Rude Awakening

rude awakening

W hen Iggy and Kaspar return from stowing the weird trunk in the shed outside, I try to figure out why they both look like someone died. Neither seems eager to give it up, so I go back to helping Lucas pull down the curtains. He’s not as strong as me, especially when recovering, but he’s good at staying close, so I feel less exposed by this nightmare.

A room full of men I barely know are finding out just how cuckolded and na?ve I was when Magnus was alive—I fucking hate it.

“I know you’re mad they won’t say what they did out there, but consider it might be because you don’t want to know,” Slade says as he walks over to take the pile of stinky linens to put in a garbage bag.

Blinking at him, I open my mouth, then close it. He probably can’t help reading me—powerful sirens can have trouble controlling their gifts—and I know he’s only trying to help. I’m unused to people looking out for me, especially men, so I’m overreacting. I give him a small shrug, tilting my head. “That’s probably true, but I’m so used to taking care of myself. It makes me feel powerless to be in the dark.”

Lucas wraps his arms around me, rubbing his cheek on my shoulder blade from behind. I’m much taller than him on this stool and it’s kind of cute. “Morgana, you don’t need to know every disgusting thing that person did to control your life. No one in this room believes anyone but you is running this show.”

Kaspar snorts and shakes his head, but Iggy, Slade, and Liam just grin at me. My lips curve and I allow myself to lean into Lucas for support. “Thanks, babe.”

Ugh. How cliched am I? I have to figure out a name better than that or I’ll feel lame.

Iggy whips the comforter and pillowcases off, handing them to Slade before he does the sheets. “Take this shit. Thank hell she can’t smell it. Wolfberg, how fast can you get shit here if we find a mattress for her online?”

The bear moves back, and his smug grin makes my stomach flutter. “Try me, spell sucker.”

“Sweet baby Polyphemus, the two of you are going to drive me insane. Especially with that one…” Slade points to Kaspar, “… pulling his BS as well. Work together so we don’t make Morgana even more stressed out, please?”

Tucking my chin, I grin at him. He and Liam are peacemakers—I need that for sure. There’s too much dick waving in this room. “Slade is right. It would definitely help if we could try not to attack each other. Snark is okay; I don’t mind that, but just… don’t be assholes.”

“ Macushla ? 1 ,” Liam says and Kaspar’s scowl deepens. “We will all behave to the best of our abilities. Right, gentleman?”

Slade nods, then Lucas, and finally, Iggy throws up his hands. “Fine. fine. I’ll try not to bait the shifter.”

“I agree to nothing and he can’t make me,” Kaspar grunts. “You know better, Liam.”

The Prince rolls his eyes, muttering something in Gaelic under his breath before waving at the dragon. “He says that, but he won’t be truly awful since I asked. Don’t worry.”

“Now that we cleared that up, I’m going downstairs to grab a tablet,” Slade says as he holds the full garbage up. “I’ll take this to the curb. Once we’re back, we’ll measure the room and let Lucas work his magic to arrange for the new bed.”

“Fuck yeah. We’re going huge . This room is half the upper floor—it’s plenty big enough for something we can spread out in.” His eyes twinkle with merriment, and I feel the color drain from my face.

“Um… we ?”

He nods, raking his hand through his golden waves. “Yeah. You, me… whoever gets invited. Whatever.”

Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.

“That… remains to be… decided,” I mutter as I turn back to the section of the room I’m working in. I can’t deal with their flirting and this bullshit in Magnus’ room. It’s too much. Not to mention, Jackson arrives later today and I have no idea what he’s going to say about Lucas’s case.

Liam laughs softly, then walks over to spin me around. “Don’t hide. You have a buffet of men clamoring for your attention, macushla . A prince, a wizard, a musician, a sport star, and a grumpy ass war hero—who could ask for more?”

I swallow hard, looking around as panic uncurls in my gut. “That’s what I’m afraid of. This kind of shit never works out for me—not even with one person. How can I expect any different when it’s five?”

“Those other people weren’t us,” the Prince says with a smirk. “Now stop worrying and let’s get this done so you’re not living in that monster’s filth.”

Hallelujah to that.

By the time Lucas and Liam work their rich guy magic, it’s late afternoon and we’ve had two deliveries of stuff for the bedroom. The room is now filled with a bed so enormous I have no idea how they got the mattress in and it’s decorated to the nines in a calming slate gray and black motif. I showed Liam furniture when he asked and I don’t know how the actual hell he got it here, but the wrought iron bed frame and shining dark Gothic furniture arrived within hours. There’s not a damn trace of my ex anywhere in this space and I finally feel like I have a place to escape.

I’d cry if I could show that kind of vulnerability in front of them.

Instead, I’m sitting in the living room eating the pizza Slade ordered while we wait for our guests on pins and needles. Channing messaged that Jackson’s plane taxied in while we were finishing up, so we decided to relax until they arrive. Lucas has my feet in his lap and I’m leaning against Iggy’s shoulder while some mystery show plays in the background.

“You know, you’re awful calm about all of this, Wolfberg,” Kaspar says as he eyes him. The dragon is seated far from me in the room, causing eye rolling from all of us.

Lucas grins. “Well, I’ve got the fucking Shark coming to do my defense and Nana behind me… plus, Morgana believes me. And I’m not dying of some whack Fae poison anymore. I’m feeling #blessed, man.”

“Ugh, don’t be that guy,” I mutter. “Only douchebags say hashtag something out loud.”

Slade snorts, then covers his mouth. “Sorry, dude, she’s right.”

“Fine,” my new mate pouts. “But I feel lucky as hell and you guys are all part of that. It all has to get better from here, right?”

Liam arches a brow and shrugs. “Perhaps. It depends on what this lawyer says about the evidence they collected. I assume traveling here means it’s not good. Good news could be given in a phone call, yes?”

I suck in a breath as I realize he’s right. “Damn. He’s right.”

“Don’t worry, M. I didn’t kill the asshole, so whatever they have is circumstantial. There’s no way they can make this shit stick. LaMount was a major asswad; he had enemies on and off the ice. Anyone could have done it.” Lucas sighs as he squeezes my foot. “Hell, we don’t know what he was into, but all the players in the league thought he was dirty somehow.”

“Dirty how?” Kaspar nails him with a serious look. “That sounds important.”

“Fixing games. Trying to end careers. Gambling, maybe. Rumors about girls. Nothing I can prove, just whispers,” the bear says with a shrug.

This is stuff we have to tell Jackson; his team can look into it.

“That’s definitely shit the Shark needs to know, man. He’s got people coming with him. I assume it’s helping him build your defense. They’ll dig into crevices that fucker didn’t know he had. When he was alive, I mean.” Iggy scratches the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “I have some experience with PIs because of my family.”

I arch a brow at him. “You do, huh?”

“The Briartons are often the object of vendettas. It happens when you’re high ranking magical folks. Supe PIs were always sniffing around as I grew up.” His expression turns darkly smug as he takes a drink, then continues. “Now that I’m of age, I handle that shit on my own. As a kid, they had to teach me what to do, though.”

Those are stories I can’t decide if I want to hear or not.

“You realize everyone here has… baggage, right?” Lucas asks me. His eyes meet mine and he licks his lips. “I’m not snow white; I was a dick in high school. Not evil or anything, but not… great. Kind of a bully, actually.”

Slade coughs, looking down as he mumbles, “I grew up in a mafia family on the coast. I’ve seen things. I’ve done things I wish I could undo.”

I blink, my eyes widening as I look at the remaining two guys. “And you?”

Kaspar rolls his eyes. “Don’t be dense. I’m not part of this, but I’ve been in wars and protected Fae royals from childhood. My soul is black as soot—which should tell you what I’ll do if you do anything to harm my friend.”

“Merciful Aed, Kaspar. You make yourself sound like you’re as bad as her ex. You aren’t, but if I’m honest, I’m not clean, either.” Liam gives me a rueful expression. “I’m a Fae royal and everything that comes with that. I’ve spent most of my life bullying the bullies. And I’ve always done what it takes to mete out justice when I think it’s deserved.”

I’m being courted by a room full of villains. What. The. Fuck.

“So you’re telling me none of you care what I did to Magnus—or why—because you’re all a bunch of rich jackasses?” I give them all an amused look as I try to digest that information.

“That’s about right,” Lucas says with a grin. “No one’s perfect. At least we know you can handle yourself when the cameras descend.”

“C-Cameras?” I choke.

Being in the spotlight was the worst part of my fucking trial.

“Morgana,” Slade says softly. “You realize that being part of the investigation will bring the press. If they figure out about you and Lucas… he’s related to the Wolfenbergs and accused of murder. Add our pedigrees to the mix and… there’s likely to be a lot of attention.”

For a moment, I feel like I’m going to vomit, and Lucas runs his hands up my legs soothingly. “I-I didn’t think about that. I’m not a fan of the press after… you know. But… I won’t run away when Lucas needs me, either.”

His grin spreads across his face, and he darts forward, grabbing my face in his hands. “That’s my girl. Give ‘em hell, Slither.”

I recoil a bit, my face flushing at the nickname. “Stop.”

“Nope,” he says as he beams. “My mate is the biggest badass on this damn campus and whoever is framing me is going to find out what happens when they fuck around. I can’t wait.”

The dragon guard eyes me for a moment, tilting his head. “Do you have control of your hybrid sides? You can’t turn anyone to stone or go on a flying rampage if you get angry.”

Des pops out of my ponytail, hissing at him in indignation. I chuckle and let her threaten him; I know she won’t call the others out if I don’t give permission. “I do, thank you very much. I’m not fresh off the fucking truck. You know how old my species both live.”

He grunts, and Liam tilts his head as he smirks. “I think you, me, and Kaspar are the oldest in the room. The others are mere babies, Morgana.”

My eyes narrow. “Watch it, Your Highness. It’s rude to ask a lady’s age.”

“I don’t have to ask,” Kaspar says as he leans back in his chair. “I already know.”

Well, fuck you, too, charcoal breath.

1 ? Darling