Protecting Shaylee (The Fae Guard Book 1) (11 page)

“It’s good to have you back, brother. I can see why you changed your mind.”

My ears perk up at his comment. I look up at Aden and ask, “Changed your mind about what?”

Aden’s eyes are shooting daggers at Brannon. “We’ll talk about it later, baby.” He abruptly changes the subject by introducing the other man and woman.

“This is Kendrix, he’s Brannon’s twin brother.” Kendrix steps forward and leans in to kiss my cheek, giving me a mischievous waggle of his eyebrows when he notices Aden’s grip on me tighten. He’s acting like a complete cave man and I give him a death glare, which he returns, but loosens his grip. Kendrix is the spitting image of Brannon, but his countenance is calmer, more laid back.

“It’s great to meet you, Shaylee. We’ve heard a lot about you.” It seems an odd comment and I’m confused. They’d heard about me from Aden? I don’t have time to dwell on it, as Aden introduces me to the woman who is still standing a bit off from our group.

“This is Hayleigh.” He lets go of me to give her a swift hug and kiss on the cheek. I bury down the impulse to tug him back and away from the beautiful woman. She returns his embrace, a little awkwardly, and then gives me a warm smile.

“It’s great to meet you Shaylee. I haven’t been here long, but I’ve still heard a great deal about you and I hope we’ll get to know each other better.” Her voice is melodious and it only enhances her striking beauty. Despite the similar coloring of everyone, their features give them a distinct look that sets us all apart from each other. Hayleigh is tall, with a willowy body that is obviously lean with muscle. Her face is flawless, angular with a straight nose and plump lips. Her green eyes are the color of freshly mowed grass, fringed with heavy golden eyelashes and a slight up tilt at the corners, giving them a cat like quality. Her hair is long, just past her waist, and it’s secured by black bands, spread intermittently, down the length. She looks like a warrior and I can’t help feeling a little intimidated by her strength and beauty. But, once Aden is back at my side and my irrational thoughts are behind me, I decide I like her.

“I’d like that. It would be nice to connect with someone else who is fairly new around here.”

Hayleigh nods in understanding, “We can talk tomorrow and set up some time to hang out. Of course, Laila will be there too, if I don’t tell her we were getting together, she’ll flay me the next time we practice together.” I laugh at her joke, the idea of Laila, besting Hayleigh cracking me up. However, she lifts her brows and I realize she’s serious.
Okaaaay.
She gives a slight wave and leaves.

“We’ll see you another time.” Aden’s voice is dismissive, obviously ready to get going.

“Oh definitely, we’ll be at dinner tonight. Ean’s going with you, as usual.” Brannon winks at me, “Ean grew up with us. He’s not as good looking as I am of course, but we’re all tight anyway. “I’m sure he can’t wait to meet you, either,” he adds in a stage whisper. Brannon’s got a Cheshire cat grin on his face, and I stifle a laugh at the way he likes to mess with Aden. “See you later, beautiful. I’ll work on convincing you to run away with me then.” He leans in, plainly going for another kiss, when an arm reaches around me and punches Brannon in the shoulder hard enough to throw him off his balance.

“Stop touching my woman and go handle your own, Brannon.” Aden’s voice is hard but it lacks venom. As annoyed as he is, he is well aware that Brannon is just trying to get a rise out of him, quite successfully. Brannon starts laughing again and I hear it trail after him as he walks down the hall. Kendrix and Aden exchange a chin lift and then he steers me toward the stairs again.

MY FRIENDS ARE SUCH assholes. I know Brannon is just messing with me but, apparently, I have no limit when it comes to Shaylee. Next time I get him in the training room, I’m going to beat the shit out of him. And, if he kisses Shaylee one more time, I won’t wait for sparring.

I guide Shaylee up the stairs and feel relief to finally have her to myself again. We reach the second level and I take her to apartment 2B, a small studio. When we go inside, she looks around in surprise.

“This is where I’m staying? I figured it would be more like a dorm room.”

I chuckle at her assumption. “You’re not a child, baby. You won’t be treated like one. There are apartments in the facility for those who choose to live here, mostly for the convenience. However, a good amount of them live on their own. This facility is reserved for adults, but even in the facilities, where they train the children, they still live at home.” I watch for her reaction when I say, “You really are hung up on the idea that you’ve come to Hogwarts, aren’t you?” She rolls her eyes at me and turns to walk about the room, but not before I see the pretty blush on the apples of her cheeks.

She wanders around, getting to know her surroundings, giving me the opportunity to drink her in. She’s so damn gorgeous. There is a part of me that still doesn’t believe I finally have her here. I didn’t even realize how much I missed her the last two years. It’s killing me to know I have to go slow when all I want to do is drag her back to my bed and sink into her, lose myself in her essence. I discreetly adjust myself to take some of the pressure off of my cock, straining against my zipper.
Fuck.
I don’t know how much time I can give her. She moves into the light from the window and the sunlight shines through her t-shirt, highlighting her perfect breasts and flat belly. I shift uncomfortably, my cock hard as a baseball bat.
Okay, so patience isn’t going to work.
I decide on a new plan, a much more enjoyable method. I know she wants me and I’m going to use it to my advantage. I’m determined to have her give in by the end of the week. Five days—I’ve got five days.
Stop standing here and move your ass.

“Shaylee,” I call to her. She’d moved to the bed and was going through the luggage that I’d had brought to her apartment. She lifts her head, and I crook my finger at her. She stands, facing me, and plops her hands onto her hips in exasperation.

“Aden, you need to stop ordering me around like I’m still six years old.”

I laugh at her comment, but my eyes become hooded as I slowly peruse her from head to toe. “Believe me, Shaylee, I’m very well aware that you aren’t my little ‘Buttercup’ anymore. Now, get your ass over here.”

She lets out a long, suffering sigh, but obeys me. When she’s standing in front of me, she lifts her brow sassily. She’s so damn cute. I snake my arm around her waist and pull her with me as I open the door and move to the door right across the hall.

“What are you doing Aden? Are you giving me a choice of apartments? Because I’m really fine with the other one, any apartment is a step up from my dorm room.”

As I unlock the door, I can’t help responding cryptically. “I’m definitely giving you a choice of which apartment you’d like to live in . . . for now.” The last words are said under my breath and I’m not sure she caught them. I open the door wide and usher her inside.

This apartment is at least three times the size of her studio. When you walk in the door, there is an open kitchen to the left, stainless steel appliances, white cabinets, and black granite counter tops. A breakfast bar separates it from the large living room that takes up the rest of the space. The right and back walls are windows, washing the room in the dimming light of afternoon. The couch is black leather, bookended with deep, cherry wood end tables. It faces a low cabinet that holds a large flat screen. There are a couple of black leather lazy boy chairs as well. There are two good-sized bedrooms down the hall as well, each with their own bathroom. It’s clearly a bachelor’s apartment, and until today, that’s what it was.

Shaylee takes it all in before looking back at me. “This is way too big for just me.” Chuckling, I turn her back around and pull her back against me, my arms tight around her waist.

My words whisper in her ear, “It’s not just for you, baby. You’ll have a roommate.” The movement of her cheek tells me that she’s scrunched up her cute little nose. Loosening my hold on her, I bring her around to face me, but keep my hands firmly on her hips. “This is my apartment.”

She narrows her eyes at me, her brows dipping in an irritation. “I’ll stick with my own place.”

Using my grip on her hips, I pull her flush against me, letting her feel what she’s doing to me. The bulge in my pants is nestled right up against the heat of her—she is the perfect height for me, fitting my body seamlessly. I wait until she’s locked in my stare. “You can stay in the other apartment.” Emotion flashes in her eyes at my words and I almost grunt in satisfaction when I see the disappointment before she can hide it. She wants me to fight for her.
This is going to be easier than I thought.
I bite back my smile.

She tries to back away but I put pressure on her back and bring her even closer, leaning my lips to her ear. “You can stay there until the end of the week. Then, like it or not, you’re moving in here with me. You have until Friday night to accept the fact that you’re mine, baby. Because, by the end of the week, you’ll be sleeping in my bed.” I stop for a moment to let my words sink in, biting lightly down on her lobe and I swell even more, the teeth of my zipper digging into my aching cock. I want nothing more than to haul her back to my huge bed and fuck her until she isn’t able to think about anything but me. But, I’ll wait. “I suppose I should rephrase that. You won’t be doing much sleeping.”

Her sapphire eyes widen, dilate, and catch mine. “Are we clear?” Some of the haze clears and I see the defiance growing.
Time for reinforcement.
One of my hands slips up to the back of her neck and I urge her forward, crashing my mouth down onto hers.

She immediately sinks into me, going slack against my body, bringing her hands to my biceps and holding on tight. I use the hand at her neck to tug on her curls, giving me more access to deepen the kiss. The angle also opens her mouth slightly and I take the advantage, plunging my tongue into the warm recesses of her mouth. She tastes so fucking sweet. Her body trembles again and I slide both hands down her body, grabbing her ass hard and slamming her hips into mine, making sure she feels what she does to me. She gasps at the contact and I open my mouth wider over hers, plundering and tangling my tongue with hers. Grasping her ass, I lift her and wrap her legs around my waist, keeping the contact between our legs, pressing deep into her heat. Her arms crawl up around my neck and into my hair, yanking in desperation and I growl at the bolt of lust that each tug shoots straight down to my dick.

She weighs practically nothing, but my body is on fire and I need to find my balance. I opt for the couch and move in that direction with her still curled around me, her lips making their way down my neck. I finally reach the sofa and fall back onto it, the slight bounce bringing her impossibly closer to me. My hands begin to explore, burrowing under her shirt and traveling up her back, pausing only to quickly flick the clasp of her bra. I’m desperate to feel her, to fill my hands with those heavy globes, to lick those coral buds, make them hard, suck them deep into my mouth, and hear her whimper my name. When I reach her front, I whisper my fingers along the undersides of her tits and a shiver courses through her, causing her to squirm in my lap, the friction of our jeans painful and I swear, I almost come right here, in my pants, like a fucking teenager.

I steel myself, grasping at what little control I have and circle her nipples with the pads of my fingers, swirling around them but never reaching the peaks. Finally, I get what I was aiming for, Shaylee moans in frustration and pushes her tits forward. I want her to ask for it, to want it as much as I do, so I continue to deny her the relief she seeks. “What do you want, baby?”

She thrusts her chest forward again and I give her nipples a little tweak before moving away from them once more. Her whimper of distress is louder this time. “Tell me, baby. What do you want?” Shaylee’s head had dropped back, but now she lifts it and looks into my eyes, her blue ones dark and turbulent.

“I want you to stop toying with me and suck on my fucking nipples.” It takes absolutely everything in me not to come at that moment. Hearing dirty talk from my sweet Shaylee is the biggest fucking turn on and I know I won’t hold out much longer. I whip her shirt and bra off and toss them, who the hell knows where, before latching onto one of her diamond hard peaks. Her head falls back again, grinding into me, and I have to lift her slightly away, so that I can maintain some control.