on popcorn. It has no nutrients that you need. You’re growing an entire person inside you.” Placing his lips against my forehead, he planted a tender kiss before his feverish mouth drifted to my ear.

“Don’t wait up for me. I’ll be out late. I left a phone on the nightstand beside the bed. Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency. If I were you, I’d try not to have an emergency.” Once he’d finished speaking, Rhys slowly pulled back to study my face as if memorizing every fine detail to memory. It caused panic to claw its way up my chest, tightening inside my throat. Idiotically, I wanted to beg him to remain here with me. I wouldn’t, but I wanted to.

“Be safe,” I offered, uncertain if he’d even be in danger when he left here.

The smile he offered me caused my heart to still, then started anew at an alarming speed. Swallowing past the lump swelling in my throat, I compelled a tight, reassuring smile in response to his. Then, I held it in all its awkward glory until I heard the door closing behind him.

The groan I released was full of self-loathing. “You couldn’t be more awkward if you tried to be, Silversmith.” Gently smacking my forehead, I groaned louder, becoming more conscious of what I’d just verbally spewed flooding into my mind. “Fucking rabbits. Really? I mean, thousands of other things to say and you pick rabbits eating their poop! Did you know they eat their poop? No, because no one wants to know that shit. Literally!” Collapsing on the sofa, I stared sightlessly at the murder scene on the gigantic screen.

Had that asshole referred to me as a possession? I wasn’t sure what to feel about what he’d stated. Being referred to as his most precious possession didn’t sound entirely horrible. Right? I mean, sure. I wasn’t a possession, but he’d called me precious. Glass half-full, I guess.

Leaning forward, I slid my focus around the space as curiosity got the better of me. Rising to my feet, my eyes drifted to the corridor that led to his suite. We’d bypassed several closed doors to reach the living room. I couldn’t stand not knowing what was behind closed doors. It would cause my anxiety to spike, meaning I was going to have to snoop through Rhys’ private living quarters.