Volatile Love (The Gilded Sovereign 2)

“Hi,” Grecia’s soft voice comes from the doorway. When she walks in, I notice she’s changed since we last saw her over six months ago. Her brown hair is longer, hanging to the middle of her back. Those deep green eyes are surrounded by thin black-rimmed glasses. And her left arm is a full sleeve of colorful ink.

“It’s been a while,” Ares remarks as she nears the table. “What can we do for you?”

“I was wondering if you’ve heard from Tarian.” She looks over at us expectantly, and I suddenly feel my chest tighten. I didn’t want him to leave without telling her, but Tarian’s stubborn.

She likes him, it’s so evident, but that’s one thing I’ve come to know about my friend, he’s against relationships.

“He hasn’t been in touch. Last we heard, he was in the Med, but we’re not sure where,” Ares informs her.

A glint of intrigue lights her face, and I watch her for a long moment before she smiles at us. “I want to go find him.”

“You’re not a Sovereign or a Crown, we can’t ask you to do that.”

She regards me, taking in my words, before replying, “I know, but I want to. If that’s okay with you Ares, Etienne?” Hope shines brightly on her pretty face, and as much as I want to deny her, I can’t find it in me to say no to her.

Ares responds for us both, “Fine. But don’t force him to come back, we just need to know he’s safe.”

She smiles then, and I notice the hope lingering in her expression, even though her eyes are filled with doubt. Grecia knows what she’s getting into. Even though she’s new to this world, to our circle, I have a feeling she’ll be around for a while longer than we all anticipated.

Maybe even longer than Tarian thinks.

“You know, I may not be a Crown, but I would do anything to be a part of a family like this,” she tells us, meeting each of our gazes. Philipe stands then, stalks over to her, and stops right in front of her. We’re silent, watching the interaction with confusion.

“When you come back from seeing him, we’ll still be here. So when you’re ready to step up to the table, to sit beside us, we will have a spot for you.” It’s his promise as the oldest of the four, the Elder who makes the decisions. Even though we all have to agree with his choices, he is the ultimate decision-maker.

“Are you sure?”

“You’re part of the blood line to the table, Grecia,” he tells her. It’s true, her father sat beside Abner for a long time. Since they were all initiated. They all bear the ink of the society.

Grecia nods. “I’m not sure if the Crown is for me, but I’ll give it some consideration. I know Kelli wants it, more than anything.”

“She isn’t the eldest child,” Philipe tells her. Kelli and Grecia are sisters, Kelli being the younger, the same girl who Ares had an on and off fuck fest with. I doubt he would want her sitting beside us. She’s made it clear she wants him, and even though he’s practically married to Dahlia, Kelli is stubborn.

“You’re all done,” Ares announces, sitting back as he covers Rukaiya’s ink. The emblem sitting above her belly button is now bandaged, and soon enough, I’ll be able to trace it with my tongue while I bring her to orgasm over and over again.

“We should go,” I announce, shooting up from my seat.

“You rushed out of there like a bat out of hell,” Rukaiya murmurs when we slip into my Jeep. The blacked-out windows hide what I’m about to do. Pulling her over the seat, I allow her to straddle my thighs.

“I wanted to do this.” I growl in her ear, my lips feathering over the nape of her neck, and my teeth bare themselves as I bite down on her smooth flesh.

A whimper tumbles from her lips, and my cock is harder than it was in the goddamn room moments ago. Her heat is intoxicating.

“You’re insatiable,” she mumbles into my ear as her fingers tangle in my hair. The dark strands are tugged when she pulls my head back to regard me. “Are you always so volatile?”

“Only when I’m in love.” The words aren’t a line to get into her panties, they’re the truth. Nothing more and nothing less.

“Are you admitting you’re in love with me?” There’s a naughty smile on her face, and I can’t help but chuckle as well. Even though I’ve always wanted to be her hero, all I want now is to be her partner.

“I am. Is that so wrong?”

She’s quiet as she toys with the beard that’s growing along my jawline, her soft touch, warm fingers, and her pliant body are causing me to lose all control. If she doesn’t quit it, I’ll have her bent over the goddamned hood of the car in a moment.