Page 56 of Sire

That would be my dream. I love kids. I love giving them all the hugs I wish I had gotten as a child.

Finally, it’s just Sire and me, standing with his brother and the blonde queen.

“Wren,” Sire lowers his voice, “this is my brother, Grant, and his badass queen, Delphine.”

“Well, hello, our little Phoenix.” Grant hugs me. He’s as big and warm as Sire. “You are a little bird, aren’t you? All rising fire and no bullshit.”

I shrug, smiling. “Mess with me and I’ll burn your ass.”

“Oui!I love you already.” Delphine yanks me into a tight hug. “Finally, I have another queen with me.”

“What about Zar?” Grant asks.

Sire winces, muttering, “Shit. I forgot that’s tonight.”

“What’s tonight?”

Grant cuts Sire a look. Delphine purses her perfect red lips like she can’t say. And I sense something going on.

“Sire?” I tilt my head. “What’s tonight? And who is Zar?”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

SIRE

It becomesclear I not only underestimated Wren, I underestimated myself.

“So, you’re not mad?” I ask her. “You’re not jealous? Or furious? Or even pouting?”

I’m shocked because Wren’s mature acceptance of what I’m doing tonight arouses me in ways that are way too early for our relationship.

“If you want me to throw a tantrum, I can try,” she jokes with a mouth full of red velvet cake.

Delphine laughs. “There. It is settled. She is one of us. She celebrates our initiations.C’est magnifique.”

“But think about it,” Grant warns. “If we’re all in an initiation tonight, who’s watching Wren?”

She scoffs, “I don’t need a babysitter.”

“But you do need a bodyguard,” I insist. “No fucking way will I leave you unprotected.”

“Unprotected while you initiate aman?” She licks frosting off her top lip. “You sure I can’tcomewith you?”

Oh, my angel, teasing me with your dirty pun.

“Oui. Why can’t she come?” Delphine asks. “She can sitbeside me on a queen’s throne. She can see how queens are made. She’ll love it.”

“Because only kings and queens are allowed to watch an initiation,” Grant explains.

“Then blindfold me,” Wren offers.

“Fuck no,” I sneer lowly, thankful there aren’t many here for an early dinner in the restaurant. “I can’t focus on being a second king tonight, while my future queen sits blindfolded, and listening to me do it.”

“Yeah.” Grant nods, sympathizing, “That’d be too hot. You’ll bust a nut too soon.”

“That and…” I pause, trying to use logic, not lust. “This isn’t about us tonight. It’s about Nick and Zar and their love. It’s their ceremony. It means a lot to them. To all of us.”

“It means a lot that you’redoingthis,” Grant adds. “I’ll always try and help a brother, but I can’t get it up for a man, even one as buff as Zar.”