Chapter 3
KING GAVIN ACKERMAN
Whoever this girl was didn’t truly understand who I was and what I was capable of.
She looked too distracted by everything. Swallowed up by my brown coat, messy pecan hair, and purple patches on her face and neck, a deep cut on her pale full lips. How was she real?
She gasped at the size of the living area, her eyes darting everywhere, taking everything in all at once.
“I’ve never been anywhere this beautiful. I only watch them in those TV shows.” She gushed, amazement in her tone.
Hannah, the housekeeper came forward, her judgemental gaze widened slightly when she regarded Ruby. But whatever she had to say faded inside of her.
“Show Ruby to a room.”
I hadn’t gotten used to her name on the tip of my tongue.
“No, I want to swim. Do you have a pool here?” Her gaze bounced off of everything in the living room, consumed by whatever was running in her mind.
“Recover first, we don’t want blood in the pool.”
“Does that mean I’ll be staying here for a while?” Her expectant gaze searched mine.
Something about her vulnerability made me want to protect her. This couldn’t have been a feigned innocence. I didn’t like the way my chest tightened over such things. Odd and alarming, a sign she was breaking into uncharted territories.
“I take days to heal. Can I wash off and still swim? I’ve always wanted to swim in a pool. Is that a chandelier? Does it cost much?”
“Take her to the room, let her apply a soothing balm after shower,” I instructed Hannah.
“No,” Ruby refuted, “She doesn’t like me. I’ll be fine on my own, just point me to a room.”
She started towards the stairs, Hannah’s eyes conveyed disapproval, but I followed Ruby up the stairs with Hannah in tow.
When housekeeper showed her to a room, I dismissed the perfectly coiffed Lady.
“Lunch is in thirty minutes.”
“This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” She ran her finger on the tiny gold dog statue on the nightstand.
Goddess.
For me, it was her.
She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
When they told me about this Listener, I didn’t expect her to come in this shape. Sparkling green eyes now filled with
amazement.
“Come here,” I ordered, crooking a finger at her.
She jolted from the roughness of my tone, but closed the distance between us, stopping in between me and the big bed.
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I fought the pressing impulse to seal our lips in a tantalizing kiss, instead, I closed the gap between us with my finger working on the buttons on the coat which swept to the floor reminding me of how small she stood.
“What are you doing?” She asked breathily. Blankly.
I had no idea.
“You’re not going to bathe in this are you?”
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She shook her head and sensuously bit her lower lip shuddering when I cupped her chin, gently this time, freeing her lip from her teeth.
“You shouldn’t do that, little wolf.” I pushed back the jab in my throat, surprisingly finding it too hard to swallow.
My attraction burned even hotter. I’d never seen such a luscious mouth, skin that begged me to put the soothing balm on her myself. Tits designed to scramble a lesser man’s brain, her innocence gave her an air of being almost off limits to assholes like me.
Yet, Nathan called it feigned.
She flashed me a tremulous smile–one that sent my heart into overdrive, tugged her chin out of my hold and started towards the bathroom door, arms stiff by her sides. Momentarily struck dumbfounded by the sense of loss I experienced without Ruby before me, I audibly cleared my throat as though trying to regain myself.
This wasn’t why I chose to bring her to the mansion. This girl looked too sweet to sully.
Exiting the room, reasons why I shouldn’t welcome distractions pooled in to flood my mind. Reasons why I should keep my hands off her made it harder to focus on the shears of paper splayed on the home office desk.
She had the ability we needed if we must get into the Outlanders camp
and take them unawares.
The ringing phone on the desk brought me back to the mission at hand.
Defeating the Outlanders.
Kirk, my third in command and best buddy was calling. Something must’ve gone wrong at the borders.
“Our spies have returned.” His deep tone passively came through.
“Any news?”
“You might want to be here, I’ll be waiting.”
The call ended, my mind racing on whatever news our spies must’ve brought back.
I looked up from the desk, almost jolting at the sight of the girl before me. Did she sneak up on me?
“The tap in the bathroom’s broken.”
The only explanation for why she came here, lathered to her toenails beneath the towel wrapped around her.
“I tried using the jacuzzi. I should’ve used the shower.” She added, her eyes apologetic.
I gulped. Fought the band tightened around my heart.
“Show me.”
Easing from the desk, I started towards the door, up the stairs, and back to the room.
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Chapter 3
Hannah had already beaten me to it.
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“I’ve just called a plumber, your Majesty.” The shaky lady informed, disapproval in her gaze when they wandered Ruby’s
way.
“I didn’t mean any trouble.” Fear seized the features on Ruby’s white face, her tone quiet.
“It’s no trouble, little wolf.” I didn’t want her to be afraid, “Come use the one in my bedroom.”
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I left before I caught an expression on her face. Or, before she caught the lust in my gaze. Did she notice me gawking at the supple of her neck? Her perked–up nipples poking through the white heavy towel wrapped around her chest, begging to be let out.
The sound of her footsteps behind me tormented me in ways she never would know just to think she was clad in nothing but the thick towel. It took me sheer strength not to glance over my shoulder. Not to run my gaze over her tempting body again.
I didn’t stop, not until I reached the bathroom door in my bedroom, held it open, and waited for her to get in. Heated thoughts of being alone with her in such a personal space hardened the growing bulge in my pants.
I had imagined she’d get distracted by the items in the bedroom, but she walked with her shoulders slumped forward, wallowed in regret for the tap she’d accidentally broken.
“Are you mad?” Her big eyes searched mine blankly, her tongue peeked out to wet her parted lips.
Hell no. A war was raging inside of me to want to worry about a mere tap. Instead of a reply, I took one large step to her, knowing I’d probably regret my actions, hurled her hard against the wall, a yelp left her lips. Unable to resist the temptation of her damp, slightly parted lips, I lowered my head to hers sealing our lips in a slow but ardent kiss.
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