Furious and rhythmic footfalls, a collision of guilt and rebellion, and damp eyes accompanying a flushed face—that’s the scene greeting Liam when he enters the library fifteen minutes later. His deep brown gaze sweeps over each of us, assessing the unsettling picture we create.
Miles pacing in front of the windows, his features twisted into a perpetual scowl.
Sebastian leaning against the opposite wall with his arms folded over a broad cotton-clad chest.
And me, curled up in a chair as I blink rapidly to keep the tears at bay.
“What’s going on?” Liam asks.
Neither Sebastian nor Miles abandon their chosen posts, though my keeper doesn’t hesitate to speak his mind.
“Tell him, my queen.” He’s never addressed me with such scorn before. “Tell the chancellor what you did.”
Liam focuses on me, studying my face for answers, and it only takes three seconds before his complexion pales.
“Tell him!” Miles shouts upon my silence.
Liam shakes his head. “She doesn’t have to explain.” With a hard swallow, he glares at Sebastian. “It’s obvious what has happened.”
Miles stops pacing, his stance exuding prideful righteousness as he clasps his hands behind his back. “Summon the Brotherhood.”
“I need to talk to the queen first.” Liam clears his throat. “And Sebastian.”
Miles waves a hand in the air. “Talk all you want.”
“Alone.”
“Absolutely not.”
“If you want to proceed with a summons, then you need to give me five minutes to ascertain the details.”
Miles presses his lips together, seemingly on the cusp of digging in his heels.
“I caught them in an embrace.” He gives the chancellor a pointed look. “He touched her in ways that brought on a level of arousal that can’t be ignored.”
The device. That’s how he knows…possibly even how he knew where to find me.
I lower my head, shame crawling up my neck, because all it took was a heated kiss and a little contact through our clothing to get me going. Sebastian’s had that effect on me since we met.
“You’ll get your summons,” Liam says. “Now leave us.”
“Very well then, Chancellor.” Disproval drips from his words. “I’ll wait in the hall.”
I don’t dare look at Miles as he strides from the room. The door slams upon his abrupt exit, and Liam has Sebastian pinned to the wall seconds later, his hand around his throat.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” he shouts. “You touched her?”
Sebastian drives his arm down on Liam’s wrist before shoving him back. “Keep your goddamn hands off of me,” he says, his tone as lethal as the silvery-blue glint in his eyes.
“You should have kept your hands off of her!” Liam’s hands ball into fists, and I jump up before they launch into a full-on brawl.
“Stop! The both of you.”
They turn in my direction at once, a display of polar opposites—Sebastian in his casual ripped jeans while Liam’s the embodiment of dark and handsome with expensive tastes. But anger unites them, pitting the two against each other even as they give an uncanny visual of two men forged in protective fury.
Sebastian looks away first. As he reclaims his post against the wall, dragging both hands down his face, Liam crosses to me and grips my shoulders.
“Tell me he forced you.”
“He didn’t.”
“You need to claim otherwise. I can’t protect you if you don’t.”
“He’s right, princess. I don’t want you getting hurt over this.”
“I’m already hurt,” I cry, shoving Liam back. “I didn’t ask for any of this.” My eyes lock onto Sebastian’s. “But I fell in love anyway.”
“Love won’t save you from the consequences.” Liam sighs, and I bring my attention back to him. “It won’t save him either, my sweet girl.”
“I made the first move in that gazebo. He told me no, but I didn’t listen. Please don’t kick him out of the auction over this. It was just a kiss, I swear.”
A lie. It was so much more, and everyone in this room knows it.
Liam hangs his head, but not before his own pain at my confession slashes across his features. “It’s not up to me. Miles is calling for a vote.”
My knees weaken, and I clutch the arm of the chair before sinking onto the leather cushion. “What have I done?” The tears I fought so valiantly now cling to my lashes, threatening to spill over.
Liam moves toward me, but Sebastian pushes him aside and kneels at my feet, his hands wrapping around my own. “We’ll get through this.”
“How?” I peek over Sebastian’s shoulder at Liam, and a flush of guilt crawls over my skin for having this exchange in front of him. I know it hurts him to see us this way.
He averts his jealous gaze.
“Have faith,” Sebastian says, squeezing my hands. “I have allies in the Brotherhood. I don’t think Miles will get enough votes to cast me out. I’m more worried about you.”
“I’ll be fine as long as they don’t take you out of the auction.”
“There’s more to consider here.”
“Like what? Nothing is more important than your bid in the auction.”
“He’s talking about the consequences.” Liam crosses his arms as he stares down at us. “Regardless of the outcome of the vote, you both face corporal punishment.”
Sebastian dips his chin. “This is why you have to say I forced you. It’s the only way to keep you out of Pax’s hands.”
“No!” My eyes widen. “You didn’t force me into anything. I won’t say otherwise.”
“Damn it, Novalee!” Sebastian takes my cheeks in his hands, giving me a quick shake. “The sick fuck will lash you until you bleed. That’s what he does in this type of situation.”
Bile rises in my throat. “Is that…is that what will happen to you?”
“We’re not talking about me.”
“Oh God,” I choke out, my tears falling onto his thumbs, leaving a damp path of bitter regret. “This is my fault.” Clutching my chest, I gasp for air. “You could get kicked out the auction, and they’re going to…they’ll hurt you.”
“I can handle a lashing, princess. It won’t be the first time. But what I can’t handle is you at the other end of Pax’s whip. If you say I forced you—”
“I said no.”
Sebastian jerks away from me, a growl of frustration rumbling in the back of his throat. I prepare myself for his ensuing rant at my refusal to listen, but before he gets the first word out, the library door bursts open, and Miles stands on the threshold.
“Your five minutes are up. Summon the Brotherhood, or I’ll do it myself.”
Liam’s attention stalls on me, and there’s no question what he wants me to do. “Novalee, please.”
“I already gave you my answer. Do what you have to do.”
Grinding his teeth in helpless aggravation, he reaches for the library phone and puts out a call to the houses.