He uncrossed his arms and took a few steps closer to me. "I said I’d show up."
"You said you might."
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm here. So, what are we doing?"
I glanced down at the ink on his arms and got a crazy idea. "I want a tattoo."
He raised a brow and smirked. "They're painful."
"I'm not a pansy."
"No, more like a lily or a daisy."
I hiked up my skirts and marched right up to him. "Have you forgotten I spent the past six years busting my ass as a jewel miner? I'm a hell of a lot tougher than you think."
He considered me for a moment. "Fine. Get a tattoo."
"You're going to get one with me. It'll be a trust-building exercise. I pick yours, and you pick mine."
"Trust building? You sure you trust me to pick your very first tattoo, Jewels?"
"Yeah," I said boldly, putting a hand on my hip. “I trust you won't be a dick. See how that works?"
He shook his head and held out his arms, scanning the available surface area. "You don't think I have enough already?"
He wouldn't have enough even if they covered most of his body; they were that fucking sexy. Wait, did they cover most of his body?
I lifted my chin. "Are your arms the only place?"
"I have a few on my chest, back, and sides too."
Then I'd be choosing one of those areas. Not only did it seem to be the only available space left for a tattoo, but it would also ensure that he was shirtless for a while, and I had no doubt that would be a delicious fucking sight. Ooh, maybe I should make him get one below the belt...
I cleared my throat. "Do you happen to know if any tattoo artists live around here?"
"I do. I've had tattoos from all five kingdoms."
"Five? I thought there were only four?"
"Four that were conquered, five total." He started walking along a path through the woods, and I followed. "Central Blackwood, the place where the Palace now stands, used to be part of the original kingdom of Medsea."
"If Blackwood was originally... Med-see, then what were the names of the other four before they were conquered?"
“Is your history professor not teaching you anything?” Rob teased. “Cal’s kingdom, where we are right now, used to be called Norsai, and it was ruled by the Scarsboros."
"Was Caroline a Scarsboro?" I asked, thinking of Cal's mom.
"She was," Rob said with an approving smile. "Wessea was ruled by the Beckwiths. That's Dan's kingdom."
"So, Delilah was a Beckwith."
He nodded. "Ben's kingdom was called Essund, and it was ruled by the Addingtons."
"Okay. So... Bianca Addington."
"And my kingdom was known as Sohsol. Ruled by the Davenports. You remember my mom's name?"
I grinned. "Rosemary. So, she was Rosemary Davenport?"
He nodded. "Good job."
"Thanks. Who ruled Medsea?"
"The Halliwells. Ashlynn was a Halliwell."
A for Ashlynn, A for Asher.
"So, Asher was a Halliwell."
"No, Asher was a Storm. He could have been a Halliwell, if the Storm King hadn't conquered Medsea, killed Ash's father and older siblings, then forced himself on Ash's mom."
Forced? The very thought made my blood run cold. Gods, is that what had happened to my mother? Is that what had happened to all our mothers? Rob shot me a solemn glance, and I knew in my heart it was true. All four princes, five if you included the late Asher, were the products of... rape. Of the Storm King's wicked ways. His lust for power, his sense of entitlement, his fucking narcissism.
Kill the king.
The dead man's words rang through my head once again, clearer this time than before. He was a murderer, a rapist, a tyrant, and he deserved to die. But... was I truly the one to do it?
I swallowed hard and quickly changed the subject. "So where is this tattoo artist located?"
Rob pointed to the path before us. "Just a little further. She lives in Blackmeadow."
"She? The tattooist is a girl?"
"She is," he said with a lopsided grin. "She's the best in North Blackwood."
I was suddenly irrationally jealous. "What tattoo did she give you?"
He loosened the collar of his shirt and pulled down on the material, revealing a piece of a black tribal tattoo across his shoulder and chest.
Well. Maybe I wouldn't be giving him a below-the-belt tattoo. Hell, I wasn't even sure if I wanted him shirtless anymore. This woman had seen too much of him already, as far as I was concerned.
"Jealousy looks good on you, Jewels," he teased as he straightened his shirt.
"Please. I am not jealous."
"I'm no Cal, but even I can tell that's a lie. You're totally jealous."
I scoffed. "If I'm jealous, it's only because she had the chance to stab you repeatedly and I didn't."
He laughed. "Whatever you say. I still like that possessive fire in your eyes."
Possessive? Is that what he thought I was being? Pshh. As if. Can't be possessive of something that's not yours.
A hollow sensation gripped my chest as I realized how true that statement was. Most of the Storm Princes would never be mine. I could only choose one. I didn't have a right to be jealous or possessive, and I never would.
Rob's words from earlier drifted back to me, and suddenly, I felt bold. Desperate even.
"What did you mean when you said, 'maybe you don't have to choose’?"
He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I mean, maybe you don't have to."
"Please don't fuck with me. I don't think I can take it. Just tell me straight. Were you insinuating that I could somehow... have all four of you?"
His features hardened, but the fire blazing in his eyes suggested I was correct.
"My brothers and I share everything, Jewels. From drinks, to clothes, to punishments and celebrations. We share the same father, and with all our mothers in the king's harem, we technically share those too. We share responsibilities and pressures, and we share our honest thoughts and darkest desires. There's nothing we don’t share. So, I don't see why we couldn't share you."
Heat blazed through me, and my mouth dried up. "You mean, like a whore?"
"No, not like whore! Fuck, Jewels, why do you think so poorly of me all the time?"
I shook my head quickly. "I don't. I just need clarity. I need to hear exactly what you're saying and not read any further into it than I’m supposed to."
He sighed. "I'm just saying, I'd be willing to share you, if they were. Not just sexually but in every way. There are very few people who actually know and understand what we're going through. Very few people I'd want to let in. But you're already in; you're already in our boat. It would be so easy to add you into our dynamic."
Breathe, Jewels—I mean, Alexis—breathe. My hands were shaking, and my legs felt weak.
"But," he added, damn near bursting my perfect little bubble, "we would have to all agree on it. If not, it would never work. Jealousy and resentment would tear us apart. And to be honest, I don't think my brothers will agree to it."
"I don't know." My voice came out as a whisper. "Ben mentioned the same thing at dinner last night."
Rob's brows furrowed. "Ben mentioned the possibility of sharing you?"
I nodded. "I admitted to him that I liked you all, and he admitted you all liked me back."
Rob's eyes narrowed slightly. "And he specifically used the word share?"
"Well, no, but..." I sighed, feeling suddenly frustrated. "I said, I don’t know how I’m going to choose. And he said, maybe Rob's right? Maybe you don't have to?"
He blinked, and a pleasant smile lit up his face. "That's promising, Jewels. I figured Ben and Cal would be your hardest sales. But if Ben's on board... that means Cal's the only one holding us back."
My heart hammered like a jewel miner on acid.
“Dan has already agreed to it?"
Rob rolled his eyes. "No, but I know my brother. He
's always down for kinky shit."
My mind was spinning like a tornado. "Cal won’t agree to it. He’ll choose Bria over all of us. Nothing will stop him from doing his duty to the kingdom.”
Rob sighed heavily. "If that's what he wants, then fine. Maybe it'll just be the four of us."
"And what about your father?"
Rob smirked. "What about him?"
"He would never allow an arrangement like that... would he?"
"Fuck no!"
My shoulders drooped. "Then I'm still going to have to choose one of you."
"That's right."
I stopped walking and crossed my arms. "You're playing games with me, aren't you?"
He spun around and grabbed my biceps, squeezing gently. "I'm not fucking with you, Jewels. I'm just saying, yes, you'll have to officially choose one of us for my father's sake, but it'll mean nothing. You'll still be just as committed to the brothers you’re not married to as the one that you are."
I pursed my lips. "And you're sure you won't be jealous of the one who's chosen?"
"As long as we have an agreement set up beforehand, then no."
Dear gods, was this really happening? Had my wildest dreams just come true amidst the worst situation of my life?
I was suddenly hyperaware of his hands on my body, our lips mere inches from touching, our eyes locked and lost in each other's depths.
Then his mouth crashed into mine, and it was everything. It had the heat of the first kiss we shared, but with genuine passion fueling our motions instead of magic, it had a realness, a rawness I couldn't deny.
My fingers threaded in his dark hair as his hands found my hips. Before I knew it, I was pressed between the rough bark of a nearby tree and the hard planes of Rob’s body. Including a ridiculously hard dick.
He pulled away all too soon, leaving me gasping for air.
“We can’t do this,” he said but didn't make any efforts to back away or pry us apart.
I slid my hands from his hair down to his scruffy jawline, my thumb grazing his lips.
"Not until everyone agrees," I finished for him.
I knew it was the right thing to do, but gods damn it, it was frustrating. I'd been cockblocked so many times already.
He popped my thumb into his mouth and sucked gently, making me moan.
"I'll help you convince them," he assured me, dropping his mouth to the base of my neck and kissing all the way back up to my lips.
"You better," I threatened breathlessly, "or else I might have to cheat and use my magic on you."
He chuckled against my mouth and finally pulled away, taking my hand in his.
"If the guys don't agree, I hope you do cheat."
Not too long after that, we arrived in the outskirts of Blackmeadow.
The tattooist Rob spoke of lived in a little old hut with shingles that were falling off and a lawn full of overgrown weeds. A wooden sign outside her door read: Cat's Tats.
I raised a brow. I didn’t know why, but I'd been expecting something more... extravagant.
"The tattooist's name is Cat?" I asked.
"No, she goes by the name Blaze."
"Blaze?" I crossed my arms. "Then what's the Cat part for? Just so it rhymes?"
He shrugged. "She’s a bit of a crazy cat lady, but it's no big deal."
He strolled over to the hut and knocked on her door. I swore the whole thing shook under his fist.
A moment later, the door swung open and a girl with long black hair stood the doorway. She looked hard, with a scowl on her face and her fingers clenched into a fist, but she was definitely pretty. I was suddenly less jealous and more admiring. She was clearly a badass who took no shit.
"Prince Robert," she said curtly. Then she turned to me. "And you are?"
"Alexis Ravenel."
She lifted her chin a bit and studied me. "Name's Blaze. You here for a tat?"
I grinned. "No, I'm here for a cat."
She flicked her wrist and a knife appeared in her grasp. She pointed the tip of the blade at me for emphasis. "Don't touch my fucking cats."
I held up both hands and shot Rob a comical look. I hadn't been expecting that serious of a reaction, but I couldn't bring myself to feel nervous when the situation was so ridiculous.
"Only joking!" I assured her, giggling like a crazy person. "I want a tattoo, yes."
She turned to Rob. "And you?"
"Apparently I'm getting another one as well."
Blaze nodded and held the door open wider. "Come on in, then."
"Hold the door, love!" someone else called from inside.
Rob and I waited, so we weren't all clogging the entrance at once, and out popped a beautiful woman with curly blonde hair and honey-brown eyes. She leaned in and kissed Blaze gently on the lips. My eyes popped open as shock slapped me right in the face.
"I'm heading into town for a bit," the woman said, smiling sweetly. "I'll bring back supper."
"Cool." The corners of Blaze's mouth curled up. "You want to pick up those—"
"Dyes? It's already on my list."
"And some more—"
"Antiseptic for the needles? That's on the list too."
Blaze smiled for real this time. "You're awesome."
The blonde woman smiled back. "I love you too."
As she sauntered off, Blaze sobered up and glared at us. "What the hell are you waiting for? You think this shit's quick and easy? I don't have all day."
Yes, ma'am.
I scurried inside with Rob on my heels.
The short hallway opened into a tiny square room, where all three of us crammed in awkwardly. A strange herbal scent tinted the air, which I guessed either came from the dyes she used or the weeds she might’ve smoked.
Blaze tied a midnight black apron around her neck and waist and sat down on a wooden stool. "Who's first?"
I shot a fearful glance at Rob. "You better go first. Show me how it's done."
He grinned and crossed his arms. "No way, you better go first so you don't chicken out once you see how it's done."
The blood drained from my face. "Is it really that bad?"
"Not for a tough-as-nails jewel miner."
He was patronizing me. The bastard. But it freaking worked.
I took a deep breath and flopped into a chair beside Blaze.
"What are you looking for?" she asked me as she lined up a few terrifying tools on a wooden tray. Silver knives, bronze needles, a small hammer, a black cloth, a vial of bubbling liquid, a tin of minty salve.
Are we sure this isn’t an exorcism? Or a sacrificial ritual gone wrong?
I wanted to share my concerns with Rob, but I didn't want to look like a chickenshit, so I kept my overactive thoughts to myself.
"I'm choosing her tattoo," Rob butted in with a wicked grin. "We're bonding."
Blaze glanced between us, a flat look on her face. "How cute."
"I'm thinking..." Rob mused, "a black leaf inside a black crown. To symbolize where she came from and where she's headed."
My lips parted, and I touched a hand to my chest. "Gods, Rob, that was actually incredibly thoughtful of you."
He shrugged. "It's the little things."
Blaze nodded, a sure sign that she actually approved of his choice. "And what are you choosing for him?"
My cheeks went hot. "A jewel."
"A jewel?" Blaze questioned, clearly unimpressed.
Rob glowered. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
I shook my head. "Nope. You always call me Jewels, and I want my mark on your body."
A small smile crept onto his lips, and he nodded. "Fine. Mark my body. But keep in mind, I'll be marking yours very soon too."
Holy motherfucking gods, he was hot. I thought I started sweating.
"Bleh." Blaze made a gagging sort of sound. "Spare me the details."
"Not me," I cut in, unsure of which set of lips I was speaking with. "I'd like details."
Blaze whacked me in the back of the head. "Quiet, Lex.
Where's this tat going?"
I smiled and shook my head, unfazed by her brash behavior.
Rob tapped his chin theatrically. "Hmm. Home is where the heart is, right? How about above her heart?"
Blaze quirked a sassy brow. "You mean... on her left breast."
Rob's gaze darkened, and he nodded.
Blaze blew out a loaded breath. "Gonna make this hard on you and me both, huh?"
We got a good little chuckle out of that. Then she picked up the knife and wiggled her brows, and the smile fell right off my face.
"If you want to... pull your top down a bit, we'll go ahead and get started."
“Yeah, Jewels,” Rob said in a heated half growl. “Why don’t you pull your top down?”
Oh, fuck yeah, he was getting a groin tattoo.
Chapter 20
“Son of a bitch!” I cried, pressing a palm into my bandaged breast.
If it wasn’t bleeding, it’d be a miracle.
“I’m sorry?” Taron sort of asked as he glanced at Tamara.
She shrugged. “It shouldn’t have hurt that bad.”
I shook my head. "No, no, it's fine. I was just stabbed repeatedly this afternoon with a knife and a needle and had charcoal rubbed in my wounds."
"Charcoal?" Tamara asked with a raised brow.
"Ah.” Taron figured it out immediately. “Tattoo?"
I nodded.
"Date with Prince Robert?" Tamara asked with even more interest.
I nodded again.
"Good." She smirked. "He needs a little companionship. He's too damn lonely."
Taron sighed. "He isolates himself on purpose."
"And it's about time he stopped, wouldn't you agree?"
He nodded and shrugged slightly. "I suppose so. If it pleases him."
"Oh, I'm sure she pleases him," Tamara said with a wink in my general direction.
I didn't know what the deal was with chicks flirting with me today, but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I was, however, going to change the subject.
"Have you two done any more research into my magical... fuckery."
For lack of a better word.
Tamara snorted, while Taron smiled.
"We have, Alexis. And it's just as we thought. Your powers come from the sisters Hera and Hestia."
"No Hephaestus, then?"
Taken by Storm (Storms of Blackwood Book 1) Page 19
