“Did you seriously doubt him?”
“I doubt everyone at first,” Maddox said. “It’s dangerous to place trust in people.”
“But you trust him now?”
“More than I did before.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Briar responded. “I’ve enjoyed my talks with Lake, the little he’s allowed for anyway. I feel we have much in common. Books. Cooking.”
“A muffin.”
When Briar laughed again, he couldn’t fully hold it back. The sound was light and melodic, warming my insides. His lips brushed my brow. “A man who owns us, heart and soul.”
Chapter Fifteen
Whisked Away
“Shiny,” Kuya said, his rainbow eyes wide and sparkling as he admired my necklace. “Kuya wants to touch it.”
“You want to steal it, you mean,” I responded. “Just like you always steal my cake.”
He grinned before hopping up on the counter, legs crossing, and sipping more milk from the giant mug I’d given him.
Sawyer was spending the day with Lady Alina, so Sir Noah had dropped Kuya off at the cottage early that morning. In the few days since I’d last seen him, Kuya still seemed upset about the whole Alina situation, but he was mostly back to his old self. That self being an adorably mischievous cat-boy who pounce-attacked me as I moved around the kitchen, cooking breakfast for me and my boys.
The café was closed for the day, giving us a rare morning to sit and share a meal together without me baking like a madman to prepare for the surge of hungry customers. Maddox and Briar would have to leave soon but had said they could stay for breakfast.
“It smells wonderful in here,” Briar said, leaning against the counter.
Kuya flicked him with his tail.
“Thanks,” I said. “I made cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, and I’m about to slice fruit.”
“Let me.” Briar cut up strawberries and bananas and rinsed off blueberries before mixing it all in individual bowls for each of us.
Lake and Maddox helped carry the dishes into the main dining area where we then sat to eat, taking advantage of the spacious room. The only thing that would’ve made it better was if Callum and the knights could’ve joined us too, but Baden was still healing, and the others were on duty.
Security in the kingdom had been increased after the caravan was attacked.
Kuya devoured his cinnamon roll but picked at his bowl of fruit, only eating the strawberries—as well as everyone else’s. No one seemed to mind. Lake pushed his bowl closer, allowing Kuya to pick out what he wanted.
“Any plans for the day?” Briar asked after helping me clear the table after breakfast. He and Maddox were about to leave for the castle.
“Getting out of the house sounds nice,” I responded. “Maybe go for a walk. Visit the bookstore.”
“As long as you stay in town,” Maddox said, eyeing the tray of muffins I’d taken out of the oven before we’d sat to eat. They had needed to cool. “What flavor are these?”
“Pumpkin.” I bounced over to him like a ball of nervous energy. “That’s a test batch so I could try out the recipe. I plan to put them on the menu as a seasonal thing for autumn. If they don’t suck anyway. Do you want one?”
“You’re honestly asking if I want to eat one of your muffins?”
“Well, once upon a time, you thought my food was poisoned,” I said, remembering the morning in the clinic after he was attacked in the dark wood. I had made him breakfast, and he’d teased me before eating it.
That felt like a lifetime ago.
“What a fool I was to ever think they were poisoned. Clearly, they were laced with something else instead.” Maddox caressed my jaw. “A magic only you possess, for I’ve been under your spell ever since.”
Briar snorted under his breath. “Who knew the great and mighty Captain Maddox could be such a sap?”
