Fierce King by Ivy Mason

Twenty-One

Oh God.

My lungs seized, my heart beat so hard it almost ripped from my chest. Inside, I was caged in front of them both like a wild animal, pounding to get free. Only my constant, habitual need for control kept me from showing any emotion.

She knew the truth.

God, she knew the truth.

Panic settled under my skin, making me want to tear myself apart and throw myself at her feet, begging for mercy. Would she ever forgive me for what I’d done?

“What are you talking about? We didn’t kill Lily.” Coulter zipped right past the revelation that the two were sisters and dove right in to defending us against her accusation.

My throat was so full, I was choking on it. He didn’t know the truth.

A storm gathered in her eyes. “My father told me the truth. I knew she lived here.” She choked on her words but her voice was growing panicked. “She lived in that room you’ve been keeping me in. I found a picture behind the desk of you three together, so don’t even try and lie to me.”

Coulter shook his head. “I swear to you, Rose. We loved Lily. We almost died when she was killed.” He grasped her cheeks and his thumb stroked her skin. In an instant, he’d gone from demanding, to pleading, begging her to believe him.

I couldn’t blame him.

Her words had struck through the room like lightning, torching everything inside it, burning straight into me, and I was crumbling inside.

But I struggled to keep myself still. I didn’t want to lie to her, and Coulter didn’t even know everything about that night.

And yet, I didn’t want to reveal the truth either. I was trapped, agony buzzing through me like a pinball machine.

“You didn’t?” The hope in Rose's voice only made the guilt burrow deeper inside me.

“God, no.” Coulter leaned down, kissing her softly, tasting her lips. “I would never hurt Lily. Ever.”

She leaned into him, giving herself over to his touch, her shoulders sagging in relief. “I didn’t want to believe it. I’ve been afraid all this time. Afraid that I was falling for the men who killed my sister.”

“Falling?”

She nodded, and his kisses trailed from her lips to her cheeks, still stained from her tears. The evidence of her pain disappeared under his soft touch, his gentle caresses.

The boy I remembered from my youth was suddenly there, looking so hopeful and insecure, the boy who’d once been afraid to kiss a girl. I hadn’t seen this side of Coulter in years.

He was mumbling into her skin, whispering words of comfort, promising her the world in those caresses.

She suddenly leaned back, her eyes fierce as they stared up at Coulter. “Swear to me, Coulter. Swear you didn’t do it.”

His gaze burned into hers but his voice was a croak. “I was there when it happened. I almost died that night, but I wished it had been me. I would’ve given my life in her place if I had the choice.” He cupped her face so very gently. “I swear on my life, Rose. We loved Lily and would’ve done anything to keep her safe, to give our lives for hers.”

From where I knelt, I could see the graceful form of her neck, the elegant curve of her chin that ran up to perfectly formed cheekbones, stark and beautiful. Her eyes shimmered with emotion, tears at the verge of her long eyelashes, curved delicately.

Flawless, just like her.

Her wide eyes betrayed the thrill of hope springing inside her, the ferocity of her need to believe him.

“Swear it, Coulter.”

He nodded. “I swear, Rose. We didn’t kill her.”

His words crushed me from the inside out, my organs and blood and bones all tumbling like concrete in a mixer, and I wanted to howl out in agony.

Instead, I sucked in a deep breath and relied on habits formed years ago. They came so easily to me that I only had to wish for their presence to command them to me. If I could control this, then I could control the raging inferno inside me.

If I could save her from this, from me, then I could atone for my past, for my role in Lily’s death.

But, I needed her consent first.

“Rose.” My voice was deep and dark, demanding, and she immediately obeyed, turning her face to me.

As penance, I was going to offer something I had never offered anyone in my life, including Lily.

“Have you made your choice?”

“God, you’re an ass—” Coulter began.

“Have you?” I cut him off, and Rose reacted exactly how I expected her to react. Her expression steeled.

I didn’t understand why the two women that Coulter and I both wanted could never choose between us, but the reality was a stark slap in the face.

“No.”

I reached forward, my fingers trailing gently down her face. At this, her eyes softened, the steel in them replaced with curiosity.

“If you choose us both, and if we accept it, then you fuck us both. Here and now. At the same time. Those are my conditions. Do you accept them?”

It took her a moment to react to my words. I’d spoken them with a softness she hadn’t expected, the words a contradiction to the gentleness of my words. When they finally sunk in, her chest expanded as she sucked in a deep breath, her beautiful jade eyes widening in shock.

“Both?” she stuttered, her voice squeaking and her eyelids fluttering. She was freaking out. “At the same time? I’ve never even been with one man, let alone two.”

“Rose.” The word, a command meant to pull her out of her panic, made her eyes snap back to me. Instead of anger reflecting back at me like I thought it might, she latched on to me like I was a lifejacket in the middle of a stormy sea.

The realization made a pleased hum escape my throat. She was perfect, so perfect, in every way.

If anyone could handle both Coulter and me at the same time, it was Rose.

I cupped her jaw, staring intently in her eyes. “It’s wrong to ask this of you, my love, but it’s the only way. Coulter and I could never accept second place, so the only way to do this is to take us both at the same time. But,” I paused, letting how serious I was sink in for her, “I swear to you, Rose, we won’t hurt you. You will like it.”

Her teeth came down on her lower lip, revealing her emotions. That she wanted to like it. That she was afraid she would like it. I leaned forward, slowly tracing her nose with my own, breathing in the air surrounding her.

I kissed her.

Tasted perfection in her lips.

“There’s nothing wrong with feeling this way Rose.”

My eyes were closed. I was just feeling, running my cheek over hers, my skin tingling, my heart racing. She did this to me.

The woman who once reminded me of the only love of my life, was now becoming the love of my life.

It was crazy and reckless. We didn’t have the luxury of time, or love, not in our world, but it was being offered on a platter once again. And even though I was afraid, I couldn’t turn away from it.

Not again.

I looked at her. Her full and sensual lips were parted, her hands placed softly on my chest, seeming to clutch at me and push me away at the same time.

I ran my cheek across hers, my voice a whispered plea. “Rose. My Rose.”

She stilled, then her eyes opened and she pulled back. “I’ve made my choice.”

Coulter tensed beside me and I met his eyes, briefly, shoring him up. No matter what choice she made, I decided to make things right between him and me.

She shifted so that she was facing us both, then she took one of our hands each, gripping it tight.

“I’m afraid,” she admitted, “but I can’t choose between you.”

Coulter's tongue flicked out nervously. “What does that mean?”

“Yes,” she looked into my eyes. “I accept your conditions.”