Page 100 of Kings & Carnage

They led me up the grand staircase to the quiet third floor, the sounds from the dining room muffled by exotic carpets, sconces glowing softly on either side of the private hall.

It was a little like being back in Daisy's house, except the Seneca Inn was gorgeously restored. I hoped someday Daisy would be able to do the same for the house at the top of the falls that had given us shelter when we’d needed it most.

Neo fished an old-fashioned key out of his pocket and bent to open the door. He pushed it open and stood back, indicating that I should go first, and when I stepped into the giant living room, I saw that there was a trail of rose petals that started at the door and led into the suite.

I turned to them. "Did you do this?”

"This is just the beginning, kitten," Rock said.

I smiled, hardly believing they’d gone to all this trouble just for me.

I followed the trail of rose petals into the living room, furnished with a complementary array of comfortable modern furniture and antiques. Flames crackled softly from a fireplace next to the sofas and two bottles of champagne peeked out from a large ice bucket on the coffee table.

Next to it, a silver platter held a bowl of fresh strawberries and an assortment of chocolate truffles.

I shook my head. "I can't believe this.”

At one end of the living room a set of double doors was open to the bedroom, offering a view of the biggest bed I'd ever seen.

I followed the trail of rose petals into the bedroom and saw that they continued onto the bed where they were arranged in the shape of a heart. Soft white candles glowed from every surface, casting the room in a romantic glow.

Through another set of double doors I caught sight of a massive soaking tub and what appeared to be a luxury bathroom.

I turned to look at them. "I was so excited to give you my Valentine's Day present, but now I feel like it's going to pale in comparison to all of this.”

Oscar grinned. "This isn't even your present, tiger.”

"Yeah, the real present will come later," Rock said, disappearing into the bathroom and returning with a red silk robe. “Time for you to get naked for your massage.”

"My massage?" I looked around, half expecting a masseuse to materialize out of thin air. "Do they have a spa here?”

"We're the spa," Rock said, moving to the nightstand next to the giant bed where a bottle of massage oil sat along with an assortment of sex toys. "And the after-party.”

Heat rushed between my thighs.

Valentine's Day, the Kings, massage oil, and sex toys?

Happy Valentine's Day to me.

I took the robe from Rock's hand and headed for the bathroom. Clearly they were going to discover their Valentine's Day present sooner rather than later, but I hadn't decided how to give it to them.

I closed the door of the bathroom and slipped off my dress, folding it neatly and setting the lace panties on top of it.

Obviously I wouldn't be needing those.

I twisted the cuff on my wrist a couple times before removing it. It was still strange to see the tiny chef’s hat on my wrist. The tattoo was still a little red but I'd taken the bandage off and had been careful to treat it according to Adam’s instructions.

I’d chosen my wrist for Rock because he, more than anyone, had shown me what it meant to take care of people. Even when his arm had been in a cast, he'd insisted on cooking for us, and it was always him who came to my room with trays of food and books when I was sick or sad.

Moving toward the mirror, I touched the boxing gloves just above my left tit. I’d chosen the placement for Neo because it was close to my heart, and I wanted him to know that I saw his heart even when he was being a total dick.

It was harder to see my tattoo for Oscar. I had to sit on the edge of the bathroom counter and lift my hair, twisting until I caught sight of it in the mirror: a camera at the back of my neck, just under my hairline, because it was hidden and Oscar had a way of seeing all the parts of me I tried to hide and even the ones I didn't know existed at all.

They felt like meager testaments to my feelings for the Kings, especially compared to all they were doing for me, but I loved having them inked on my skin, knowing they would be there forever, even if we weren't always together.

I shook off my sadness at the thought and slipped on the red silk robe. I would let them find their Valentine’s Day presents themselves. Maybe it would be the same kind of discovery I'd felt when I'd realized they were so much more than they'd seemed.

I hoped so. I had so little to give them but I wanted them to have it all anyway.

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