Page 39 of Royal Havoc

He sets down his silverware, finally gracing me with a condescending stare. “I don’t know anything about any flowers. Or groceries. Or, anything else you mentioned,” he answers, waving his hand around to make his point of how useless he feels this conversation is.

Letting the rolled-up taco slide from my hand, splatting on my plate. “Well, someone has to know something about it? Things just don’tappear,” I argue, waving my hands, pieces of lettuce and cheese landing on the table between our plates.

“I’ll have to ask Lisa,” he retorts, picking up his silverware again.

I groan, sighing loudly. “Do you do anything yourself?” I mumble, scooping the splattered taco from my plate.

“You were home early again,” he states, not even bothering to pretend like he cares about anything I’ve just said.

Swallowing the drink I’ve just taken. “Well, Inspector Gadget, I ran into an issue. But, I’m handling it,” I answer before taking another drink, which I make sure to slurp loudly.

“What’s the issue?” he asks, watching me shove my mouth full.

“You know, just your typical time of the mon —”

“We had some catching up to do,” Vex answers from behind me.

My hand thumps on the table, rattling our plates. “Christ, don’t you ever lock your door?” I groan, rolling my eyes in frustration.

“Come in, Vexen. Disregard the show Onyx’s putting on tonight,” he informs him, motioning to the seat beside me.

Pulling out the chair. “She loves attention,” Vex rasps, squeezing the back of my neck hard once he’s seated.

Idiot couldn’t be further from the truth.

Are you sure about that?

The traitor nods his agreement, side-eyeing me, before asking Vex, “Did you need something? How’s Vance doing?”

“Dad’s good. Actually, I came to find Onyx. We have some…workto do,” he answers cryptically.

“I’d appreciate you helping her get adjusted at Edge. Maybe start by helping her attend afull day,” he warns casually as if I’m not even in the room.

“Of course. I’ll make sure she doesn’t leave my sight,” he assures Hendrix and squeezes the back of my neck, fueling the hate his presence brings

Shoving from the table, knocking Vex’s hand away. Since we’re pretending I’m not in the room. “It’s been great, Thing One and Two. But, I’ve gotta get some beauty sleep.”

I hear them continue talking as I leave, honestly… I’m thankful neither of them tried to stop me. I’m tired of peopling and just ready for this exhausting day to be over.

After brushing my teeth, making sure to grab my phone from the counter, intending to zone out in front of the TV and distract my chatty brain long enough for me to pass out.

twenty

Every Queen Has Rules

Vexen: 2024

Iwatch as she moves around her bathroom in the ridiculous pajamas, reminding me of when we were kids. Although, back then, she didn’t have the luscious curves that make a game out of taunting me. I can barely look at her without my mouth watering and my dick saluting.

She grabs her phone from the counter and turns to leave. Her eyes flair when they land on me. “Leave, or I’ll call the cops,” she deadpans, bending over to grab her phone from the floor where she’d dropped it.

“We aren’t done talking,” I tell her calmly, ignoring her stupid threat.

She leans in the bathroom doorway, mocking me as I block her escape, causing a round of deja vu to hit. Taking us right back to where we were earlier today.

I’ve known our entire life this spitfire belongs to me. The history of our bloodlines has been ingrained so deep that it’s become a second skin. Smothering every other desire until all I’ve craved is her and the numbness I know her darkness will bring.

Rowland was the first of the founding four ever to betray the ‘Unity’ as they liked to call themselves. He protected Opal, allowing her to slip away and take what belonged to me. All because he was too embarrassed to admit he’d lost. The Sterling name would fall from its graces and be replaced with another, bonding the two wealthiest families in River’s Edge.

---