Black Knight (Royal Elite 4)

While I brush my lips against his fingers, Xander swallows mine into his hot mouth, lapping them with his tongue. A flash of desire grips me, and it takes everything in me to speak in a semi-normal tone. “You never told me your favourite flavour.”

He speaks around my fingers, “You.”

Holy…

If he keeps saying things like that, I’m going to climb him in public.

“Now.” He flashes me his dimples. “About that redo.”

I’m about to kiss him when a presence cuts into our peripheral vision. I stagger backwards but don’t leave Xander’s embrace.

My mouth gapes.

The blonde hair, the elegant posture. It’s almost like seeing a ghost.

Xander’s entire body tightens as she smiles. “Hello, Xan.”

34

Xander

“Mum?”

My voice is incredulous, even to my own ears. The woman I thought I would never see in this lifetime stands in front of me.

Her hair is straight and blonde and falls to her shoulders, just as I remember. She’s wearing one of the elegant dresses fit for the upper class, and she still has a brooch over her clothes.

If I didn’t know we’d separated more than twelve years ago, I would’ve thought we saw each other yesterday.

Her face has that familiar permanent small smile and her blue almond-shaped eyes have no wrinkles surrounding them.

“How have you been, kids?” She stares between me and Kim as if this is an everyday occurrence, as if she went out for a stroll and just returned.

“You’ve grown up so much, Kim.” She smiles. “Thankfully, you don’t look like your snake of a mother.”

What the fuck?

First, my mum is here.

Second, did I mention my mum is here?

“Can I talk to Xander?” she asks Kim, whose eyes remain wide, as if she’s witnessing a ghost’s appearance and probably thinking about ghostbuster options.

Same for me.

“Uh…” She shakes her head, then squeezes my hand. “I’ll be…home if you need me.”

I don’t even have the right state of mind to nod or do anything. I’m still staring at my mum and trying to figure out if I had enough alcohol to end up with another ‘dream’.

Soft lips seal against my cheek and it’s enough to pull me out of my trance. I glance down at Kim and she smiles in the warmest, most considerate way any human would.

Her smile says words she doesn’t have to utter out loud.

I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.

I smile back, showing her the dimples she loves so much. “Go ahead, Green.”

She nods, chances one last glance at Mum, then slowly heads to her house.