by James, Honor
“You’ve always been rather free with me if you recall,” he murmured. “You’ve never once been shy with me, Rissa. It should be the same in the bedroom. More so because we don’t have to worry about who might overhear us.”
“Well, yeah that’s true. I don’t think that I’ve ever had a shy or backward streak when it came to you and talking to you and dealing with you,” she admitted and took a breath as she did so. When she spoke again, she said, “I will work on it. That means we will have to do this far more often than you likely thought of before.”
“You say that as if you are trying to warn me. Are you attempting to warn me, Rissa?” Michael tipped his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. “You needn’t warn me off, Princess. I don’t plan on running away just because you want me. I happen to want you as well. A lot, to be honest.”
“Good. At least we are both on the same page,” Rissa said with a smile. “Because I want you nearly as much as you want me.” More so really, but she wasn’t going to go into that game of who wanted one more. “It just means we might have to get creative on where we are when I attack you, or vice versa.”
“I somehow doubt I’ll ever need to attack you. All I really need to do is drop a word or two and things seem to progress quite quickly. You take suggestions very well, Rissa. I quite like that about you.” He smiled and then chuckled. “And now you look miffed.”
“Because I am,” she muttered. “Take suggestions well. Sounds like something someone would say about their horse or dog or something.” Looking at him with a frown, she asked, “Or were you just pulling my leg, teasing me?”
“I obviously still have not learned how to do it, if you need to ask.” Letting out a sigh, he rolled off her to his back. “I don’t know why I still try. I apparently don’t have the concept. All I do is make you upset and have you questioning it. I apologize, Princess. I will never do so again.”
“Oh goodness gracious.” Rissa didn’t understand this man. At all. She loved him like crazy, but sometimes he got so down on himself that it really bothered her. She hated to see him being unkind to himself. A great deal. “I love you, Michael, but please don’t be mean to yourself.”
“Not being mean to myself.” He frowned at her. “I didn’t even realize that was possible. Just speaking the truth. I know next to nothing about humor or pulling someone’s leg, as I was attempting. To be questioned proves that I did it incorrectly, again. I was just stating a fact, Rissa. I am good at a number of things. Humor is not one of them. I can accept that.”
“It could also be because I get offended easily, Michael. I didn’t understand what you were doing so it caught me by surprise. I know you would never hurt me in any way, but it’s just something I never grew out of.”
“All the more reason I shouldn’t be doing it. Doing it wrong is bad enough, but doing it to you, worse.” He rolled toward her, propping up on an arm. “I love you, Rissa, and never want you to be hurt because of anything I say or do. But you also need to realize just how much power you hold. Not because you are to be Queen, but because you are an Alpha female. With three Alphas who would literally do anything for you.”
“All that I want is your love. I just need you. I would do anything for you as well. For any of the three of you. I would give my life if it were necessary for you to live. Always. You mean more to me than anything, ever. Know that, Michael. We will figure this life out, together, right?”
“We will, eventually. We will stumble, we will trip, and we will have days where we should just lock the door. But, in time, we’ll find our path and take it together.” He leaned down and kissed her gently.
“I know. I just hope that you can be patient with me because I’m sure that I will cause more than one of those trips and falls.” Rissa moved in closer to Michael and sighed happily. “God, I love when you kiss me like that.” So sweet, so gentle, so perfect. He was her everything. He knew just what she needed even when she didn’t.
One of his hands came up, his fingers brushing over her cheek lightly. “Whatever you need, Rissa. I’m not going anywhere, never again, not without you by my side. These last couple of years were hellish being away from you. I likely shouldn’t have admitted that, but it is the truth.” He pressed another light, slow kiss to her lips.
“Good. I only say that because I happen to really love that you feel for me the same I do you. I adore you. Everything about you. I need to know that it’s been just as hard on you as it has on me. I’ve been miserable without you, as I’m sure the guys told you more than once. So never leave me again.”
“Never.” His word was a promise, the look in his eyes so much more. He wrapped her in his arms the next moment, his nose on her neck, and just held her close. After a few minutes, he drew back. “So, with this wedding thing…Just what exactly are you expecting me to wear for this insanity?”
“Your Royal Guard uniform, or the one for the position that you will hold as my Royal Consort, my King.” She shrugged. “Honestly, as long as you are there I don’t care what you wear. I just know that the people will expect certain things, sadly.”
Michael gave a snort. “Backstabbing, foul-mouthed ingrates who only suck up when it gains them something. But, since it’s the wedding, I’ll go along with wearing something fancier. I do have restrictions, though, on what I will allow them to dress me in. Be warned, the seamstresses will likely come screaming your way.”
“They wouldn’t dare. They know how very much that I adore you, and they wouldn’t dare come running screaming from you to me,” she assured him happily. “And it is your day as well, Michael. Be comfortable no matter what else.”
“No man is comfortable on display, not any man that actually has any dignity.” He snorted. “Might explain Gabriel, now that I think about that. But you know they will push me. I’ll growl and they’ll tear off.”
“I know that they will, but all you have to do is use your words, Michael. Tell them no. It’s a wonderful word, one that I learned to use from the three of you.” They had told her “no” more than once as a child. “So just tell them the same thing. No. You haven’t forgotten how to say it, have you?” she teased.
“Very amusing, Princess,” he said in a dry tone. “I haven’t forgotten it, but they also don’t seem to listen. I’ve used the term on them numerous times, on you as well, but it’s the growl that seems to actually make them understand I’m serious.”
“I’m totally exempt from it. You tell me no all the time, and most of the time you mean yes. Like making love in the carriage. If I recall, you said something about it being a bad idea, yet we did it, and goodness gracious, did it ever feel amazing and was it ever perfect. I loved it.”
“Considering the smirks I saw on more than one face of the pack running with us, it was a bad idea. You just don’t yet realize it, but you will, soon enough.” He settled on his side, his head on her pillow, and let out a breath. “I should mention something, Rissa. I’m absolutely terrified,” he said very quietly.
“Why?” Rissa stilled and looked into the face of the man she knew could take on the world. “Why would you be terrified, Michael? I don’t understand.” She reached out and touched his cheek. “You are the strongest and most amazing man that I know. What has you terrified?”
“That I’ll mess this chance up,” he said softly. “Not many people get second chances, Rissa. We’re lucky, we’re getting a second chance to have the life we want. I am absolutely terrified that I’ll do something, or say something, that will make you regret your choice.”
“You aren’t going to mess it up. You won’t because I won’t let you. Period. I refuse to let this chance at happiness go, and that is that. I mean it. This is our chance to be everything that we want and we need to be, and I am not losing that. So suck it up, big boy. You are mine for now and always.”
His lips curled up slowly in a smile. “Just like that? You’ve declared it and therefore it shall be?” Chuckling, he kissed her gently. “I do hope you are right, Rissa. I
don’t ever want to lose you. I don’t think I could survive losing you again.”
“Good.” It was all that Rissa said, and she smiled. “And yes, I have declared it, and as the Princess of the land and soon Queen, my words are law.” Leaning in, she pressed her forehead to his. “You aren’t going to lose me. I won’t let you. I love you, Michael.”
“You only wish I fell under that little law of yours,” he said with a snort. “I’ve never played well by the rules, as you well know. But, in this case, I will concede to your will for a time. Just don’t expect it to happen on every one of your little declarations.”
“All I can ask is that you are mine and that you love me. I know both of these things are true, and that’s what’s important. I like you being you, doing things your own way, and to heck with everyone else. I happen to really, really just simply enjoy you being you, love. Period.”
“You say this now, but what happens the next time I piss you off? Which usually occurs whenever I say no to you.” His lips twitched again. “Not that I seem to be saying no to you all that often these days. But the day will come, you do realize, where I will have to say no.”
That had her grinning, and she shook her head. “Well then you will just have to make it up to me. Somehow. I know you will and I know you can, so that’s all that there is to that,” she assured him. “All that matters is that you will be with me. Right?”
“Not if I’m in the right,” he told her simply. “If I’m in the wrong, you know I’ll make it up to you and make it right. But, since I’m usually right—” He grinned again. Michael kissed her and then pulled back and got off the bed. Padding naked to the table, he lifted the jug to his nose and sniffed. Apparently satisfied, he poured two glasses and came back. “It’s just water, but I’m sure you can make do for the moment.”
“I think that I can.” She cocked her head to the side and asked, “Why did you sniff it? You aren’t worried someone will try to poison us, are you?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew the truth of it. “Oh God, you are. You are worried someone’s going to try to poison us somehow.”
“I’m naturally suspicious, and I’ve lived here before, Rissa,” he said, settling on the bed. Passing her a cup, he shoved himself back against the headboard. “The number of assassination attempts I personally, plus those of the Royal Guard, stopped would likely turn you gray. And we only stopped them because we are that suspicious and I trained the others to be.”
“Oh God. I never.” She shook her head. “I never dreamed that it would be so dangerous. Thank you for keeping us all safe. I don’t think that I would be able to ever look at our people, knowing that we have done something so wrong that they would want us dead, if I had known. So, thank you for keeping that from me.”
“It was a part of the job love. Plus—” He wrapped an arm around her waist. Pulling her up next to him, he pressed a kiss to her temple. “I was keeping you safe, Rissa. That was the most important part of my job. Ensuring you were always protected.” Rubbing his nose to her skin, he gave her a squeeze. “You were mine to look out for, Princess, then and now.”
Rissa smiled and nodded. “And I am yours for the rest of our lives. You keep me safe and I will keep you safe, and happy. We can’t forget happy.” Happiness was a marvelous and key part of all their lives. “I love you, Michael. I’m happy that you are mine.”
“I love you as well, Princess,” he said softly. His breath brushed over her cheek. “Drink up. I seem to recall you requesting some more loving. And if we need to start with getting the whole wedding ready, we should ensure you’re very relaxed.”
“Good. I am very happy that you love me as well,” she said with a smile. “Because I am here for the rest of forever. Goodness yes, the wedding.” She would have been happier to simply have her men and the priest there to marry them, but they had to have the whole affair for the people, sadly.
“Hey now.” He tapped her nose. “Why that look, Princess? Is everything all right, Rissa?” He sounded worried. When she looked up, he looked worried as well. His eyes and full attention were focused on her, and only her.
“I would just really rather be able to have you and the others with me and a priest and no one else. I would much rather have a wedding with just the three men that I love and no one else. I know that we have to have the large affair because of our people, but it drives me crazy.”
“It’s only two weeks, and then we’ll be wed. After that, we can attempt to get back to normal. Or at least have some sort of regular life behind closed doors. Beyond those doors, in public, we’ll have to work on getting our version of normalcy instituted as well. Because I won’t have the people pushing you around. Especially those damned advisors your father was ever so fond of.”
“Goodness, I know. I want to dismiss them. If I have to have advisors, I want them to be you, Gabe, and Raph. I trust the three of you, but from time to time, I have gotten the oddest feelings from the advisors, and it’s not a good one. If I can’t trust them, how can I trust their advice?”
“You can’t if you don’t have faith in them,” he told her. He fell silent, his gaze turning unfocused for a moment. “After the wedding,” he said, his eyes refocusing on her, “dismiss them and put in a new council. It’s not done often, but has been done before. These advisors were your grandfathers. Your father trusted them, but they are getting up in years. If there’s one you trust, keep him around to guide the new council for a time before letting him have his retirement. But get rid of the others fully. Nice little package, maybe a title, and put in those you do trust. All except me.” When she frowned, he shrugged. “The King can’t sit on the council of advisors. He can sit in, but he can’t be a part of their decisions.”
“I think that is a very good idea, however. I really do. As soon as we are married, when we come back from our honeymoon, we will put in a new council. I would like your help in choosing them. If you wouldn’t mind? I trust you, and if you chose those that you trust, then it’s all the better.”
“As you wish, love,” he said softly. “I will help you to choose, but we must both be comfortable with the choices. You only get to remove a council once in your reign. After that, you must live with them. And, since they make many decisions in your stead, it will be important to choose men not easily swayed by coin or threats.”
“Exactly. We will get people that will want to do good things for our kingdom, ones that want to make a difference. We will get ones that we all four approve of. I want your opinion, as well as Raph’s and Gabe’s. We are all in this together.”
“I think Raph should sit on the council,” he said quietly. “He will argue he’s not a politician and doesn’t like politics at all. But he is the calmer of the two. He listens, watches, and always waits to spring a trap. Unlike Gabriel, who is much more—” Michael paused long enough that she looked up at him. “Well, little love, he’s a lot like you. Impulsive, rash, and much too expressive on occasion. He’ll serve better staying with the Royal Guard. With his easy humor and ways, he will have the full trust of all the guards, new and old. He finds out the most interesting things with his own bag of tricks.”
“Good point. All right, I like that. And with that we will be able to keep him as the head of the Royal Guards, someone that we can always trust to keep us safe and keep the men under his control in line so that they are able to do the best jobs possible.”
“I think it will work the best all around. We’ll still have to get Raphael’s agreement, of course. And convince Gabriel not to go on a bender to celebrate. Raph will still be a part of the Royal Guard. The council only meets once a month unless otherwise necessary. So it won’t overly interfere with his duties.” He was sliding a finger up and down her arm slowly. “Not quite sure how they’ll feel about it, though.”
“Good point,” she said with a grin. “Well, I think that they will do it because they will want to ensure our safety as well. We both know that those boys would do anything for us, for me,” she a
dded with a shrug. “So yeah, it will be best that way, right?”
“For you, absolutely. For me”—he made a face—“not so much. But, at least they’ll trip over themselves to keep you happy. That keeps them in my good books. It’s also why I haven’t yet beaten on them for dragging you through the forest toward where they seemed to know I was.”
That had her grinning, and she nodded. “This is very true. They will do anything to make me happy, and I would them as well. They are my everything. I love those two like crazy just as I love you.”
He rolled his eyes at her and drank his water. Setting his cup aside, he wrapped his other arm around her. “Since they did their good deed for this lifetime, we could be in trouble.” He moved and settled with his head on her belly. One of his hands slid up between her legs, his fingers resting really close to her pussy.
“If you move up maybe another inch or so, you are going to have me all melty again. I think that would be very, very good,” she assured him, and ran her fingers through his hair and looked down into his face. “I happen to think that you will kill me one day, but it’s going to be such an amazing way to go. Burning up in your arms.”
“I just don’t want you dumping that water on me,” he said with a lopsided grin. “That’s why my hand is staying right where it is until you set that aside. After you drink up, you’ll need it for what I have planned.” Turning his head, he slid his tongue over her belly slowly, his eyes locked on hers.
“I like how you think.” She drank down her cup of water and set it off to the side. Reaching down, she pulled him to her and kissed him. She moved him so that he was on his back and settled on his thighs. “I like it there.”
He twisted his head slightly so he could see her and lifted a brow. “What’s that, love? What do you like where?” he asked quietly. He was stroking her thigh, his fingers running up and down slowly. “Talk to me, sweetheart.” He was smiling at her.
