Page 46 of Treasured Secrets
As I turned around, I was greeted with a horrible realization. It was McKee, not Tallis. I screamed.
"What the hell are you doing?"
He put his hands in the air, playfully surrendering.
"Easy, Aria. I just came to see if you needed a ride. Nice bedtime attire, by the way."
"Get out of my room!" I grabbed a sheet to cover myself with.
"Hey, no reason to get all upset. It's nothing I haven't seen on a girl before. Bathing suits show more than that, you know. I just came to tell you I think you should ride with me today. We really need to talk."
I could hear the agitation growing in my tone now. "About what?" I was completely uninterested in anything he had to say at that point.
He lost all the playfulness in his eyes as seriousness swept in. "About your new boyfriend getting lost. He shouldn't be within a hundred feet of you, let alone with you twenty-four hours a day. You don't need him skulking around when you have all of us. I don't like him or the fact that he's spending every night with you. Call me crazy, but I think it's a little undignified."
His arrogant, condescending tone infuriated me to the point where I was shaking.
"Oh, I'll definitely call you crazy. You can leave now," I said through gritted teeth, trying not to scream again.
"I'm not leaving until you agree to come with me. I promise you'll want to hear everything I have to say."
"I can promise you that there is nothing you can say that will make me stop seeing Tallis. I don't want you touching me... ever again. I don't want you following me, and I don't want you anywhere near me right now! You will leave or I'll scream for Iris."
I was completely enraged.
"Go ahead. She knows I'm not a threat. She'll laugh at you for being such a drama queen. Tallis isn't here anyway, so you need an escort."
I heard a slight swish of wind from the window. Tallis was suddenly in the room with his arm around my waist from the front, holding me behind him.
"I think she's told you to leave more than once. I think that's probably a good idea."
He sounded so forceful and protective. He had been treading lightly with McKee because of how strongly tied he was to our family. Tallis had not wanted to make waves unless necessary. I was so glad he found it necessary then. I was also glad that he had shown up so quickly.
"I just thought you might have had something else to do at some point in your life. I was going to give you a little reprieve. She's being way too dramatic."
He was trying his best to belittle my reaction to his unwanted presence.
"If she doesn't want you around, then don't be around her. If you ever put your hands on her again, I'll blow them off," Tallis said threateningly without ever raising his voice.
"Don't tell me what to do. It was just a little massage, and she liked it." He was trying so hard to provoke Tallis, as usual. I was worried this time it would work. Tallis looked ready to try to blow him to pieces.
I spoke up quickly to discredit McKee's claim. "I thought it was Tallis. If I had known some perverted jerk snuck into my room, I would have screamed sooner."
Tallis let a small smile free. He enjoyed it when I took his side, especially against McKee. I was always on his side though, and he was always on mine.
"Well I guess that would be your cue to exit then. The lady has chosen. In case you didn't catch who, it was me… again."
He gloated triumphantly as I leaned against his chest. McKee stormed off in a huff.
"You're always right where I need you to be when I need you the most," I murmured, sighing softly.
I leaned into him, letting the sheet that had shielded me from McKee drop to the floor between us. I put my arms around his neck and stared into his eyes with seductive intentions.
He coughed a little. His cheeks blushed red as his eyes darted nervously from side to side. His heart was racing as I leaned in more, pressing my body against his. His hands ran down my waist, running to the top line of my underwear. He started to pull me in tight, and then suddenly pushed me away.
His voice cracked a little as he spoke. "You have to get ready or we'll be late."
His muscles were clenching, and his body protested. His posture was rigid as he walked away hurriedly. I heard him almost running down the stairs.
