Page 84 of Company of Thieves
EPILOGUE
“Itold you that stuffwas good. Didn’t I tell you?” Jack sounded very pleased with himself. I decided that since he had helped us, he deserved to be praised.
“It was everything you said, and we couldn’t have done it without your help,” I told him, giving him a kiss before moving over to the chaise lounge where Alan rested. I eyed him carefully, noting that the lines of pain that had been evident around his mouth since he’d been shot had smoothed away at last.
“Stop looking at me like you’re going to demand to check my bandages again,” he said, holding his hand up for me.
“I can’t help it. I don’t like you being hurt. I want you back in action so I can—oh lord.”
I dashed off, racing for the bucket that I’d had set behind a couple of round shrubs, and heaved up the bit of toast I’d managed to eat an hour earlier. Since I’d ordered the servants that milled around the palace to also place a ceramic ewer filled with water, a bowl, toothpaste, and one of the ten toothbrushes I now owned near the bucket, I was able to brush my mouth three times before going back to the main section of the little garden that sat off one end of the massive palace.
“Sorry,” I said, waving a wan hand. “I’m really going to be glad when this passes. What were we talking about?”
Alan pulled me down onto his lap with his good hand, positioning me so that I leaned against the unhurt side of his chest, his left arm and ribs bandaged. “You were going to tell me how you wished for me to be well so that I can do all of the many and varied things you’d like me to do to your delicious, enticing body.”
“This is really uncomfortable,” Jack said, grimacing at us. “I mean, I’m happy that you two clearly are almost, but not quite as much, in love as Tavy and I are, but at the same time, that’s my sister you’re fondling and thinking sexual thoughts about.”
“You’re going to have to just get over yourself, nonroyal brother,” I told him, pressing a kiss to Alan’s ear. “I like it when Alan fondles me. I like it more when he works through his own list of things that he wants to do, although that one with the honey and yogurt just sounds sticky.”
“Oh, you’ll be very sticky by the time I’m done,” Alan said in a near growl, his good hand sliding around to give one butt cheek a quick grope.
“There, see? That is exactly what I’m talking about,” Jack protested.
“My love, about this I am in agreement with Alan and Hallie. They are perfectly within their right to enjoy each other just as you and I do.” Octavia’s eyes sparkled at Jack in a way that had him sitting up straight and waggling his eyebrows at her. “I think we should just be thankful that Alan was not harmed seriously, and discuss instead what is to be done now.”
Alan sighed. “With the imperator—”
“Former imperator, you imperial sexy thing, you,” I interrupted.
Jack made a face, which, to my amusement, Alan duplicated before he said, “With my father, and that bastard vizier who almost slit your throat, safely en route to one of William’s holdings in England, the empire will crumble.”
“Unless you take charge of it,” I said, waiting to see what he would say to that idea. Although he’d said previously that he didn’t want his father’s position, I worried there was a chance he might change his mind, feeling he could do much to restore the damage his father had done.
His gaze met mine, the blue in them fathomless, and so gorgeous it sent little shivers of anticipation down my arms. I reminded myself he was recovering from having his arm and side scorched, and that although he expressed the idea that he would be fine to indulge in all the things I badly wanted to do, he needed some time to heal.
“I have never sought the position of imperator,” he said slowly, his good hand stroking little circles on my hip.
“But if you don’t lead the Moghuls, what will happen?”
It took him a minute before he admitted, with what sounded like regret in his voice, “Moghuls are a warring people. It’s why they followed my father’s wishes even when it meant decimating our own ranks. Without a leader, they will break into clans and fight each other for supremacy rather than living in peace.”
“That sounds undesirable on all accounts,” Octavia said, leaning into Jack.
