Page 57 of Princess Claimed

Do I really love Phil? I need to talk it through with Ember or Selina. Often my feelings clarify when I say them aloud.

As soon as I have a private moment, I’ll borrow a phone and touch base with my sister, but private moments don’t seem likely at this club, and I don’t want to waste my time here, or spend a moment apart from these men.

“So,” Flame grins. “You two are fucking now.”

Phil growls, and my body’s overtaken by a mixture of joy and nerves.

“It’s cool,” Flame says. “At least now we’re all on the same page.”

“I’m a page?” I shoot him a look over the rim of my cocktail.

“Darling, you are the best fucking page in the best fucking book ever written.” He winks.

Phil grunts. But he’s trying to hide a smile behind his tumbler-sized glass of scotch.

Blade and Crusher return from the other side of the balcony where they’ve been talking. They haven’t been away from me for more than a few minutes, but my heart does a little dance when they come near.

“Did I just hear you talking about books?” Blade bumps his shoulder against Flame’s. “Have I finally convinced you to take up reading?”

“Fat chance.” Flame’s hip bumps Blade’s. “That’s your department, darling.”

Joy floods inside me. I’m sure it would hurt if Flame called anyone else, ‘darling,’ but hearing him use it on his brother, the brother he’s closest to, deepens the word’s meaning, making it even more significant that he uses it with me.

Blade’s expression turns more serious. “Speaking of books?—”

“Bo-ring.” Flame pats his mouth as if yawning.

“You are hilarious,” Blade says flatly, shaking his head. “But I’ve got to take off. I’ve set up a meeting with the archivist and need to arrive before the sun comes up.”

My heart thumps. “How long will you be gone?” It’s not like I’m starved for company—I have an abundance of drop-dead-gorgeous company—but suddenly I want to be in Blade’s arms, to be lost in the silvery depths of his eyes.

“Flame,” Crusher says. “Go with Blade.”

“Not a chance.” Flame slips his hand over my butt and squeezes. “I’ve got big plans tonight.” He leans in closer to my ear. “Maybe not as big as Phil’s plans, but?—”

Crusher glances at Phil.

“Don’t look at me.” Phil says to Crusher. “No chance am I leaving her side.” Wrapping his arm across my collarbones, Phil pulls me back against his body. And an excited thrill shoots through me as I land against the solid wall of muscle and security.

Crusher frowns. “Someone needs to go with Blade.” Turning toward Flame and Blade, Crusher’s body seems to expand. It’s amazing to me how he leads the others, while pretending he’s not.

“I’m okay on my own.” Blade’s arms cross over his chest. “I might be the youngest, but I don’t need a fucking babysitter. Not planning to do battle with any of the books.”

Flame laughs.

“No,” Crusher says sharply. “None of us goes anywhere alone. Not until we’re certain what’s going on.”

“Fine, fine.” Flame shakes his head. “I know how to take care of my little buddy.” He reaches for Blade’s crotch.

Blade swats Flame’s hand away. “Fuck you.”

“Only if you beg me.” Flame grins.

I love hearing the banter between these two. Between all four of them. Witnessing their closeness, their connections to each other is beyond sexy, even if they sometimes act like teenaged boys, not men literally in their two-hundreds.

“Phil and I will stay with Ana,” Crusher says. “We’ll see you two at sunset.”

“That long?” I glance between Blade and Flame, and then realize they likely won’t have a choice on the timing, since there’s overground travel involved. “Be careful.”

---