Charming (A Seven World Novel) (11 page)

“Are you injured?”

“I almost had him, but he wiggled out of reach. Did your wolf tire out?”

Prince stood up and crossed the room behind her, rattling something in the quaint kitchen.

“Where do you think he keeps his money?” she yelled out. “Maybe we can hold it for ransom.” The thought amused her and she laughed quietly.

Prince reappeared and pressed something cold to her face. She hissed and recoiled, trying to shove his arm away.

“Keep still. Your lip is bleeding. Do you want to shift to heal?”

“A little boo-boo on my face isn’t traumatic enough to unleash my wolf. If it swells up to the size of a grapefruit, I’ll do a quick shift, but right now I need to look through these files.”

Kat took the ice-filled towel from him and held it against her mouth. Having a man fuss over her was bad enough, but the fact that she liked it wasn’t helping matters.

“Can you search the house while I finish this up? Maybe we can find something of value and strike a bargain. I’d take the laptop, but I’m betting he has a backup and I’d rather him not know I’ve downloaded his files. Thoughts?”

Prince paced in front of her barefoot, and Kat couldn’t tear her eyes away. His shoes must have still been in the yard, not that she had any complaints. Kat liked seeing a sexy man barefoot, just so long as he didn’t have excessively hairy toes or something growing on them. Prince had nice feet—the kind that were probably bathed in scented oils and massaged by virgins.

When he moved out of sight, she reached beneath her shirt and pulled out a flash drive.

“What else do you have in there?” he asked with amusement, threading his long hair away from his face.

She plugged it in the side of the laptop and began copying files. “Having a good strap to hold my knife is great, but it also came with a few small pouches. I have a pack of gum in one, but I always carry a flash drive for opportunities like this.” She pulled out a stick of cinnamon gum. “Want some?”

Kat expected him to berate her for foolishly fighting a Mage and then acting as if nothing had happened. That was how most people reacted to her job, and she could hardly blame him since she lived outside the lines of normalcy.

But Prince accepted the gum, folded it into his mouth, and sat on the couch beside her. That fluffed up her ego just a little bit, although Prince was a man who chose his words wisely and was probably taking his time to think of the right manner in which to reprimand her as all Packmasters loved to do.

“You have admirable control over your wolf,” he said, bumping shoulders with her.

Kat ballooned with pride, attempting to suppress her smile. “We’re a team. She knows when to hang tight and when to attack. This guy’s gonna be hard to catch,” she said, pulling out the flash drive.

“Next time give me the knife while you lock him in restraints.”

Next time?
she thought. It roused all kinds of emotions—a sense of camaraderie with someone who was willing to be her partner, even if it was just temporary. Someone who wanted to see this thing through until the end. Someone whose skin was brushing against her arm and giving her all kinds of indecent thoughts.

Mated wolves were amorous after battle. Prince wasn’t her mate by a mile, but after seeing him in action today, she was having lustful thoughts about him fighting to protect her life. Her wolf was pacing anxiously within, signaling she was eager to be mounted.

“Oh, hell no,” Kat blurted out. She snapped the laptop shut and sprang to her feet.

“Is something wrong?”

She dropped the bag of ice on his crotch and he tensed. “You sitting on that sofa, rubbing up against me, is what’s wrong. You can’t just sit there smelling good and speaking in that smoky voice like it’s no big deal. And stop smiling with your eyes. They’re sexy enough without you having to draw more attention to them. And don’t compliment my wolf after battle; you
know
what effect that has on a Shifter. And put your hair back into that ponytail while you’re at it. I can’t concentrate with you walking around looking like a man who wears tear-away pants.”

“Tear-away what?”

“You heard me, Charming. Search the house so we can get out of here. And next time you take me out for tacos,
three
is the legal limit.”

While Prince scrubbed the basin of the stainless-steel sink, thinking about all the events that had transpired that day, he had a feeling it was going to be another sleepless night.
After leaving Vlad’s house, he drove Kat to Nadia’s apartment and suddenly found himself cleaning the kitchen.

Prince didn’t clean.

Ever.

But it gave him a reason to stay longer since that scoundrel was still on the loose. While Kat was a competent fighter who could take care of herself, Prince found himself battling instincts he’d never felt for another woman. The desire to protect her took over all sense of reason. In any other situation he might have hired one of his men to watch over her, but this was something he couldn’t walk away from. At first he thought it had to do with her being Alex’s daughter, yet that didn’t explain why his wolf stirred in her presence.

Being near Kat was intoxicating. Her feminine scent. Her confident voice. Her alpha temperament that made her capable and fearsome. And most especially… her candor.

A warm breath skated across his left arm. “If that sink gets any cleaner, I might take a bath in there.”

He set down the scrubbing brush and looked over his shoulder at Kat. “It’s the least I can do for the inconvenience I’ve caused your sister.”

“I’m the inconvenience. You haven’t done anything to deserve shining her garbage disposal.”

He turned and leaned against the counter. “Our dinner was not up to her expectations.”

“Because of me.”

“I haven’t spent as much time with her as I should have.”

“Because of me.”

Prince brushed a lock of hair away from her face, admiring her gentle features. “Why are you so eager to take all the blame?”

She shrugged and tucked her hands beneath her armpits. “It’s just easier that way. You shouldn’t have to apologize for something that’s not your fault. If she’s going to hate someone in this scenario, let her hate me so you’re off the hook. Anyhow, you’re going about it all wrong.”

He inclined his head, amused by the last statement. “And how is that?”

She motioned toward the sink and lowered her arms. “Nadia doesn’t care if you make her toilet and sink sparkle. She wants devotion, not servility. Most of the guys treat her good at first, but then it’s all downhill. Every girl wants to be a princess, but she has a warped sense of reality and expects no less. I think what she
really
needs is someone who’ll see past all that—who can get her to open up. But she thinks devotion is a man at her beck and call. If she asks you to take out her trash, tell her no. Then kiss her neck and suggest a rooftop dinner or something fancy. There’s a difference between devotion and obedience, and a woman will never respect a man who isn’t her equal.”

He sighed and looked around at the immaculate kitchen. “You’re giving me advice in love?”

“Maybe I don’t know anything about it firsthand, but I thought I’d give you the inside scoop. No charge. I understand Nadia better than anyone, and I know what she wants even if she doesn’t.”

He stepped closer and placed his hand on her shoulder. Kat’s expression softened, and she gave him a guarded look. “And you would have no qualms about me pursuing your sister?”

“If… if it’s what you want.”

Had he only imagined the heat between them? “Your face looks better,” he said tenderly, caressing his knuckles against her cheek.

“I shifted in the bathroom.”

Prince stepped closer and leaned down, whispering in her ear. “If any man ever harms you again, I’ll disembowel him.”

Her body hummed beneath his touch, and he remembered their brief kiss before she’d blacked out. Did she remember it?

“How old are you?” she whispered.

“Ancient. I’ll live many more centuries to come.”

“Did you have loving parents?”

No one had ever asked about his mother and father. His cheek brushed against hers, moving lower—his mouth grazing across her smooth skin as he drew in her scent.

In such close proximity, he became aware of her flattering shirt. Her breasts took on a more rounded shape as they pressed to his chest, and in the silence of the room, the only sound was her unsteady breath. Kat was tall for a woman, but still fell short of Prince’s stature. She was tall enough for him to place a kiss to her forehead without hunching down to meet her, but it seemed like she was standing on the tips of her toes to make up the difference. Her power overwhelmed him, and when her liquid brown eyes met with his, primal heat began to flood his veins, reaching every extremity before awakening his ancient heart…

“I’m home!” Nadia announced, keys jingling and landing on a flat surface.

Kat swiftly moved away, her cheeks aflame and eyes downcast. She lightly touched the spot where his mouth had been and then turned around. “Hey. We were just… cleaning.”

“And what were you cleaning in my pristine apartment?” Nadia stood in the open doorway. “Please tell me you didn’t make a Packmaster scrub my kitchen floor.” She turned her attention to Prince and approached with a sultry swing of her hips. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here this evening. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Kat gave him a loaded glance.

“I owe you dinner,” he replied smoothly.

“Perfect. I’m starving. Where are we going?” Nadia reached out and held his hand.

Kat backed up until she met with the sink. She picked up the scrubber and played with the bristles, lifting her eyes just a fraction toward them.

“Candlelight dinner on a rooftop? It’s the least I can do to smooth things over.”

Nadia glanced down at her green skirt. “Should I change?”

“If it gets chilly, you can come back down for—”

“Wait a minute,” she said, flipping back her blond hair. “You don’t mean
my
roof, do you? I’m
not
eating on the roof of my apartment. What kind of woman do you take me for? Tell me you’re only teasing.”

Prince flicked his eyes between Nadia and Kat. He hadn’t planned on leaving Kat alone, and it was too awkward to invite her along. Insulting Nadia by canceling his offer would displease Kat. Yet the way Kat’s lips were thinning, he wasn’t sure if going on the date was going to make her any happier.

“I’m beat,” Kat announced, pushing away from the counter. “I think I’ll go to bed early.”

“It’s not even dark,” Nadia said. “The night is young. Why don’t you see what Austin has to offer and watch a few live bands? If you’d rather go to a more upscale club, I can make a call and get you into the VIP room. This city comes to life at night.”

“That’s not my thing,” Kat said, staring down at her sneakers.

When Nadia gave her a restrained scowl, Prince realized she was intentionally trying to get Kat out of the house.

It didn’t take long for Kat to pick up on it either. “Fine. Smoky air sounds perfect. What time should I be back, sis?”

Nadia looked at her gold watch and wound it up. “Anytime after one.”

“In the morning?”

“Two sounds better.”

Kat waved her hand and stormed out of the room. “Fine. You two have an amazing night full of hot animal sex while I’m snacking on peanuts and napping on crusty sofas.”

Prince belted out a laugh and quickly covered it before he stirred up more trouble between the twins. Nadia raked him over with a cold stare, but Prince found jealousy to be a surprisingly attractive quality in a woman, and seeing it flare up in Kat was confirmation that she wanted him for herself. But why would she give up something she wanted for her sister’s happiness?

Nadia pinched the hem of Prince’s T-shirt, stretching the fabric across his broad chest. “This is nice. Did you say we’d be traveling by helicopter?”

***

Prince needed to execute this dinner with precision. After all, it had been he who had pursued Nadia from the start, so he had an obligation to follow through with an uninterrupted date. He’d spent more time with her twin, and that riddled him with guilt because Nadia deserved a chance. So Prince had made a call and arranged for a candlelight dinner on a secluded rooftop downtown.

Dinner on a rooftop?
He wished Kat had never put the thought in his head. Prince’s men made a valiant effort to meet his expectations, and it had taken him an hour to locate a helicopter pilot who was available. His men had set up a cloth-covered table, silver platters, and hurricane lamps with electric candles to withstand the wind. But for him, there was nothing less romantic than eating on top of a concrete building with ventilation systems scattered about and a perilous drop just a few feet away. Perhaps there were buildings with rooftop bars and swimming pools, but this was short notice and they needed privacy.

He pulled out the wooden chair and Nadia sat down, the strong wind blowing her hair to the left. Her smile never faltered as she pulled her hair away from her face. Some strands got tangled up in her long lashes and she gracefully tucked them behind her ear. A car horn blared from the busy street below.

“Let me pour you some wine.” He quickly filled their glasses before the wind blew the glassware over. “This is like eating with your head sticking out of a car window,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you?”

“You look stunning beneath the moonlight.”

The wind died down, thank the gods.

Nadia lifted the silver dome from her plate, then devoured the salad with her eyes. “This is perfect. I’m always watching my figure.”

Prince admired Nadia’s manners. Despite the harsh wind, she didn’t belittle his efforts to impress her. It was strange how she mirrored Kat, but where they differed the most was in the eyes. There was something uniquely different about the way each of them looked at him, and Prince was confident he’d be able to tell them apart by their eyes alone.

“I’m going to assume you’ve deduced I was with your sister today.”

She crunched on a radish, a faraway look in her eyes as she watched a twinkling star in the east. “I thought as much. It’s just like Katarina to act so impulsively. She’s living in a fantasy world where our father will be found alive and rescued, but this isn’t a fairy tale. Men disappear every day and are never seen again. I’ve come to terms with accepting his absence, but Katarina will never move on with her life until she can do the same. The past is what holds her back from the future.”

Prince cut into his salad, slicing a cherry tomato in two. “Maybe the reason she searches for her father is because that’s where she received unconditional love. Siblings tend to be more critical of one another. I’m sure a woman like Kat isn’t easy for you to understand, but what she needs is someone to fill his absence. Whether she finds him or not, you’re her family and she seeks your approval.”

Nadia gave a close-lipped laugh and gulped down her red wine. “Kat was put on this earth to make my life hell. She robbed me of my father’s affection, and now you’re suggesting I give her more? What makes her so special that she deserves more love than I do?”

Kat might have seemed in need of her sister’s affections, but in truth, it was Kat who did everything for Nadia to show her devotion. She called, visited, and fumbled at attempts to do things for Nadia. And where was she now? She’d stepped away from a man she was interested in so her sister could be happy. Kat was sitting in a club—the last place she liked spending her free time—so that Nadia could have the apartment alone with Prince. He had seen the love for her sister shining in Kat’s eyes, and all she wanted in return was the same. Yet Nadia withheld that love because of sibling rivalry, jealousy, and all the things attached to family. That’s what happens when you can only see from one side of the mirror.

It had taken years for Prince to learn this for himself, and Nadia reminded him of his younger self. As the firstborn, he’d inherited land from his parents, who had even named him Prince in their language. His brother grew jealous and branched away from the family, fighting in battles to prove himself a worthy man. But his warrior status didn’t impress their parents. Prince had secretly admired him, but because he never revealed this to Emil, the brothers grew distant. Prince chose to focus on the negative and, like his parents, expected his brother to become more like him. He’d hoped Emil would be his second-in-command one day, but his brother didn’t want to follow in his shadow.

When Prince received news of his death, it affected him profoundly, leaving him guilt-stricken. Maybe that’s why he wanted to rectify the animosity blooming between these two sisters before they met the same fate. Kat’s need for acceptance from her own flesh and blood reminded him so much of Emil, to the point it unnerved him.