word for his presence. “Oh get over yourself.”
“I’m beginning to see the honesty in you, American Girl. It’s refreshing.”
“Give the rock star fae a medal; he’s had a breakthrough. You pretty boys are all the same. Surrounded by ‘yes’ people so much that you can’t hear a no through the lies.”
He hesitated, mouth open, about to deny it. But the denial didn’t come. A grin did though. “Exactly.” He pointed the packet at me. “You’re smarter than you look.”
“And there you go again. Coming from you, that’s not a compliment.”
“You’re also more complicated than you look. I can see I’ll have to double my charm to have you bend to my will.”
“I’m not bending for anything, mister.” The words were out before I could stop them. Oh heavens, he did not just cast me a wicked glance and I did not just imagine exactly how I’d bend for him. A trickle of desire spilled through me, warming me in places I tried to ignore with another restless shift in my seat. Heat simmered in his gaze. He knew exactly what I was thinking and wasn’t about to look away any time soon. During my research, I’d skimmed a few of the stories about him. The stories women had sold for big bucks; stories about the kind of lover he was. A few words recurred in those trashy articles. Words like
generous, sensuous, insatiable
… and
wild
.
My cheeks burned. I reached for my coffee, throat suddenly dry. Was the air-conditioning working? When did it get so hot in here? I really needed some air, and space.
“Sovereign.” A sharp, regal voice announced from the door. “By the decree of the Fae Authority, we hereby apprehend—”
Reign shot from the booth like an arrow from a bow. He charged the first fae before the warrior had chance to draw his short sword, drove a shoulder deep into the fae cop’s chest, bulldozing him back and through the café window in an explosion of glass. It happened lightning fast, leaving me and the café patrons gaping. The three remaining fae drew their weapons with a shriek of metal on metal, and while two went after Reign, number three locked his tricolored eyes on me.
Chapter Eleven
I had never been in trouble, never really had anything happen that had me contemplating fight or flight.
Before
Reign entered my life, the closest I’d come to a fight was standing on the sidelines of a three second brawl outside a nightclub.
“Step out of the booth.”
I lifted my hands and shimmied out. Like the general who’d attacked Reign on the train, this fae warrior bristled with weapons and was taller than I am by several feet, and lean, like a long-distance runner. His neutral face said “don’t-fuck-with-me.” He didn’t look as bone-breakingly strong as some of the fae, but that didn’t mean I was going to test him. Fast? Yes, he could definitely outrun me. I glanced at the smashed window, searching for Reign’s distinctive profile, but I couldn’t see much beyond the burgeoning crowd.
“Running would be foolish.” The fae yanked my arms out at my sides and frisked me with clinical detachment. “You will come with us. Any resistance will be met with deadly force.”
“You can’t detain me. I’m human. I haven’t done anything wrong.” I did want to run. Knowing what I did about the queen, and how Warren had reacted to my human presence in Under, I wasn’t entirely convinced the FA had my well-being at the forefront of their thoughts. My body tingled and my heart raced, throbbing adrenaline through my veins. The familiar itch in my palm crawled up my arm, sprinkling a restless twitch in its wake. The urge to bolt wouldn’t abate. I flexed my hand into a fist, trying to work the sensation out, but rather than dissipating the tingling surged. A jolt went through me, tensing muscles, and before I could think about what I’d done, I’d snatched my cup from the table and launched coffee into the fae’s face. He spat a curse and reeled back, his right hand reaching
“I’m beginning to see the honesty in you, American Girl. It’s refreshing.”
“Give the rock star fae a medal; he’s had a breakthrough. You pretty boys are all the same. Surrounded by ‘yes’ people so much that you can’t hear a no through the lies.”
He hesitated, mouth open, about to deny it. But the denial didn’t come. A grin did though. “Exactly.” He pointed the packet at me. “You’re smarter than you look.”
“And there you go again. Coming from you, that’s not a compliment.”
“You’re also more complicated than you look. I can see I’ll have to double my charm to have you bend to my will.”
“I’m not bending for anything, mister.” The words were out before I could stop them. Oh heavens, he did not just cast me a wicked glance and I did not just imagine exactly how I’d bend for him. A trickle of desire spilled through me, warming me in places I tried to ignore with another restless shift in my seat. Heat simmered in his gaze. He knew exactly what I was thinking and wasn’t about to look away any time soon. During my research, I’d skimmed a few of the stories about him. The stories women had sold for big bucks; stories about the kind of lover he was. A few words recurred in those trashy articles. Words like
generous, sensuous, insatiable
… and
wild
.
My cheeks burned. I reached for my coffee, throat suddenly dry. Was the air-conditioning working? When did it get so hot in here? I really needed some air, and space.
“Sovereign.” A sharp, regal voice announced from the door. “By the decree of the Fae Authority, we hereby apprehend—”
Reign shot from the booth like an arrow from a bow. He charged the first fae before the warrior had chance to draw his short sword, drove a shoulder deep into the fae cop’s chest, bulldozing him back and through the café window in an explosion of glass. It happened lightning fast, leaving me and the café patrons gaping. The three remaining fae drew their weapons with a shriek of metal on metal, and while two went after Reign, number three locked his tricolored eyes on me.
Chapter Eleven
I had never been in trouble, never really had anything happen that had me contemplating fight or flight.
Before
Reign entered my life, the closest I’d come to a fight was standing on the sidelines of a three second brawl outside a nightclub.
“Step out of the booth.”
I lifted my hands and shimmied out. Like the general who’d attacked Reign on the train, this fae warrior bristled with weapons and was taller than I am by several feet, and lean, like a long-distance runner. His neutral face said “don’t-fuck-with-me.” He didn’t look as bone-breakingly strong as some of the fae, but that didn’t mean I was going to test him. Fast? Yes, he could definitely outrun me. I glanced at the smashed window, searching for Reign’s distinctive profile, but I couldn’t see much beyond the burgeoning crowd.
“Running would be foolish.” The fae yanked my arms out at my sides and frisked me with clinical detachment. “You will come with us. Any resistance will be met with deadly force.”
“You can’t detain me. I’m human. I haven’t done anything wrong.” I did want to run. Knowing what I did about the queen, and how Warren had reacted to my human presence in Under, I wasn’t entirely convinced the FA had my well-being at the forefront of their thoughts. My body tingled and my heart raced, throbbing adrenaline through my veins. The familiar itch in my palm crawled up my arm, sprinkling a restless twitch in its wake. The urge to bolt wouldn’t abate. I flexed my hand into a fist, trying to work the sensation out, but rather than dissipating the tingling surged. A jolt went through me, tensing muscles, and before I could think about what I’d done, I’d snatched my cup from the table and launched coffee into the fae’s face. He spat a curse and reeled back, his right hand reaching
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