“If I were to join your knights, it would simply be a different means of alliance.” He was utterly calm as he spoke, utterly confident. His eyes stayed on mine, measuring my reactions. His dark, enchanting eyes didn’t waver.
My heart thumped at this turn. Out of all the possible motives for Abbas’ visit, I’d never imagined this.
Quinn, get Connor and get over here. I want to know his intentions and thoughts.
I watched my knights exchange a look and then each latch on to a female courtier and step back onto the dance floor. My tone when I looked back up at Abbas was calm and measured. “You come for my sister, and yet you proposition me. Does that not make your intentions duplicitous?”
“Ah. You mistake my father’s intentions for my own.”
“You’d defy your father?”
He shrugged a shoulder and the corner of his mouth quirked up. “He desires an alliance with Evaness. I … desire you.”
Shock rolled through like an oceanic fog. It clouded my thoughts. “This … is unexpected.”
Suddenly a squirrel appeared on top of Abbas’ head. It held a pair of nut in its hands and swung down from Abbas’ hair to shove the nuts into his mouth.
I couldn’t swallow my laugh quickly enough.
Abbas’ eyes tightened.
“I’m sorry. So sorry. Quinn is making me see things.”
“The mind-speaker?”
“Yes. He can make me see things sometimes.”
Abbas grew intrigued. “And what did he show you just now?”
I took a deep breath. But truth was easier than inventing a lie on the spot. “A squirrel. Shoving its nuts in your mouth.”
Abbas’ chest shook in quiet laughter. “He doesn’t like my proposition. Luckily, he has no say.”
Two squirrels appeared then. One on either of Abbas’ shoulders.
I closed my eyes. There was no way I could not react to whatever Quinn might do next. I followed Abbas’ by feel through the next few steps of the dance. “Your Highness—” I started.
“No,” Abbas cut me off and my eyes flew open. “You aren’t to respond yet. Think about it. My country is full of magic. An alliance with us could only increase the amount of magic here. My powers would be at your disposal. And I hear you might have need of a little magical assistance …” his eyes grew calculating.
I sucked in a breath.
Does he know about the dragons? Or is he talking about my power? I wondered.
Quinn what is he thinking?
The sarder is deliberately clouding his thoughts. He keeps picturing squirrels, erasing any other thoughts that might start to form. He knows I’m listening.
Shite.
My gasp had let Abbas know he had the upper hand. There was nothing I could do to take that back. So instead of bluffing, I asked, “Why would you propose this? What is it you want?”
“You’re not reason enough?” Abbas’ lips quirked.
“I’m not that naive.”
“Let’s say I have a vested interest in an alliance with you. Consider my proposal.”
“Without an honest answer, I won’t.”
“It was an honest answer. Just not a specific one.”
“You expect me to trust you—”
But before I could finish my sentence, Abbas kissed my hand and strode away, leaving me in the middle of the dance floor, mid-song, as women in a rainbow blur of dresses whirled by.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Connor gently left his dance partner, so he could accompany me off the dance floor.
The rest of my knights followed suit.
We officially retired for the evening, allowing everyone one last opportunity to bow before they began to truly enjoy themselves without the supervision of their monarch.
Our group made its way out into the hall and down a long corridor. We didn’t speak until we reached the Royal Wing.
As soon as we’d passed through the guarded doors, I whirled on Connor. I grabbed his elbow. “What was he feeling? Did you get any glimpses?”
“There was a tinge of desperation I think might have been real. But, like Quinn’s been telling me about his thoughts … Abbas is a master, Bloss. He was great at masking. He brought in an overload of emotions so quickly. It was like he was shuffling cards.”
His servants at the tavern seem sloppy drunk, and all they know is that Abbas and his father had words before the prince’s departure. They seem too mixed up to give my people a real rundown on what those words are, Quinn reported.
I bit my lip. “Why would he want to break from his father?”
“The djinn who’s been ruling Cheryn for centuries? Maybe because he’s evil. Crazy. Crazy evil. Who cares?” Ryan scooped me up. “Let’s figure that out tomorrow. You’re our sarding wife now, Bloss. Declan can’t block this cock anymore.” He nuzzled my hair. “I’m gonna pound you so hard, they’ll hear it in the ballroom. Maybe even in town.”
Declan stole me out of Ryan’s arms. “Wait. There’s only one fair way to do this. We’re all gonna want to go first. So …” Declan backed up against my door. He turned the handle with one hand and threw open the door. His other hand reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pair of dice and balanced them on his palm in front of him.
My eyes narrowed. “You’re going to gamble for me?”
“Hell yeah!” Ryan scooped the dice out of Declan’s hands.
“Hell no!” Connor and I both shouted.
I started and stared at Connor. “Why did you say no?”
A blush spread across his face. “Well … because you should get to choose. Right?”
I laughed. “I was gonna say you can’t gamble. But you can bid for me. I’ll auction myself off. Whoever bids the most outrageous sex act wins!”
I pulled off my crown and skipped through the door. I turned around to look at the four of them. They were still in the hallway. Frozen. Gaping.
“Well … come on!”
They all tried to barrel through the door at once. They got stuck. And lots of pinching and prodding and elbowing ensued until Ryan broke through first.
“Yes!”
I shook my head. “You haven’t won anything … yet.” I leaned against the end of my bed. I plucked at my dress, dragging the silver skirt up, up, up to my thighs. Up a little further, until my most intimate spot was bared to them.
“Who’s going to bid first?” I asked.
Four pairs of eyes snapped from my swollen, wet cunt up to my face.
“You … didn’t wear underthings,” Declan’s voice was pained.
“Nope. The entire time I danced with each of you, I was ripe for the plucking.”
“I bid … I’ll spank you and then give you four orgasms with my fingers,” Ryan sputtered.
My nipples tightened at that.
I saw Ryan’s shaft start to grow in his pants. And my eyes were drawn there. His hand snuck down and he stroked himself over his pants. My breath caught.
I’ll make you come apart on my mouth so many times you pass out, Quinn said.
I turned to him. His grey eyes were magnetic, drawing me toward him. It was all I could do to stay in my spot. The other men shimmered and disappeared from my sight. Only Quinn and I were in the room.
Come to me, love. Let me kiss your lips. I’ll—
“What did he say?” Declan urged.
The other men shimmered back into view as Quinn’s illusion vanished.
I wagged a finger at him.
You’re a naughty little cheater.
He shrugged, not at all remorseful.
Can you make sure everyone hears you at once?
It’ll be a little bit like shouting but … Quinn repeated his bid. The guys and I flinched. Quinn’s internal shout was like a gong in my head.
I apologized to everyone. “Sorry. I thought it would be fairer if you knew exactly what Quinn bid.” I didn’t share about the cheating because I wasn’t ready for the game to devolve into fighting.
“You can spank me and ride me and deny me orgasms until you’ve come as many times as you want,” Declan promised.
I stared at my blond-haired knight. He would be the only one to make that kind of offer. To let me take my pleasure from his body, rather than to give pleasure to me. I wavered. What would be better? Control or a complete lack of it? As I stared at Declan, he sank to his knees. My pussy pulsed at the sight and my breathing came hard. Some part of me loved the idea that he’d be at my mercy.
All eyes turned expectantly to Connor.
He stared at me for a long moment, as his blue eyes swirled with emotion. He cleared his throat and then said, “I’ll make love to you Bloss. Love.”
My heart melted. It felt like sunshine burst through my chest, like rays were shooting out my limbs.
“No fair!” Declan cried, standing up and stepping between us. “I call emotional foul. That was not a sex act.”
I laughed. “Always a stickler for the rules, Dec.”
“Well?” He crossed his arms. “Who’s it going to be?”
My eyes flickered across each one of them. The energy in the room crackled like lightning.
“Bloss Boss,” Connor whispered.
Declan stepped back and clamped a hand over Connor’s mouth.
“You will choose me, Little Dearling,” Ryan commanded.