King of Clubs (13 page)

A few puffs of aqua-green clouds lazily moved across the sky which was the same color as Alice’s and Alexi’s eyes.

Where are they right this moment?
Awai brought her hand up and fingered her collar.
When will they arrive?

“There you are, my tigress.” Ty’s deep voice brought Awai out of her thoughts and she tilted her head to see him standing beside her.

She dropped her hand from her collar to her lap. “Do you have need of me, Majesty?”

Ty crouched down beside her and gave her a cocky grin, his golden earring making him look even more like the rogue he was. “I always have need of you, my love.”

Heat flushed over Awai, tightening her nipples beneath her robe and causing her clit to tingle.

He picked a nugget out of the crystal bowl and flung it in front of a large blue and black fish. “I’ve had word that my brothers are on the move. Our families shall arrive soon.”

Delight and excitement filled Awai with such intensity she thought she’d burst. She moved her feet under her, sitting on her heels as she faced him. “When? I can’t wait to see them!”

He gave her a frown but his eyes sparkled. “Must I punish you, Awai?”

Please do
, she thought, but kept it to herself. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m so excited to see them that I forgot myself.”

He gave a slow nod. “They will be here within two days.”

Awai clapped her hands together, feeling like a giddy teen. She felt like laughing and crying all at once and her words tumbled out so fast she couldn’t begin to stop them. “I’ve missed my family so much, Majesty. You just can’t imagine what it means to me to—”

Ty caught her by her hair and pulled her roughly to him, kissing her with fierce intensity that took her breath away…took all thought away.

When he released her, Awai could only stare at him, dazed and hungry with need.

He moved her so that she was lying on her back, staring up at him. With gentleness that belied his strength, he pushed apart her robe so that she was entirely exposed to his gaze. All that she had on beneath the black silk was her collar and her nipple rings.

“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” he murmured as he bent to brush his lips over hers.

“I love you, Awai.” Ty cupped her chin and smiled. “And tomorrow, the day before our visitors arrive, I will give you the gift of fulfilling your deepest fantasy.”

Chapter Eleven

Awai didn’t know which statement to react to first. The fact that Ty had said he loved her…

Or that tomorrow would be the day she’d get fucked by three men at once.

She took the easiest—although perhaps it was the hardest—first.

“Cherry blossoms.”

The invocation of the safe word seemed to startle Ty, but to his credit, he only nodded. The hard lines of control relaxed in his face, and he studied her as simply a lover and not her Dom.

Awai sat up and clasped her robe tight around her, covering her bared flesh. “Don’t say you love me, Ty.” She felt right without the formalities of their protocol, because she didn’t think this was time for play. It was too serious. “We’ve only known each other for a few weeks, and even though that’s more than a month in Earth time, it’s just too soon.”

Ty moved his hand from her chin and slid his fingers into her dark hair. “I fell in love with you the very moment I saw your face in the card.”

She frowned. “What card?”

“The sorceress’s magical cards.” Ty wrapped his hand in Awai’s long hair and brought it to his nose, inhaling the sweet scent of her cherry blossom shampoo. Still holding onto her hair, he moved his hand from her face and said, “You were all chosen by the fates. My brothers and I each chose a card…or rather the cards chose us. Whatever the reason, it brought you to me.”

Awai’s frown deepened. “I’m not too sure I like the idea of being chosen from a card.”

“It was meant to be, my love.” Ty released her hair as she rolled away from him and got to her feet, her back to him, gathering her robe more tightly around her slender frame.

With a sigh he stood and went to her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He held her back against his chest, and settled his chin on her shoulder. “What difference does it make how I found you, Awai?”

Ty’s deep voice rolled through her and a part of her wanted to give in to his tenderness. But another part of her couldn’t help but remember how charming and tender John Steele had been until after they were married. Would Ty change, too, if they were “joined?”

“You know I was hurt very badly once,” Awai finally said, determined to keep her voice from trembling. “I swore I would never fall in love again.”

“Love is not something you fall into.” Ty tightened his grip around her waist and snuggled closer to her neck. “Love is a feeling deep inside that says ‘this is the one.’ A feeling that cannot be denied, cannot be discarded simply because you have decided you will not love again. It is there forever.”

“I’d like to believe you.” Awai leaned her head back against Ty’s shoulder and looked up at the aqua sky. “I thought I was so in love with John, but it was an illusion. I was in love with the man I thought John was, not who he really was.”

“Exactly.” Ty kissed the shell of her ear. “You were not in love with that bastard.”

Awai turned around in his embrace, her eyes wide as she searched his. “What if you’re an illusion, too? What if—what if—” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to regain composure before opening them again. “What if you’re not the man I think you are?”

Ty simply smiled and brought her hands to his chest and held them tight. “Listen to your heart, Awai. What does it tell you?”

So much emotion was flowing through her and she didn’t know how to stop it. “My heart has been wrong before.”

He shook his head. “I do not believe your heart fell in love with this man. He charmed you with gifts and promises. Not love.”

Awai gripped his hands tight between them and pressed her cheek against his chest. His smell, the feel of his skin, the power in his embrace…everything about him seeped into her. She thought about his kindness to his people, how gentle and caring he could be, how he treated her with respect even when he was dominating her…all those things told her that he could be more than a lover and a friend, he could be her soul mate, one she was destined to be with, just like he had said.

“I need time,” she murmured against his chest. “Please give me that.”

Ty stroked Awai’s hair as he held his tigress close. “You have all the time you need, my sweet. All the time you need.”

She lifted her face, her eyes bright and a hesitant smile on her face. “May we go into the village again? I would like to buy gifts for my nieces.” She frowned for a moment and bit the inside of her lip before saying, “I don’t have any money. I’ve gone from wealth to poverty and I don’t know how to deal with that.”

He clenched her hands tighter to him. “Everything I have is yours.”

When she shook her head, he released her hands and caught her face in his palms. “I took you from your world. I took you from everything that you knew and all your possessions. I give only what I have taken away.” He gave that quirky sexy grin that she liked so much. “Besides, I enjoy shopping for my nieces and nephews and my brothers’ mates. Especially toys for the little ones. And since Alexi is coming, I really should purchase a new cup to protect my ballocks…”

Awai laughed, feeling a little bit better about having nothing but the clothes she wore when she came to this world. In his deep blue eyes, Awai had seen that Ty meant everything he said, and somehow it comforted her.

He took her hand and led her through the trees filled with cherry blossoms and then down a long and winding stone path. The pathway was bordered by vines and bushes and trees unlike anything she’d ever seen before and she was still amazed by the beauty of it all.

The few times they had visited the village, Awai had been fascinated by everything she’d seen and experienced. Today was no exception. She again enjoyed looking at all the whitewashed buildings with brightly colored awnings and rooftops. The village smells of roasted meats, fresh baked breads, and clean fresh air wafted over her. They were comforting smells that made her feel at home, although she wasn’t sure why.

Ty’s subjects greeted them or smiled as they passed. Awai enjoyed watching the villagers exchanging pleasantries, going about their business, working in the various shops. She delighted in the magic that was used in their everyday life, from the baker summoning the yeast with her magic; the fishmonger using a knife to fillet his fish, without actually holding the knife; the tailor using magic to sew a tunic; and the swordmaster folding the steel with her powers to make the finest of swords.

Ty took Awai to a toy store filled with magical toys: colorful patchwork balls that disappeared at one end of the room and reappeared on the other side; a wooden village with wooden people that actually moved around on their own; fine porcelain dolls whose little faces scrunched up as they cried real tears, and then their eyes brightened as they giggled with delight and clapped their hands.

Awai stared in amazement at all the wonderful toys. She didn’t have any idea where to start, so Ty helped her by letting her know a little bit about the personalities of each child. Lance and Lexi were the oldest, being Alice and Jarronn’s firstborn twins. Ty suggested finely crafted wooden toy swords as the pair liked to spar with each other, as well as with their father.

Then there were the five other girls: Puawai who preferred toy warriors; Paula who liked to play with toy elves; Karen who favored toy villages and the wooden people; the toddler Jennifer who liked dolls; and then there was Johanna who was a year old and had a thing for whips.

“Like her aunt,” Ty said with a smile. “Perhaps she will be a warrior like you.”

Awai raised one eyebrow. “Like me?”

Ty nodded. “With your skills at the whip, you would easily be one of the Kingdom’s finest warriors.”

Out of the four remaining boys: Tony was into knight sport; JB preferred intellectual games; Kyle wanted to learn about everything; and Matthew enjoyed anything he could build and tear down again.

By the time Ty had rattled off each child’s age and what they liked, Awai’s head was spinning. It was incredible how well he knew each child and their preferences, and she couldn’t help but be touched by his love for them. And as he went through the store helping her select gifts, he was like a child himself, laughing and playing with the toys.

A joy Awai had never experienced before permeated her heart and soul. Could Ty truly be the man she would be willing to spend the rest of her life with?

Would she be willing to spend the rest of her life in this very different world?

After they finished buying toys for the children, Ty paid for the items and had them all sent to the palace. They continued shopping, Ty helping Awai choose what was unique to his village that he was certain the three queens would not already have. One of the things his village specialized in was an extremely prized hand blown glass. For her nieces, Awai chose beautiful vanity jars, in purple, blue, and pink.

For the kings she was at a loss, but Ty took her to a fine leather shop where they ordered three specially made dagger sheathes, one with a heart, the second with a spade, and the third with a diamond, each symbol made from the finest gold filigree and precious gems.

As they shopped, Ty bought a basket and filled it with foods from the various shops, including breads, meats, cheeses,
alnea
fruit, ale, and Awai’s favorite cherry tarts. Ty enjoyed supporting his people in their endeavors, and always paid a little extra for whatever he purchased.

When they finished shopping, Ty took Awai to the lake that lay to the east of the village. They chose one of his sailboats from the dock, a black one with a gold club emblem on its side and golden sails. He watched the delight on Awai’s face as they sailed on the peaceful green water. It was so clear they could see fish swimming close to the boat, and the brightly colored plants waving from where they were rooted in the clay below. Awai’s dark hair blew across her cheeks in the breeze, her blue eyes sparkled, and a smile curved her full lips. She was so beautiful that Ty’s heart ached just looking at her.

He didn’t want to share her on the morrow with his brothers-at-arms. It was killing him to even think about it, but he had promised to fulfill Awai’s fantasy.

After they finished eating the meal Ty had bought in the village, they relaxed on the deck of the sailboat. Awai positioned herself between Ty’s legs, her back to his chest, her head resting against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

She felt so comfortable, so cared for that she wanted that moment to last forever. Water lapped at the side of the boat and in the distance she thought she heard a wolf’s howl. A cool wind chilled her cheeks and caused her nipples to stand out even tighter against the black silk of her robe. Fresh air, pine, and other scents she couldn’t identify mingled with Ty’s earthy smell that surrounded her, comforted her.

Aqua clouds were backed by purple and bright pink streamers that streaked across the blue-green sky. Bits of gold glittered in the air like confetti, reminding her of New Years Eve at the grandest of balls in San Francisco. “Just look at that sunset,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

“I have.” Ty held her closer and nuzzled his face in her hair. “You are the loveliest thing in our world that I have ever seen.”

Awai smiled and snuggled closer to Ty. With him she knew that his comment was sincere, not just flattery. She could feel his erection pressed up against her backside, yet he didn’t ask for more than just holding her. They both had been content to spend time with one another today, but now she wanted him, wanted to feel him deep inside her.

She tilted her head up so that she could see Ty’s face. His strong jaw, the intense look in his blue eyes, his blond hair stirring in the breeze. He leaned down and captured her lips in a breathtaking kiss that left her feeling as though she’d never be able to breathe on her own again.