Prince of Stone (Imperia)

by Gena Showalter

  “Twelve—no, thirteen days.” If Katie breaks my curse.

  Katie turned away, hiding her features from him.

  “I see.” For some reason, the topic had roused Nick’s temper. “Well, the invitation is open all night if you change your mind and want to meet the other brothers. Katie has my number. Call if you want a ride.”

  Call? By shouting? Jorlan nodded.

  “Well, my work here is done.” Nick hopped from the counter and kissed Katie on the cheek. “Don’t forget the family luncheon next Saturday. And bring your date. Dad’ll love him. Love to hate him, that is.” With that, he tossed a wink over his shoulder and disappeared out the door.

  “Wait! Please!” Katie called. Then she told Jorlan, “Stay here. Pretty please with a cherry on top. I’d like to talk to my brother alone for a moment.” Without waiting for his reply, she raced away, leaving Jorlan alone.

  The truly sad thing? He already missed her.

  I’m in trouble.

  * * *

  “NICK!” THE SUN glared at Katie as she exited the front door to chase after her brother.

  He stood in the driveway, at the driver side door of his dark blue sedan, with a key remote in hand, sunglasses in place.

  With his light-colored hair and deeply tanned skin, he looked every inch a modern sun god.

  Hand shielding her eyes, she jumped off the porch. A warm breeze gusted past, spitting grains of dirt on every inch of exposed skin. “I have a question for you,” she told him.

  “Uh-oh. This looks serious.” He stopped what he was doing to walk around the car and meet her halfway. “You know you can ask me anything, Kit Kat.”

  Could she really? They were about to find out.

  Gah! I can’t believe I’m doing this. But she had so little experience with dating and expectations, and her brother was an expert. Or so he liked to claim. She just wanted, needed, to have certain information at her disposal, just in case—when—she slept with Jorlan. After their explosive encounter in the bathroom, she suspected it was only a matter of when and where. Though she was a novice, she wanted his pleasure to be just as explosive as hers.

  “What’s going on?” Nick asked, suddenly serious. “You look like you’re about to vomit.”

  “Promise me you won’t tell anyone about what I ask you.”

  Concerned, he pocketed the key remote and took her hands. “You know you can trust me with anything.”

  Just blurt it out. Come on, come on. “Jorlan and I are getting serious now and—”

  “How long have you known him?”

  Two days. And oh, wow. That little? Why did it seem like two months? “Long enough,” she finally said. “Anyway. We’re going to take our relationship to the next level—”

  “Even though he’s going home in two weeks?”

  “Even though,” she grated. “Can you not interrupt every time I’m—”

  “No.” He released her to scrub a hand over his face. “I have a feeling I’ll be better off if I beat feet before you can finish saying what I think you’re going to say. But I love you, so, shoot. Let’s hear this.”

  She ground her molars. Brothers! “Be honest. Do guys like it when a girl—”

  “Yes. Always. Now, I should go.”

  Gah! “Okay, let’s try this lightning-round style. Sexy lingerie or skin?”

  He pursed his lips but said, “Skin.”

  Good! At six foot, she had more skin than most. “Dirty words or moans?”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dirty words.”

  Just to be cruel, because why not, she said, “Missionary or—”

  “I love you, bye,” he said, then kissed her cheek.

  “I love you, too.” Before he could climb into the car, she threw her arms around him and hugged him with all of her might. “Now get lost. I’ve got work to do.”

  Taking her by the shoulders, he gave a little shake. Never had he appeared so intense or grave. “You better protect yourself, okay? Yes? Please? And I’m not talking emotional protection. Use condoms. Not one, but two. Seriously. Double bag that bitch. And if Jorlan gives you any shit about not needing a rubber, punch him in the nuts and run.”

  “I’m a big girl, Nick. Literally and figuratively. Have a little faith.” But she hadn’t given condoms or safety a second’s thought while lying on top of Jorlan on the bathroom floor.

  What if Jorlan got her pregnant with an alien baby? Like, if she ended up with an Alien or Predator situation… She shuddered. Did otherworldly guys have STDs?

  “I’ll be careful next time,” she vowed.

  “Next time!” Nick squeezed his eyes shut as if praying for patience. He breathed deeply before refocusing, hazel irises glittering. “If we never have another conversation like this…I still won’t be able to die happy because I’ll remember this one.” Muttering under his breath, he returned to the car, threw open the door and dropped inside with a heavy thump. “She’s just a baby, and she’s talking about having sex.”

  Katie rolled her eyes. “She is only a year younger than you, moron,” she called.

  Nick, being Nick, rolled down the window and flipped her off while reversing. That was how he left every family get-together. As he sped away, his tires flung gravel. A plume of dark smoke remained behind.

  She strolled back into the kitchen, a little surprised to find Jorlan in the same spot she’d left him.

  The sight of him spurred her heart into a too-fast rhythm.

  “Let’s grab something for lunch.” She didn’t want to talk about their kiss, and she didn’t want to talk about their encounter with Nick. She just wanted to think, to plan. Tonight, she would sleep with Jorlan. “You’re hungry, right?”

  He all but licked his lips. “I am always hungry.”

  The words for you hung in the air unsaid.

  CHAPTER TEN

  PERCEN DE LOCKE had scoured the galaxies. Was Jorlan still frozen inside the stone, or a free man? That he did not know…

  Frustration clawed at his insides, yet he also felt a faint stirring of hope. So far, he had been unable to locate his half brother, but he knew he was on the right track, because he could sense Jorlan’s presence.

  Aye, he was close, and he would find the male any day now. Which meant Jorlan was days away from experiencing the worst pain of his life.

  Percen grinned. Enjoy your last moments of freedom, brother. Vengeance cometh.

  * * *

  AFTER KATIE AND JORLAN dined on more fried chicken, mashed potatoes and butter biscuits than should have been humanly possible, they worked several more hours at the Victorian. By then, her muscles burned with fatigue.

  Not surprising. In an effort to subdue her nervousness about the coming night, she’d worked longer and harder than usual. Now, as she drove to the store, her stomach churned with anticipation and her nerves buzzed with a confusing mixture of certainty and uncertainty, both tinged with lust.

  Should she be with Jorlan? Should she avoid Jorlan?

  Cool air blasted from the truck’s vents, yet still she sweated. Am I going to let fear win? No! Do I want to be with Jorlan? Yes. Is my body primed, demanding total satisfaction? Every second.

  Decision made. She would be with Jorlan. Now, to figure out when and where. As soon as they got home, or when they went to bed?

  Ugh. Getting nervous again.

  At the supercenter, she parked and said, “I need to run in and grab some clothes for you.” Among other things…sexual things. “Stay in the car, okay?”

  Frowning, he said, “Why can I not stay with you?”

  “Because you tend to attack and destroy inanimate objects, and I’ll have to pay for any damage you cause.” When he stared at her stonily, making it clear he would be joining her anyway, she added, “Also because I need you to guard my car. Do not let anyone inside it.”

  That did the trick. He nodded, eager, and unsheathed his plethora of weapons. “I will not let you down.”

  Could he be any cuter?
>
  Katie exited into the evening’s warmth and marched into the store. Pushing a cart, she grabbed multiple pairs of men’s sweatpants, two pairs of slacks and a pair of jeans. Next came a mix of T-shirts. She picked out the largest ones, praying they’d fit a WWE wrestler–type frame.

  When she reached the underwear aisle, she blushed. Would he prefer boxers or briefs? Before she overheated, she threw a packet of each in the basket and headed to the personal care section.

  There were so many condom brands. Textured. Untextured. Flavored. Colored. Warming. Lubed. Edible. Tingling. Glow in the dark. Which one was she supposed to choose?

  She jerked her chin left and right to make sure no one hovered nearby, maybe taking video with their phone. All clear. Heart racing, she grabbed one of everything. A tube of spermicide and vaginal lubricant wouldn’t hurt, either.

  Beyond a doubt, Jorlan had been with a boatload of women. Why not err on the side of caution, you know?

  Oh! He’d once mentioned massage oil and feathers. A fantasy of his? She tossed a bottle of oil into the cart and set off to find a feather duster.

  At the register, a scorching blush spread across her cheeks like wildfire. A tall, gangly boy of no more than twenty, the salesclerk lifted a box of condoms and grinned. “Stocking up for the year?”

  “For the weekend.” After paying, she carried her bags to the car…crap! Jorlan stood outside it, glaring at anyone who passed.

  Spotting her, he relaxed his stance and proudly lifted his chin. “No one dared approach the car.

  “Good job,” she told him as he helped her load the bags in the backseat.

  They made the drive home in silence, her nerves acting up again. How would he react to her purchases?

  She parked in the driveway. Dusk’s fading light framed her house, making the white stucco, stained glass windows and crenellated rooftop glow.

  Jorlan hefted the bags from the passenger seat, his biceps bulging. She tried not to drool as she claimed the sacks with the condoms, then rushed ahead of him to open the front door.

  “You can put the bags on the couch,” she told him.

  He complied, only to frown and extend his index finger, a silent request for her to wait. Palming the spatula, he stalked into the kitchen, as stealthy as a shadow, disappearing from view.

  Her stomach flip-flopped. When glass shattered and a man grunted, she hurried to take the same path, the bags she refused to relinquish swinging.

  When she saw the source of the commotion, her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. “Stop! Please, Jorlan. The man you’re holding down about to punch is my brother. Denver, meet Jorlan. Jorlan, meet Denver.”

  The two males sprang apart.

  “My apologies,” Jorlan grated.

  “Hey, Kates,” Denver called happily. Blood trickled from his nose. He plopped onto the bar stool at the counter, where an open beer waited. “Did you come to join the party?”

  The back door opened and her three more brothers entered the kitchen.

  “Look who finally got here,” Nick said.

  “What’s going on?” She eyed her siblings through narrowed eyes. “And where are your cars?”

  “We took an Uber,” Erik explained. “Didn’t want you seeing our cars and running for the hills.” His sandy-colored hair stuck out in spikes, and lines of stress branched around his eyes. “And you know, no drunk driving and shit.”

  Nick spread his arms, all, I’m king of the world. “When I informed the boys about our earlier conversation, they suggested we bring the party to Jorlan.”

  Katie stomped her foot and growled, “You gossip! You promised not to tell!”

  He shrugged. “I promised not to tell…anyone but family. It’s an unspoken caveat, and you know it.”

  “We wanted to meet Jordie boy,” Grayson—Gray—piped in, his voice slightly slurred. Grinning, wavering on his feet, he thrust a beer in Jorlan’s direction. “So nice to meet you, buddy. Drink this. Liquor good.”

  “Beer isn’t actually liquor,” she muttered. How was she the only sane person in the room?

  “Lick her?” Jorlan brightened, his mispronunciation too adorable to correct.

  “Drink!” Gray repeated. “Want to go out back and work out some tension. Spoiler alert. That wasn’t a question.”

  Mimicking her, Jorlan said, “Bottoms up,” then chugged.

  When her synapsis started firing again, she shouted, “No!” and rushed over to swipe the beer from his grip. He was from another freaking planet. No telling how alcohol would affect him.

  “Want to work out some tension,” he said, slurring worse than Gray. He nodded, swayed. Nodded again. “Aye.”

  “You’re already drunk?” Her incredulity echoed off the walls. “Okay, that’s it. The party is over. Everyone order another Uber.”

  “How about…” Nick swaggered to her side and planted a kiss on the end of her nose. Before she could slap him, he darted away. Laughing, he finished, “We don’t. We gotta teach Jorlan a couple lessons first.”

  Save me. “What do you just gotta teach him, hmm? Give me the highlights.”

  Denver: “How to treat our baby sister, for one.”

  Erik: “The consequences of hurting a James.”

  Nick: “The consequences of leaving a James.”

  Gray: “How to hold his beer.”

  “You’re kidding me, right? Please tell me you’re kidding.” She gave her foot another stomp, the shopping bags banging into her thigh. “Besides using Jorlan as a punching bag, what else are you planning?”

  “Nothing.” Erik held up his left hand in a facsimile of the Boy Scout salute. “Honest.”

  Jorlan moaned and clasped a hand to his head. “The chamber is spinning. Make it stop.” His golden complexion had taken on a green cast.

  Concerned he might have a concussion, Katie dropped the bags and raced to his side.

  “He’s had a single beer.” Gray held up two fingers. “He’s fine. Probably.”

  “He’s never had alcohol before, you idiot.” She hadn’t meant to scream the words, but come on!

  Jorlan swayed and would have fallen if she hadn’t propped him up with her hip. “Kat-ya,” he said, carefully articulating each syllable. “I think I am dying.”

  “You’re not dying.” What if he’s dying? Acting as his crutch, she led him to the living room couch, removed the bags with a single leg-swipe, and helped him ease down. Every motion drew another moan from him. Sitting at his side, she smoothed her fingertips over his forehead, the way her mother used to do for her anytime she’d been sick. “By morning, you might wish you were dead, but I’m 90…80…70 percent sure you’ll survive this.”

  He closed his eyes and muttered something in a language she didn’t understand.

  “I’m sorry, baby,” she told him softly, still smoothing the tension from his brow, around his eyes, his mouth. “I don’t know what you’re saying.”

  He leaned into her touch, and she mused she wanted to stay right here, with him, forever.

  “What the hell is this?”

  Nick’s shout broke through her dreamy reverie, and she whipped around, expecting to find…what? A decapitated body, maybe. Or a ticking time bomb set to explode. What she found? Nick stomped into the living room holding a bag, scowling as he rifled through the contents. Her other brothers trailed him.

  Katie jolted up so quickly Jorlan bounced on the couch springs. He swung his arms, grappling to find a firm foundation.

  He bounced again as she launched at her brother. “Put that down this instant!”

  A split second before they collided, Nick tossed the bag to Gray. Who missed. The contents spilled across the floor.

  Time seemed to pause, and yet she heard ticktock in the back of her mind. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. All eyes fastened on the items scattered across her floor. Though she wanted to dive down and snatch everything up, Katie straightened and angled her chin, opting to act like a mature, rational adult. Acting was the key word.


  Did she blush? Oh, yeah. Hard-core. Did she care? Kind of. Would she back down? Never! She kind of felt like a great warrior of old, about to face down her worst enemy.

  “Eight boxes of condoms?” Gray blurted out.

  “Lube?” Erik spat.

  “Massage oil and a feather duster?” Denver yelled, incredulous. “What kind of weird shit are you into, sis?”

  To stick with the warrior of old mindset, or throw the biggest childlike tantrum ever?

  Easy. Tantrum. “Get out! Get out right now. All of you.” She jerked a finger to the door. “You’re the worst best brothers in the world, and I’m not speaking to any of you ever again. Except to say I shudder to think about the things you’ve done with your girlfriends.”

  “Gross.” Gray wrinkled his nose. “You think about us with our girlfriends?”

  The others nodded, peering at her expectantly, not the least contrite. Not a single man made a move toward the exit.

  Gray waved to the now unconscious Jorlan. “You told me you weren’t seeing anyone. The next thing I know, Nick is calling me and going on and on about your adventures on the bathroom floor with a romance cover model from overseas.”

  She shot a narrowed glance to Nick, the world’s greatest tattletale.

  He shrugged, all, What else is a brother supposed to do? “Hey, do you mind if I pluck some of those feathers from the duster? The girl I’m seeing is really into—”

  “Out!” This time, she did a foot stomp and pointed at the door at the same time, letting them know she meant business.

  “You can’t be mad,” Erik said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “We love you, and we will do anything to protect you.”

  “‘You can’t be mad,’” she mocked. “That’s such a James thing to say.” How many times had she heard those same words from her father?

  You can’t be mad, Katie Kat, because I have your best interests at heart.

  You can’t be mad. I did the best I could.

  You can’t be mad. I did nothing wrong.

  “Actually,” she said. “That’s such a douche thing to say, and you can’t be mad about it, because it’s the truth.”

  Gray punched Erik’s shoulder. Denver laughed and Nick snorted.