She looked up at me with her lips tight and I was sure she was going to refuse me, but as her gaze caught mine, something in the depths of her eyes softened and she released a sigh.
“Sure,” she replied with a shrug. “Why the hell not? I’ll pretend to be the real Cinderella for the night and you can play at being Prince Charming. And then at midnight I’ll go right back to my rags and you’ll be a mean little pumpkin all over again. But if I catch you sniffing my shoes in the morning, we’re gonna have trouble, Blake Bowman.”
I grinned at her, pulling the door wide as my heart pounded solidly in my chest. I had to admit, there was something about that stern look she got in her eyes when she called me by my full name which I really quite liked.
“Your carriage awaits,” I teased, offering her my arm and after a beat of hesitation, she took it. Her small hand slid around the crook of my elbow and lightly gripped my bicep and I walked her through to the kitchenette.
Saint, Kyan and Monroe were already sitting around the dining table, a few drinks in and looking like the buzz was kicking in. Monroe was sinking beers and he wasn’t looking much different than usual aside from being here in our home instead of shouting at us on the field. Saint had a tumbler of insanely expensive vodka over ice sitting before him and Kyan was drinking Jack right out of the bottle.
One glance was enough to let me know that Kyan was already a third of the bottle down and the dark look in his eyes said we were going to be treated to him in his most douchey, angry asshole state tonight.
“Finally,” Saint growled, his gaze taking in the freshly stitched wound on my arm with a frown. “You wanna explain that, Blake?”
“I fell and sliced it on a rock,” I explained with a shrug. No need to mention quite how far I fell. “Cinders kindly patched me up and now I’m good as new.”
“You’re a girl of many talents,” Monroe said, his gaze trailing over Tatum though his features remained neutral, closed off. Our newest brother still didn’t fully trust us, but that was okay. He was a dog thrown into the wolf pack, but I was convinced he’d manage to prove his wild nature to us soon enough.
“You have no idea,” Tatum replied casually, batting her lashes at him.
“You should let her suck your cock some time if you wanna know about her talents,” Kyan said in a low voice.
Saint outwardly sneered and Monroe didn’t look too happy either. I could only really admit that he had a fucking good point. But maybe it was a dick move to bring it up at the dining table.
“Kyan came within about thirty seconds,” Tatum quipped back, barely missing a beat. “Which I’m guessing is the real reason he doesn’t fuck girls on campus. He doesn’t want everyone knowing how fast he blows his load. He must be a real disappointment to those poor Murkwell girls. Maybe that’s why he likes tying them up? So they can’t punch him in retaliation for the shit sex?”
Kyan laughed loudly, but it was a cruel thing. “I dunno why you’re so obsessed with my cock, baby. But you need to stop pining for me to put it in you because this bitter stuff isn’t a good look on you. It’s giving you crow’s feet.”
“You know what-” she began but Kyan cut her off.
“I’ll take that compliment now, baby,” he purred, grinning as she simmered with rage.
“What?”
“The one you owe me for carrying that shit back here for you earlier,” he reminded her with a dark grin.
Tatum opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water, seeming to be hunting for a way out but there wasn’t one.
“Come on, I really wanna hear a genuine compliment from you. What is it about me that makes you so hot for me?” he taunted and Monroe clucked his tongue like this whole thing was dumb. Which it was, but none of us were gonna say a word to stop it.
“Fine,” she said, offering him a sweet smile while her eyes were filled with loathing. “You’re hot, Kyan. Like, seriously hot. You’ve got everything going on to look at you. Your muscles are stacked and your ink is so beautiful that I want to get lost tracing my hands all over it. You look like something sculpted by the gods for the sole purpose of melting panties.”
Kyan smiled like he was enjoying watch her squirm and she laid her hands on the table as she leaned towards him.
“But, that’s the only thing you’ve got going for you. Which makes you great for looking at and fooling around with, but you’ll never be good for anything else. And seeing as looks fade, I think you can look forward to a real lonely existence in the not so distant future.”
Monroe released a low whistle as Kyan snarled at her.
“Well at least I know I’m a monster, baby. I don’t try and pretend I’m anything else. But you’re the one who keeps lowering yourself to my level because as much as you hate the dirt I wallow in, you can’t help but love it when it makes you all filthy.”
Tatum’s cheeks reddened with rage and she parted her lips to respond, but I caught her arm and tugged her away so that she could concentrate on the food. I didn’t know why I was bothering to try and protect her from Kyan’s anger, but I’d promised to be her prince tonight so I guessed it was my duty.
She muttered beneath her breath about fat-headed overly
