Page 13 of Royal's Reign
“I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Hey, it’s not like I didn’t like it.” I offer, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re gorgeous, you know that, and if things were different, then…” I don’t emphasize too much, my thoughts going to Grinder and how he’d relieve me of my manhood if I ever actually went there. Besides, her reaction was only some stupid saviour shit from the wrath of her brother.
Time stills. We both stand awkwardly in front of each other, not knowing where to go from here or what to say. Gio eventually breaks the silence.
“Shoot, what the hell, you’re hurt. Let me take a look.” Her hands are again on me, this time with the lightest touch, her fingertips skimming across my torso in search of evidence of injury and where the blood is coming from.
I should stop her, but I kinda like the feel of her hands on me, even though I know that I’m playing with fire. I savor it for a few more minutes before I speak up, putting her right.
“It’s not my blood.”
“What?” Her eyebrows scrunch together, and she moves in to look closer. Even with her face distorted with her confused expression, she’s still as pretty as fuck.
“Ewh!” she scrunches up her nose and glares at her hand coated with a stranger’s bodily fluids. “What the hell, Royal. Why didn’t you say that in the first place? Asshole.” Dashing off to the bathroom, I hear the water start to run from the faucet, followed by splashing. I follow her, leaning against the door frame, watching as she furiously scrubs her hands with a whole ton of hand soap.
Inside, I’m chuckling, but on the outside, I keep my face serious, not wanting her to see how much her cuteness affects me.
“Whose blood is it then?” She eyeballs me through the reflection in the mirrorabove the sink.
My answer to that is a single raised eyebrow and a one-sided smirk.
“Did you kill someone?” she gasps, her expression one of sheer horror. “I’m not stupid; I know what the 1% badge means on your jacket.”
“You really don’t.” While drying her hands, she wavers, then sidesteps to regain her balance, making me realize that she’s still drunk. I take a few steps to stand beside her, and place my hands on her hips. “Besides, what goes on in the club is none of your business, and nothing to worry your pretty little head about.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know they sound patronizing, but the last thing I need is for her to get wind of club business. “It’s time for you to get some sleep.” Moving her out of the bathroom, I guide her to the bedroom, kick open the door with my foot and walk her towards the bed.
“I’m not tired.” But the yawn she lets out and the way she doesn’t put up a fight, crawls on top of the mattress and instantly curls up into the fetal position tells me otherwise.
“Then just rest up a little,” I say in compromise. “I’ll grab you some water and Advil for later in case you need it.” She’ll need it.
By the time I get back from the kitchen and place the glass and two tablets on the bedside table, her eyes are shut and the even breathing confirms that she’s out.
Fuck, she looks so adorable with her slightly parted mouth, soft snore, hands together and tuckedunder her face. Long lashes fanned out across her flushed cheek, pink, soft lips. I lean in without thinking, before I get the chance to stop myself, and place my lips to hers, stealing a kiss.
So fucking sweet.
So fucking wrong.
The quicker we get to the bottom of this ‘problem’ of hers and her safety is no longer an issue; the sooner I can get her out of my apartment and away from my club and all its illegal dealings.
As far away from me as possible, and my questionable morals and lack of restraint.
Giorgia
I open my eyes only to slam them shut again when pain sears behind them, slowly creeping up across my forehead then blooming over the remainder of my head, consuming it into a ball of agony.
“Ouch, my head. My fucking head.” I roll to my side to bury my head into the softness of the pillow, searching for some relief from the pounding at my temples. What I didn’t expect is to come up against a hard object right beside me. With my eyes still firmly shut, I reach out with my hand, tentatively feeling for what it is that’s stopping me from rolling further onto my stomach. Skin. I feel warm smooth skin, firm hard muscle and when I trail my fingers lower, because I need to make sure that it’s real and not just a dream, I find a fingertip sized divot followed by a narrowstrip of downy hair that brings me to a sudden stop, knowing exactly where that would lead. I squeeze open one eye and find Royal, laid on his back right beside me. His eyes are closed, his face looking relaxed in sleep. I push up onto my elbows, and open both my eyes so I can take a proper look at his glorious body. Despite my fingers finding the strip of hair on his lower belly, giving me the impression that he was naked from the waist down, he’s actually wearing a pair of very low-slung sweatpants.
Pain bounces around my head once more, and I groan out, slamming my eyes shut once more.
“Take the Advil, Gio. It’s right beside you.” Royals’ strong, clear voice has me jumping out of my skin. I feel him shift.
“I thought you were asleep,” I squint back at him before turning away in search of the medication he’d made me aware of. I snatch them up between my fingers, throw them into my mouth and then chug down the glass of water that’s also waiting for me. “Thank you.” I offer. “And while we’re handing out apologies. Despite the way I acted last night, I appreciate what you did. You were right to get me out of there before my brother saw me. My being drunk and dancing on the pool table was a little reckless, at least in his eyes it would have been. For me, I was just having a bit of fun.”
“I’m surprised you can remember with the amount of liquor you had in you.”
“I can remember everything.” I shuffle further up the bed untilI’m in a sitting position. I look down, then grab the sheet, pulling it up with me. I fix my gaze on him. “Except for the part when you partially undressed me.”
“Yeah, well, you were sparked out. I removed only your dress. It did have blood on it. Not like I stripped you naked or anything.”
