Page 60 of Fearless

Scanning the crowd, I find her familiar wine hair among the throng of bodies. I can see her body shaking with laughter from here, one hand pressed to her mouth while the other curls around her pretty dance partner.

My eyes quickly flick over the crowd to land on a shock of lilac hair. Pressed close to Blair is the tall redhead I know to be Paedyn’s friend. “It was risky having Blair here, you know. The queen-to-be nearly tore her head off in front of the whole court.”

The words have Kitt taking a drink. “Oh, I know. But I need to somehow… acclimate the two of them.” He coughs quickly into a curled fist. “I can’t keep them separated forever. And I certainly can’t have my queen attacking the people in this castle.”

My queen.

It’s the way he says the words that has me tensing. And that is precisely the reaction he was looking for. Aside from my subtle flinch, I keep my expression blank and gaze forward. “No, you can’t have that.” Turning to face him, I lower my voice, adding, “But if I know anything about your queen, it’s that she will always find a way. To survive or to kill. And I’m not sure anyone can outlive Paedyn’s wrath.” My eyes flick to the dancing couple, a lilac-haired girl in the arms of my Imperial.

Kitt nods. “I don’t doubt that. You know her better than I do. Better than you once knew me.”

“I would know you in every life, Brother.” My words are hurried. I step in front of him, facing my other half fully. “More than any other soul. Believe that.”

He smiles—a slow, relieved movement. His hand clutches my arm as he ducks his head, hiding the emotion shining in those green eyes. “And I you.”

I loose a breath, feeling the tension flee from my body. This is the brother I know, the bond I know to have with him. And I cannot bear to lose that.

“Are those her shoes?”

I follow Kitt’s gaze to where the heels dangle from my hooked fingers. My laugh is muffled by the hand I run down my face. “She took them off about two glasses of champagne ago.”

The king’s gaze crawls over my shoulder. “Speak of the devil.”

I turn slowly toward the dance floor, and there she is, striding toward us with a dazzling smile between rosy cheeks. I’m breathless at the sight of her, doomed by the hope of having her. It’s a beautiful ruin, a devastating devotion. This girl holds my heart in her hands, could crush it between her fingers and still have me thanking her for the touch.

And I hold her shoes.

CHAPTER 23Paedyn

My blood feels bubbly.

I’m light and heavy all at once, the spreading warmth beneath my skin hypnotizing. I’ve never felt so carefree, so unbothered by life and rules and hopes and failures…

What was I thinking? My head is spinning. Not in a particularly unpleasant way. But fast enough to routinely dump the thoughts from my head.

It doesn’t help that the rest of me has been spinning for… a length of time I don’t care to determine at the moment. I’ve finally untangled myself from Jax’s long legs after dancing—or something loosely resembling that—between the staring court members.

Because I’ve set my sights on something equally as fun.

The boys lean against a pillar, black suits stark beside the marble stone and—

And I can’t focus on anything else because,holy shit, they look good. I can feel my smile growing as I walk toward them in as straight of a line as I can manage. They are a pretty pair, the Azer brothers. And I havethe rest of my life to spend with them. Married to one and in love with the other.

That bleak thought is one of the many I’d hoped the numerous glasses of champagne would ward off. But like all the others, the thought is fleeting. As is the urge to rip Blair’s head off. For now.

I’m suddenly standing before the king and his Enforcer. Kitt and Kai. Betrothed and regrettably not betrothed.

My tongue feels loose and dry and where the hell are my shoes? I ignore all of this to say, “Why aren’t you two having fun?”

It’s Kai who answers, voice enticing in a way I certainly wouldn’t refuse at the moment. “Are we supposed to dance with Jax as well?”

Kitt chuckles while I smile loosely, tilting my heavy head. I want him to laugh at my words like that. I want him to want to spend time with me. Or something like that. “No, I’m sure you’ve already done that. So, I’ve come to ask you to dance.”

Well, that’s an interesting idea. I’m scared what words will fall from my mouth next. Whatever I say is a shock to even myself.

Kai shakes his head. “And I thought you couldn’t surprise me any further tonight.”

When the Enforcer’s gaze meets mine, the king returns to his frustrating stoicism. Yes, I would very much like for us to be friends again. His words are clipped. “Me? Or Kai?”

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