Page 136 of Nash

She looks like a queen tonight, rich with power and grace. Yes, she looks like my future wife and mother to my children.

Possessively, I hold her hand. It starts trembling as I proudly guide her past the wall of my brothers dressed in black suits.

Well … most of them. One better not join us tonight. He could ruin everything.

Sire gently bows to Vale, the heart tattoo under his eye crinkling with his smile. Grant gives her an approving wink. Jace softly smiles at her while Axel surprises me.

Who’s the woman he brought to Vale’s initiation?

Axel initiated our first queen years ago, but then he lost her. She vanished without a trace, and it’s as if she took Axel’s noble soul with her and left him with a cold, angry heart.

Yes, he fucks other women. He has very dark, primal urges he can’t fight, but I’ve never seen him share his heart again. Until now.

Axel would never bring a woman into our sanctuary unless she means something to him. Unless he’s testing her to make sure, she won’t run this time.

It leaves me full of questions watching Vale meet our sixth king.

Nick wraps his hulking arms around her, gently kissing her blushing cheek. “Finally, Nash gets his beauty, his Belle. He’s been suffering a long time without you.”

Of course, Vale recognizes him. Nick is the NFL’s leading defensive end and a local hero. Of all the brothers, he leads the most public life, though ironically, he hides the most.

No one but us knows he was once Nikofor Kholodov. Only a few trusted friends and we know Nick is gay and proudly in love with his queen,ourqueen.

It’s an odd label for the man Nick loves. But Zar Rollins wears his title with pride. His Texas swagger and billionaire clout are not threatened by any role. They only prove his love for Nick. It only proves the power of being one of our queens. We worship him, too.

“But you’re…” Vale stammers, unsure if she should reveal how else she knows Nick. “You’re with?—”

“Zar?” Nick grins. “And Luca and Scarlett Mercier, your loyal customers? Yes. But this, my queen, is our big secret.”

Vale promises, “I’ll protect it.”

“I know.” Nick hugs her again.

I lead Vale past the row of white velvet queens’ chairs with ornately carved legs and backs painted gold. They sit opposite our black velvet kings’ chairs, with a large, black leather-tufted platform between them and a sapphire velvet bench at the top.

Guiding Vale to the bench, I hold her hand as she sits gracefully, scanning the room like she’s never seen it before.

It’s the former owner’s suite, with a high black ceiling meeting black walls trimmed in ornate molding gilded in gold leaf. The tall windows at one end are covered by gold velvet curtains, billowing over the original parquet floors. The view outside overlooks the guarded courtyard.

I’m sure Vale saw this room before Axel claimed it. But she’s never seen it transformed like this.

Around the room stand tall, golden candelabras, holding flickering tapered candles. Their ivory wax drips in romantic rivulets onto the glass squares beneath them.

In one corner stands a princely, antique mahogany table with gold trays brimming with treats for the night, a crystal decanter of vodka, and over a dozen crystal glasses.

At the top of the room, centered on the wall, stands a lone red velvet throne. Black, gold, white, and red: they’re the colors of Russian royalty reflected in this room, and that’s clearly The Queen’s unoccupied throne.

More gold candelabras hold ivory tapered candles on a matching table in the opposite corner as each king silently lights one. It’s an orthodox tradition as I offer a prayer—to who, I’m not sure—but all I can do is hope for Vale to be mine from tonight and always.

And please, God. The devil? Anyone? Don’t let me murder Jace.

I blow out my match.

Sire pours our shots in perfect timing with a coded knock at the door.

Grant smiles, turning to open it for our queens.

Wren, our newest, enters wearing a black velvet corseted minidress. Every time I see her dainty face and lithe body, I have to remind myself …she’s of age.She’s twenty.

---