Arianna & Finn (Royals of Valleria #3) (20 page)

She cleared her throat and Finn put some small distance between them again. “Have you found out anything yet?” she asked, clearly changing the subject.

“I have learned a great many things, but some knowledge still requires research.”

“I see.”

“Do you?”

“You can’t say any more?”

“Not here.”

“Then I guess that’s that.” She sighed.

“Are you done with me then?” Finn asked, irrational anger bubbling inside him. Did she want him gone so badly?

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t have the answers you need so you’re ready to push me aside.”

“I’d rather push you inside me, is the thing.” She gasped at her brazen words and put a hand over her mouth. Realizing her gesture made a scene, she gave a few feeble coughs before her hand dropped away. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not,” Finn said with a smile. “That was one of the hottest things anyone’s ever said to me.”

“Really?”

“Really. I’d like to make it happen.”

“We shouldn’t.”

“Probably,” Finn conceded and leaned close again as the music slowed even more. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Arianna. I can’t stop dreaming of you, and tasting you. You haunt me.”

“Finn.”

“Couldn’t we have tonight? All hell could break loose tomorrow, but we have tonight.”

“Yes, we do,” she said softly. After another minute of dancing, she spoke again. “Where is your room?”

“Not in the Royal Wing.”

“Then you’ll be in the North Wing. It’s where we usually house foreign dignitaries who don’t stay in our section of the palace.”

“Is there a way to you?”

“I’ll find you this time. Don’t worry. Tonight, after the ball.”

“Keep your dress on when you come.”

He almost laughed at her startled expression. “I can try, but I can’t make promises.”

Finn nodded. “Just so you know, I’m leaving the ball right after this dance. I couldn’t bear to see you dancing with other men all night.”

“I wish I could dance with just you,” she whispered.

“So do I,” he whispered back.

For the rest of the dance, they stayed silent, just enjoying each other. Her full skirt bunched around his legs, the silk swishing as they moved ever so lightly. Her scent, soft and sweet, filled his senses, and her heels clicked lightly against the floor when she stepped. The connection of their intense gaze held throughout the next few minutes, neither of them able to break away. If they had, they would have noticed both King Gabriel and others watching them with curious expressions. They would also have noticed Henry watching them with anger in his eyes before striding away from the ball.

***

Arianna huffed as she made her way down the narrow passages. She paused for must have been the twentieth time and readjusted her dress. It had been a stupid idea to wear it in the secret passages. The only way for her to maneuver was walking with her back against the wall, stepping side-to-side the entire way. Even though the secret passages were always clean and well lit, it didn’t help matters any.

She’d thought about turning around and going back to the safety and comfort of her own room more than once. Each time she did, she also thought about the safety and comfort of Finn’s arms and kept going.

Dancing with him had been almost as intense as their lovemaking was. The same connection she felt when he was buried inside her, was the same connection they’d made on the dance floor. It was like a drug, and she needed it.

She needed Finn.

When she finally saw Finn’s door, she let out a sigh of relief. She’d left the ball as early as she’d dared, but it was still fairly late. She wondered if Finn would even still be waiting for her.

He was.

The second the door opened and she stepped inside, Finn was there barely a moment later sweeping her into his arms. His lips claimed hers. His hands shut the secret door and pushed her against it. Hot need filled her in an instant.

“Finn,” she breathed as he kneeled down and his hands delved under the dress and through the layers underneath.

“I’ve spent hours waiting for you, wanting you. I thought I’d die from wanting you tonight, Princess,” he said just before his head disappeared. Her hands plastered themselves on the wall behind her looking for purchase, while her panties were ripped away and Finn’s mouth cover her folds below.

She cried as the first orgasm came in a searing flash, quicker than any had ever come before, even their previous lovemaking. Finn didn’t stop, couldn’t stop it seemed, and sent her crashing a second time all too soon.

She pawed at the dress, which was too hot, too fitted. She tore at her skirt, needing to feel the whole of Finn’s body against hers.

His head eventually popped out from beneath her skirt. With his hair mussed and his eyes pools of dark moss green, he slowly stood.

Both of them were breathing heavy. Unspoken communication and need traveled between them for several long moments. Then they reached for each other at the same time.

Lips took and bruised where they went. They toppled backward, Finn taking the brunt of the fall, though his lips never stopped against hers. She tore at his shirt, sending buttons flying since he’d already removed his jacket, tie, and cummerbund. He undid the zipper on her dress, and a rush of air fell against her heated back.

They rolled and she found herself against the floor. He pulled down her dress, leaving only her lacy bra remaining. He stood over her, kicked off his shoes and socks, and pulled off his pants and boxers in one swift move. His cock stood proud and erect against his stomach. She moaned and licked her lips at the sight of it.

“Take off your bra.” His gruff voice sent goosebumps scattering along her skin as she did what he asked.

He kneeled over her, his cock in his hand, and placed it between her full breasts. The feeling of it heavy against her had her growing wetter by the second. He thrust between her breasts a few times, slow and steady, their eyes locked with each other. She wanted to taste it. She needed to taste him.

Her hands covered his firm ass and pushed him further up her body. When his cock was close enough, she took it in her hands and brought it to her mouth. She moaned as it slid inside. He shifted his hips, helping her along, and she couldn’t get enough. He pulled out all too soon.

He moved back down her body and she spread her legs. His fingers teased her for mere moments, before he shifted away. Then, he pushed his cock inside her in one hard thrust. She sobbed at the wonderful feel of it.

He began thrusting, hard but controlled. She could tell he was holding himself back, so that she wouldn’t be sore. Her heart tumbled a little more.

“Now, Princess. Now.”

Her body did his bidding, and her back arched as the orgasm washed over her, wave after wave of it milking him dry. They both cried out at the force of it, at the force of their eyes locked on each other, at the primitive way they’d just taken each other.

Spent, Finn collapsed on top of her, then shifted positions so he was on the floor and Arianna was on top of him. He was still buried inside her, and didn’t want to let him go, not just yet.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked as he idly rubbed her back.

She shook her head as it nuzzled his chest. She had a sudden realization that she could nuzzle this chest for the rest of her life and it may not be enough.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said, her voice hoarser than expected. She cleared her throat.

“You just stiffened up on me. I can’t fix it if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

Finn sighed. “All right. Do you want a bath? What can I do for you?”

“No bath.” She paused, wondering if what she really wanted made her too needy. She asked anyway. “Would you mind just holding me?”

“For the rest of my life if I can.”

She raised her head to face Finn’s; his eyes were completely serious. “What did you just say?”

His hand cupped her face. “I said I’d hold you for the rest of my life if I can.”

“That’s crazy.”

Now Finn stiffened. “It’s how I feel. I guess you don’t feel the same.”

“It’s not that. Finn, there’s just so much up in the air right now. I can’t commit to anything.” Or anybody.

“I know, Princess.” He brought her lips to his for a soft kiss and she fell pliant against him once more as the tension drained away. “I’m not pressuring you, but I want to be clear how I feel. These last few days have been some of the best of my life, and that’s because of you.”

“Because of the sex, you mean?” Her heart fell a little at the thought.

“No, though I’m not saying I don’t enjoy that immensely with you. I feel that way because of you. I feel like someone really cares about me for the first time in my life. Am I wrong?”

“No. No, you’re not wrong. I do care about you.”

“Well, I sure as hell care about you.”

“Really?”

“Really. I know you’ve had a tough time in the past, but I’m not that asshole you used to date. I’m just Finn. I know I don’t deserve you, but I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying when all of this shit with my brother is done, I want to be with you, if you’ll have me. I love you.”

“Finn.” She almost couldn’t breathe. A memory of another man saying that flashed in her mind, but it wasn’t the same. Older and wiser now, she could tell the difference between true feelings and manufactured ones. At least, she hoped she could.

Finn put a finger over her lips. “Don’t say anything back, not just yet. Just think about it, all right?” She nodded. “Good. Let’s get to bed.”

They stood, Arianna gingerly removing him from her body; she would be sore in the morning but couldn’t bring herself to mind.

Leaving their clothes in shambles, they walked to the suite’s bedroom. As soon as they slipped into bed, they reached for each other, and heat bloomed fast and ripe once more. They spent all night making love, his hands claiming her again and again, her hands showing him what she wasn’t quite ready to admit.

Afterwards, she slipped into an exhausted sleep, unable to even think about what the morning may bring.

Finn woke to find an empty bed beside him. For a moment, he thought he might have dreamed making love to Arianna all night long. When he tried to move, however, and parts of his body ached as they’d never ached before, he knew it had been real.

He slipped out of bed and walked naked towards the front door of the suite. His tattered clothes were now draped over a chair and her dress was gone. She was gone.

Finn sighed as he made his way back to the bedroom, missing her already. Was it possible to feel so much?

In the bedroom, he kneeled down to an air vent. He carefully removed it, pulled out his ‘in-case’ backpack and removed his burner phone. He quickly messaged her, wishing her a good morning and asked if she’d made it back to her own room. He put everything back without waiting for her reply; it could wait until after his shower.

It was a good thing he waited.

As steam rose around him, suddenly the shower door ripped open. Finn whirled around to find Henry there. He was furious, which wasn’t unusual, but he gripped a newspaper in his hand.

“Your paper’s getting wet,” Finn said and finished washing the soap off of his body.

“Get out of there. I need to speak with you.”

“Clearly.” Finn turned off the shower and stepped out, picking up a towel folded nearby for him.

“What is the meaning of this? Do you even care you’re embarrassing me and your country?”

“What are you on about now?” he asked as he dried off.

“This.” Henry shoved the newspaper in his damp face.

Finn wrapped the towel around his waist and then took what was a local Brazenbourg paper. Splashed across the front were pictures of him with a woman at a dance club.

“What the hell is this? These pictures are at least five years old. Jesus. That club doesn’t even exist anymore.”

“That’s not what the papers are saying. They’re saying you were with that woman two nights ago, along with two of her friends. There’s a long list of woman in there you’ve slept with in the last month and they claim the source to this is you.”

“What?” Finn said with a disbelieving laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me with this? Are you telling me you believe this filth?”

“It doesn’t matter what I believe. It’s what the public believes.”

Years of feeling unloved and unworthy welled inside him. “You’re my damn brother. You should fucking believe me.”

“What I should do is get rid of you, and that’s what I plan on doing.”

“What do you mean?” Finn asked, his voice deceptively mild.

“I finally have a reason to kick you and your lecherous body out of my country.”

“Brazenbourg is my home, too, you ass. Not only that, you can’t banish me just because some newspaper slanders me and calls me a man whore.”

“Oh, it’s not just that, brother dear,” Henry said with a grim smile. “The papers will also find out about your treasonous activities. That will be the headline this afternoon.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Then he recalled the comments Arianna had heard Henry say about him, and realization dawned on him. “You’re spreading these lies. You planted these stories.”

“Well, you caught on quicker than I thought you would.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because I hate you, that’s why.” Just as Finn had been holding back all these years, so, apparently, had Henry. Years of his dislike for Finn burst forth in a quick torrent of words. “I’ve put up with you for years since our parents died and I’m sick of it. Now, you dare threaten my marriage with Arianna and threaten my plans for Valleria? I won’t stand for it, I tell you. I simply won’t stand for it.”

Plans for Valleria? What did that mean? “If Arianna wants to marry you, she’ll marry you. It’s that simple.”

Henry pushed him and Finn staggered back, his damp feet skidding mildly on the tiled floor. “She even defended you, of all things, when I mentioned how completely useless you were to Brazenbourg. Then, I saw the two of you dancing last night; I saw the way you were looking at each other. She’s mine, not yours.”

A wave of possession fueled Finn’s anger. “Arianna doesn’t belong to you, you dickless bastard. You can’t marry her against her will or the will of her father.”

Henry laughed, clearly amused. “What I can and cannot do has nothing to do with Gabriel. I’ll do whatever it takes and Arianna is my stepping stone to greatness.”

Before Finn could respond, Henry spoke again. “You’re not to enter my country ever again. You will leave Valleria today as well; I’ll speak to Alex and ensure it happens. I don’t care where you go or what you do. I don’t care about you. You are, in fact, dead to me.”

Henry’s words left a bloodless slash across his heart. It was one thing to know your own brother cared so little for you, but it was another thing to hear him say it.

“If you come near me or Brazenbourg again, I will kill you. Goodbye,
brother
.”

As Henry turned to leave, Finn spoke up. “Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?”

“You were born. You exist. You threaten to take what’s mine.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The crown! I am the ruler of Brazenbourg, not you.”

“I know you are. You’re the eldest son, for Christ’s sake. How can I threaten your position?”

“You think I don’t know that the people love you more than me? Well, after they read these articles, they won’t give a shit about you, and that’s just how I like it. No more will I have to hear whispers about my younger brother being a better leader than me. No more will I have to smile politely when people ask about you before they bother to ask about me. After your ‘treason’ comes out, no one will dare mention you to me again.”

Holy fucking Christ. “Jesus, Henry. Did you ever care about me? We’re the same flesh and blood. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“You have been a thorn in my side since you were born. So, no; the fact we are related means nothing. We’re done. Do you understand me?”

Finn wondered how he could still be standing after such vitriol, how he was still managing to breathe with his world crumbling around him. “Yes, I understand. Goodbye, brother.” Finn swallowed and blinked back the tears threatening to pool in his eyes.

Without another word, Henry strode out. When Finn heard him slam the suite’s door, he collapsed to his knees. Wrenching sobs broke free, something that had not even happened when his parents had died. He had been too numb then. He wasn’t numb now.

Arianna had opened his heart, and every feeling and crushing blow was felt acutely. He’d lost his brother and his country in one fell swoop. He had friends, but would they stand in a battle between him and the ruler of their country? He couldn’t say.

As his sobs abated, he realized he still gripped the newspaper in his hand. As he let go, another thought came to him. If Henry thought Finn was a threat to Arianna, he would make sure she saw this.

Finn stood and began running at the same time, slightly slipping against the floor. He rushed to the air vent and pulled out his phone. Arianna hadn’t messaged him yet, but he tried again anyway, letting her know that a false story about him had been planted in the paper, and pleaded with her not to believe it.

Next, he messaged Alex, asking him to meet him as soon as possible, and as discreetly as possible. Would Alex listen? Would he help him? He wasn’t sure.

He just wasn’t sure.

***

Just as Finn had exited his shower abruptly, Arianna had been exiting hers routinely. She had slipped away from Finn just as dawn had broken, not wanting either of them to be discovered. It had been difficult to leave him. Even in his sleep, he’d held tight to her when she’d tried to slip away, until she gave him a soft kiss and his hold loosened. It was as though he needed reassurance, even in his sleep, that she was still there. She liked being needed and wanted by Finn.

She sat down at her vanity and began to brush her long hair in steady, even strokes. She was so lost in thought, that she didn’t hear the secret passage creak open in the outer foyer of her apartments. It was only when she caught the movement of someone in her mirror that she spun around on her stool and gasped.

When she saw who it was, she let out a sigh of relief. “Sarah, Carolina, Cat - what are you doing here, besides scaring me half to death?”

Her sisters arranged themselves on her bed. “Why did you make your own bed?” Sarah asked as she laid across the bed on her stomach and rested her chin on her linked fingers. “Or has the maid already come?”

“I made it myself. I didn’t really think about it, I just did it when I woke up,” Arianna covered. She swung back around to face the mirror and continued brushing. “Now, why are you here?”

“Someone might think you don’t like your sisters with that attitude,” Carolina said from her perch against the headboard.

Arianna put down her brush and faced her sisters again. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. I’m just exhausted. It was quite a party last night.”

“Wasn’t it?” Sarah said, a dreamy look in her eyes.

“How many times did you dance with that Italian businessman?” Cat teased Sarah.

“Only two or three times,” Sarah said defensively.

“Uh-huh. And how many times did you dance with that Greek businessman?” Cat asked, a cheeky smile on her face.

“About the same,” Sarah evaded. “What’s it to you?”

“You, little sister, are boy crazy, and don’t think Papa didn’t notice,” Cat said.

“I’m not boy crazy,” Sarah said as she sat up. “Boys are dumb. I’m
man
crazy.” Everyone laughed. “I’m just having fun, not getting married. Didn’t you find anyone interesting? You’re the one with the clock ticking on her ring finger.”

“Tell me about it,” Cat grumbled. “I danced with a lot of men. I mean, they were all nice, but I didn’t feel that spark, you know?” Arianna knew, but didn’t say anything.

“How about you, Arianna?” Carolina asked. “You danced with those dishy princes from Brazenbourg. How were they?”

“Very nice,” Arianna said and returned to brushing her hair.

“Mmm-hmm,” Carolina said and crossed her arms over her chest with a smug smile.

“What does that mean?” Arianna asked.

“It means you like one of them. A tall one of them with dark brown hair and intense green eyes.”

“What are you talking about?” As if she didn’t know.

“We saw you when you danced with Prince Finn,” Cat said in a sing-songy voice. “That wasn’t a friendly dance.”

“But we are friends.” That much, at least, was true. “It would have been rude not to dance with him when we spent time together in Brazenbourg.”

“I’m sure it would have,” Cat said. “But the look on your face when you danced with Prince Henry versus Prince Finn were entirely different.”

“If you’re not keen on Prince Finn, can I have a go at him? He’s so dreamy,” Sarah said, with a far-off look in her eye. Why Arianna wanted to murder Sarah for encroaching on Finn was beyond her, but she managed to keep an even face.

“I think Prince Henry likes you, if that makes a difference,” Carolina said as she adjusted one of her many necklaces. “He was mostly all smiles dancing with you, but then later he was nothing but dour and grumpy.” Arianna wondered at that; had something happened? Finn hadn’t mentioned anything last night. Was Henry upset at her for defending Finn?