Because I couldn’t do anything while she was sitting in my space, making it smell like her, like fresh linen, almost like ocean water, clean. It was too much, even more so than if it had been floral or fruity. It was just Sparrow.
And it made me want to lick that honey-brown skin and pull at that dark hair of hers to move her head just a bit so I could latch onto her neck and suck.
I was turning into a bloody vampire, and I had no idea why.
“This is what I need,” Sparrow said, naming off a bunch of specs.
“Drop it in the cloud that I’m sending you the link for,” I said, tapping a few keys on a computer.
Sparrow’s eyes widened at my set up, but I pushed her to the side mentally, getting into the zone.
“I’ll get you what you need, and then we’ll work on the back angles because I’m a little worried.”
“Worried?” she asked, and I nearly cursed. I hadn’t meant to say that.
“After Aunt Rebecca, it’s been tense around here. Trusting the wrong people will make you wary.”
Sparrow winced. “I’m sorry. I know she practically raised you guys. It must’ve been hard to have her turn on you like that.”
I shrugged like it didn’t matter, even though it sure as fuck did. “Nothing we can do about it now. Everybody shows their true face eventually, we were just almost a little too late to realize it.” I paused, pushing back the anger. “Plus, she mostly raised London.”
“And who raised you?”
I shrugged again, focusing on my work as I moved through files. “I had mom and dad longer.”
I could practically see her doing the math.
“Maybe not as long as Roman, but I had them longer than Wilder and London. So that’s all that matters. Plus, Roman was always there for us. In the end, we only needed each other. And eventually I only needed myself.”
We were silent for so long that I was afraid I had said too much. Fuck, I knew I was revealing too much. I didn’t know what it was about Sparrow, but she ruffled my feathers, and I couldn’t focus.
Finally, Sparrow cleared her throat. “I guess I should head back and meet up with Niko while you get me what I need.” She gave me a look that told me she didn’t think I could do it.
I ground my teeth. “Niko, right. Run along now.” I said, trying to push the boundaries again. I didn’t like her getting so close. It annoyed me. And I was fucking lying to myself.
She glared at me. “And you know what? You’re so much more palatable when you’re not talking. Get me the specs, and thank you, what was that you called yourself? Oh yes, Fuckboy Prince.” She strode out of my office, leaving behind that damn scent.
And every mistake I knew I was going to make.
Chapter 6
Breck
The black sheep of the family waves hello.
* * *
I probably should have slept the night before, but I figured I’d functioned on less sleep in my life. Usually it was because of far more pleasant experiences, but not so much recently, since I was diving into my new projects. There was probably something wrong with me if I wanted to spend the night with my computers rather than a willing woman, but times change, and sometimes a man needed a break.
What I needed was more sleep, but since I knew that wasn’t going to happen, I went with more coffee—the sweet elixir of life and keeping this prince awake.
I chugged down the last of my coffee, grateful nobody was there to watch me. Years of etiquette classes, though maybe not as many as London, had instilled me to be slow and deliberate with my actions.
I had chucked that idea out the window as soon as I could.
Much to my teachers’ and family’s chagrin.
I considered another cup, but I figured my brothers would probably have some waiting for me. After all, they were the ones that had set this meeting. They were going to have to deal with me and all of my grumpiness. They were used to it.
I grunted, ran my hand through my hair, and thought I should probably shower. However, I had taken a shower at around midnight, trying to reinvigorate my brain. I always did my best thinking in the shower and had even developed a voice app to help me write down notes while I was showering. I used to use those waterproof notepads, but I was a techie at heart and liked creating my things.
That little app had created a nice amount of pocket change. I’d donated most of what I made off the sale to my favorite charities, and the anonymous donation had helped fund a few schools. I obviously didn’t need the money. But it was nice I was still getting letters from the children who wanted to say thank you, even if they didn’t know my name. The fact that London regularly visited some of those schools around the world always made me smile, even if she didn’t know I was the one that had built them.
I pushed those thoughts from my mind and made my way to Roman’s wing.
Best not to be late since I had been summoned.
When the king called, I answered.
Usually.
I nodded at a few of the staff members as they shuffled past, each of them on a mission of their own, diligent, but happy. I liked the feel of the house now, not that it had ever been off before. Yet, now that Aunt Rebecca was gone, I realized there was less tension in the air. As if she had been the one pushing everybody to work just a little past their abilities, or even worse, setting unrealistic expectations for the staff.
Nothing like having your aunt turn out to be a homicidal murderer to shed some light on a few things.
I knew the Council of Lords tended to do that independently, but Aunt Rebecca seemed to take things to a whole new level. But she was no longer here, much to my disappointment. I didn’t want her anywhere near my family, but I would have liked to have said a few words to her before she’d been taken away. I wanted to tell her exactly what I thought of her and make sure she knew that she would never see London again.
My heart went full jackrabbit in my chest, and my hands fisted. Hell. I let out a slow breath, annoyed I’d let those thoughts filter in.
“It’s about time you showed up,” Roman said as I strolled into his set of suites. We were in the foyer where there were a few ornate chairs and tables strewn about. The draperies had been pulled back, showcasing the high ceilings and elegant molding. Sunlight streamed in, and there was a direct view to the balcony and then the king’s garden beyond. Through the door on the right was the war room then the bedrooms. Over to the left was a fully appointed chef’s kitchen and dining room should Roman want to show off his culinary skills.
He sometimes met dignitaries or had council meetings here. He didn’t usually host family here, but when I realized that I had been summoned for something that wasn’t necessarily family related, it made sense.
The fact that Roman was facing the window, looking over his vast kingdom that he ruled with a decently iron fist, or maybe more with an iron open palm, made me wonder how he had seen me without even looking at me. Maybe it was the reflection, or maybe he was just that good when it came to sensing the presence of others.
“Sorry, late morning,” I said, purposely yawning wide and searching the room for coffee. I grinned as I saw the ornate coffee setup and sauntered over to it, scratching my belly as I did. Wilder rolled his eyes and shook his head.