by Kat Mizera
“I can protect Casey at night,” Erik said firmly. “But the stairs and elevator to our floors have to be monitored regularly, all night long.”
“And the grounds, the main gate, the entrances…” Joe shook his head. “We’ll need to bring in at least five more people. Short-term, everyone is willing to work seven days, but that’s not sustainable.”
Erik nodded. “Agreed. It’s going to take time to find the right people, though, so for now, everyone’s going to have to sacrifice. However, there will be hefty bonuses for everyone.”
“I like bonuses,” Xander said with a grin.
“There’s a cottage outside the city I might buy,” Lennox said, grinning. “So bonuses will be gladly accepted.”
We talked for a while longer before we called it a night. Erik pulled me aside, though, asking me to stay behind. He poured two snifters of brandy and we settled in chairs next to the fireplace. Neither of us spoke for a minute and then Erik turned to me, a serious look on his face.
“Uh-oh,” I said knowingly. “Now what?”
“Is there anything you want to tell me?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.
Jesus fuck. I mentally grimaced, though I kept my face neutral. “Like what?”
Erik grinned. “I went looking for you earlier. You were so busy you didn’t hear me knock.”
Double fuck.
I didn’t say anything, merely let him continue.
“How long has this been going on with you and Lennox?”
“A week or so.”
“Were you going to tell me?”
“Since when am I supposed to report to you about my sex life?”
“Since the woman you’re having sex with is tasked with protecting my wife and newborn son. Not to mention the fact that she fits in well with all of us, and we trust her, so if things go bad with you romantically, it could cost us a key player in the staff, which we can’t afford.”
I sighed. I’d had these very same thoughts, but I didn’t know what to do about that. Lennox and I were still feeling things out and we didn’t have a label or status yet. I was attracted to her both physically and mentally, but I wasn’t sure about the emotional stuff yet because it was too soon. “I don’t know what to tell you,” I said aloud. “It kind of started by accident and we’re taking things one day at a time.”
“So it’s not just sex.”
“I don’t know yet. I mean, we work and live together, so it’s definitely not just a casual hookup, but it’s not anything serious either.”
“Could it be?” Erik’s voice was low, steady, because he knew how uncomfortable I was with this kind of conversation.
“I… Yes.” I took a sip of brandy and looked away. I wasn’t sure where that moment of clarity came from but it felt right when I said it.
“Casey and I like her a lot, so that would make us happy for both of you. Just promise me if you change your mind, you won’t do it in a way that makes her want to leave.”
“I’d never intentionally hurt her,” I said. “You should know me better than that.”
“I do, but affairs of the heart can get messy. Please be cognizant of that.”
“Of course.”
“Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I have something else to discuss with you.”
“This is about my role in your administration, yeah?”
“I need you, Sandor. Your talents are wasted as a bodyguard.”
“This again.”
“I’m overwhelmed, to be honest. I don’t know how long I’ll continue to do double duty as King and President, but until we sort that out, I need to surround myself with the most trustworthy people possible. Our circle has to stay small.”
“Okay.”
“You sacrificed more than a decade of your life for me, so I owe you. Anything you want, you just have to ask. But this is about duty and our people. They need someone like you in a prominent position.”
“What position are you thinking of?”
“It’s not a final decision yet, but somewhere in Parliament.”
“You know that’s uncomfortable for me.”
“I know. But if you give me two years, you can take on any other role you want after that. Deal?”
“Deal.” I paused. “But I still work with Joe on security matters.”
“Absolutely.”
“And you do not, under any circumstances, tell anyone about Lennox and me.”
“Dude, half the palace heard the noise coming out of the bedroom. That ship has sailed.”
I didn’t know for sure, because it had never happened before, but I might have turned red. Jesus fuck.
I was up early Sunday morning and I rolled over to look at Lennox, who was asleep beside me. Renovations on her room had started but it was far from finished, and frankly, the thought of her sleeping elsewhere made me a little crazy. Maybe I was a selfish prick, but the sex was beyond my wildest dreams and the more time we spent together, the more I liked her.
Today I had a surprise for her, and I leaned over to nuzzle the curve of her neck. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”
“Mmm.” She moved against me. “What time is it?”
“Almost eight, but we have meetings at noon, and I wanted to show you something this morning before we start our shifts.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Do I need to get dressed?”
I chuckled. “Yes. We’re going somewhere. Jeans and a T-shirt are fine, though.”
“All right.” She sat up. “I can be ready to go in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll call down to have Dena bring us coffee.”
“Perfect.”
An hour later we were on the back of a motorcycle I’d borrowed from a palace guard I’d known since childhood. I headed out of Hiskale, toward the highway, and it occurred to me how much I enjoyed having Lennox behind me on the bike. I picked up speed as we left the city limits, and her arms tightened around my waist, so I opened it up, loving the feel of the engine between my legs and the beautiful woman draped across my back.
I slowed down as we hit the village of Ryskala, cognizant of small children and pedestrians.
“Hey, I recognize this street,” Lennox yelled in my ear.
I grinned and turned into the driveway of the cottage she’d seen when we’d first arrived in Limaj.
I heard her squeal of excitement even through my helmet and I stopped the bike, waiting for her to climb off before I joined her.
“Do we get to go inside?” she asked.
“Absolutely.” I secured both of our helmets on the handlebars and took her hand as we approached the door. I dug the key Erik had obtained for me out of my pocket and unlocked it. It was made of solid oak and squeaked as I pushed it open, but Lennox was so excited she brushed right past me.
“Oh wow,” she said. “This is amazing. Look at the fireplace!” She went in that direction, marveling over the carved wooden mantel.
“Look at the bannister,” I said, motioning to the stairs. It was made of cherry wood with lions carved into the ends.
“This is amazing,” she said, inspecting every inch of the main room.
“I did a little digging,” I told her, “and it appears this was an inn for about two hundred years before the last family abandoned it and it became a historical site.”
“Who owns it now?” she asked, moving toward the kitchen.
“We do.”
“We who?”
“The royal family. We didn’t realize that the other day, but I pulled some records and that’s what I found out.”
Her face fell. “So that means I can’t buy it.”
“Well, it’s for sale, so technically you can, but there are a lot of restrictions and the biggest thing is that the government would like it to become a working inn again. I don’t know that you’d have the time to take on both extensive renovation and run an inn.”
She nodded. “That’s fair. I guess it’s something to think about.”
“I just have one question.�
�
“Sure.”
“Why would you want to buy an old, beat-up house like this in a foreign country?”
“Because it’s really cool and I’ve never had a home as an adult. I mean, a place to lay my head, sure. But not a home. I left home before I turned eighteen and headed to college, where I lived in a dorm. Then I went into the Marines and slept in barracks and such. I got out and moved to Vegas to work for Joe and rented a tiny efficiency apartment that I pretty much only use for sleeping. I’ve never had a place of my own and it’s time. Even if I’m only here a few years, it would be a great project to renovate the house and have something that’s mine.”
“Do you think you’ll stay in Limaj a long time?” I asked, something unfamiliar stirring inside of me. Was this…emotion? Fuck. I didn’t like it.
“Casey asked me if I would be willing to commit to five years because trusting your life to someone new is stressful. And I don’t have anything to go back to in the U.S. other than a job and a handful of friends that are scattered all over the country.”
“That’s how I feel too,” I admitted. “I spent twelve years in the U.S. and it was all about protecting Casey and Luke. I lived where Casey lived, went where she went. Now that I’m home, it’s a little overwhelming to think about staying in one place.”
“Do you consider yourself more American than Limaji now?” she asked. “Your accent is almost undetectable and you speak like an American in the things you say.”
“I don’t feel like an American, but I also don’t feel like a Limaji prince anymore.”
“I can’t imagine what it was like for you.” She moved close to me, putting one hand on my shoulder. “So many years living in hiding, keeping huge secrets, and carrying the weight of responsibility for Casey and Luke. You must have lost so much of yourself doing that for so long.”
18
Lennox
He wrapped one arm around my waist and held me against him. “Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out who I am. Erik wants me to stay in Parliament and I don’t know how I feel about it.”
“Maybe it would be good for you to try something different, you know?” I gazed up at him, trying to read the play of emotions on his face. “Kind of like me right now, opting for big changes because my life before had stagnated.”
“We have that in common, for sure.” He leaned down to lightly press his lips to mine, and as always, the moment we touched, fireworks went off around us. I slid my tongue into his mouth and instinct automatically took over. I practically melted into him, my body curving against his like we were one. He palmed my ass with his hands, pulling me closer and closer as the world seemed to disappear around us.
I slid my hands under his T-shirt, anxious to feel the warmth of his skin against mine, even if it was just my hands. We hadn’t been involved long, but I was already addicted to his touch, to his very presence in my life. I’d been trying to keep my feelings in check, but it was almost impossible. He was that intoxicating.
The fact that he’d arranged this tour for me today made me stupidly happy, and I’d never been the type of woman who got all sappy when a guy I liked did something nice for me. But Sandor wasn’t just any guy and even if I managed to get hold of my emotions, my body was going to betray me at every turn. I simply couldn’t resist him.
He’d backed me against the nearest wall now and we were all over each other. Like we hadn’t made love multiple times every day since we’d been in Limaj. Like he was as addicted to me as I was to him. Like this was more than a casual hookup. God, I was an idiot.
I didn’t resist when he dropped to his knees and lifted my T-shirt, nuzzling my stomach and pressing light kisses around my belly button. His beard tickled my skin and I squirmed a little, but then he started unbuttoning my jeans and my heart rate kicked up a notch with anticipation of what was to come.
He slid my jeans down to my knees, all while nuzzling my stomach, his hands skimming my thighs.
“What are we doing?” I whispered, trying to retain some semblance of control.
He rumbled out a laugh. “What do you think?”
“Yeah, but what if someone comes in?”
“No one is coming except you.” He pressed his face to my crotch as he pulled my panties down, and I sighed. I was wet just thinking about what he was about to do, a tiny whimper escaping me when he pulled away. He slid off my sneakers and pulled my jeans and panties the rest of the way off, leaving me naked from the waist down.
“Wh-what are you doing?” I gasped out the words because his mouth was dangerously close to the place that would drive me wild, but he was taking his time getting there.
“Trust me,” he murmured.
I didn’t even try to hide my moan when he snaked his tongue out between my legs. Before I could wrap my head around where this was going, he’d taken my right leg and brought it up and over his shoulder. Then he used his fingers to separate my folds and tease my clit.
“Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck,” I gasped, frantic for something to hold on to, because doing this standing on one leg was the craziest thing ever.
“I won’t let you fall,” he said, his breath warm against my leg. “Just relax and enjoy.”
He moved back between my legs and my eyes fell closed. He was an absolute master at oral sex, usually wringing at least two orgasms from me before he was done, and today was no different. His fingers and tongue were pure magic, making the leg I had on the ground start to shake uncontrollably My first orgasm came quickly, so he gentled his touch, working me up expertly, until I lost control for the second time, my fingers digging into his hair and scalp.
My knees were shaking so hard I could barely stand up and Sandor just scooped me up in his arms when he was done, sinking into a chair with me on his lap. I settled against his shoulder, simultaneously unnerved at how much he affected me and contented with our deepening relationship. I wished I knew what he was thinking, but I wasn’t comfortable enough to ask. Not yet anyway.
“How do you do this every damn time?” I asked him.
“It’s not hard to figure out what a woman enjoys,” he replied, one of his big hands on my bottom. “Guys who don’t bother are just lazy.”
“You’re definitely not lazy,” I whispered, arching my neck so I could kiss his throat. His skin was a little salty but I ran my tongue over his Adam’s apple, anxious to give him back even a fraction of the pleasure he always gave me.
“I try not to be.”
“I want to make you feel as good as you make me feel,” I told him.
“You don’t have to,” he said, a smile playing on his lips. “I didn’t go down on you expecting something in return.”
I skimmed my hands along his chest. “Are you ever going to tell me your fantasy?”
He smiled. “Maybe someday.”
“But not today?”
“Probably not.”
I chuckled, curious about his secrecy but more interested in pleasing him than talking about fantasies. “Then I guess I’ll have to improvise.”
“Well, far be it for me to stop you.” He leaned back in the chair, a playful smile still on his lips.
I dropped to the floor and waited impatiently as he undid his jeans and slid them down over his hips. Yup, still huge, still my favorite thing to suck on these days, even though I could barely take half in my mouth. He didn’t seem to mind, though, and I started with the head. I licked it with firm strokes, something I noted he liked, and then closed my lips around him, taking as much of him as I could. He never pushed or tried to go deeper, as if he instinctively knew it wouldn’t be possible at his size. I gave it my best shot, until my eyes watered and I started to gag.
“Hey.” He gently pulled away. “It feels good no matter how deep you take me, so do what’s comfortable. I don’t get off watching you struggle.”
I backed off a little and used my hand, moving it in time to the rhythm of my mouth. He groaned, wrapping my hair in his fist though he didn’t try to guide me. He ju
st held on as I sucked and stroked him. I loved this feeling, loved the salty taste of the pre-come leaking from the head, and even the way he tugged at my hair while I was doing it. I’d reciprocated oral sex in the past because it was expected; with Sandor, it was my pleasure.
The sound he made as he came was pure masculine power, coming from deep in his chest, and I swallowed around him twice, until he finally relaxed.
“Damn, baby, that felt good.” He tugged me back onto his lap and we sat there like that for a while, my arms wrapped around his neck and his wrapped around my torso.
“Thank you for today,” I whispered.
“The pleasure was mine.”
We got back to the palace and he went to find Erik while I went up to his suite to freshen up since my hair looked like a chicken had just laid an egg in it. Once I was presentable, I went to find Casey since she’d asked me to stop by today when I had a chance. I found her in her office, which was really a private den just off to the side of the master bedroom. She looked up from her laptop as I came in and motioned for me to join her.
“Hey.” She smiled. “Where did you and Sandor get off to this morning?”
“We went and saw that cottage I fell in love with on the day I arrived.”
“And?”
“It’s lovely. Needs a lot of updating as far as plumbing and electrical and such, but it’s amazing. So much natural charm and historical character. I’m not in any hurry to buy it, since I don’t have time to run an inn, but it’s on my radar.”
“So.” Casey’s eyes twinkled. “You and Sandor, huh?”
I groaned. “Are we that obvious?”
“Well, according to the staff, you’re not exactly quiet about your late-night trysts.”
I didn’t normally blush, but this was my boss and, you know, a queen. “I’m sorry. We’ll try to be quieter.”
“Oh, please.” Casey waved a hand. “That’s ridiculous. Fuck to your hearts’ content. It’s been a long time coming for him, and I get the feeling you don’t date a lot either.”
