11. Stella

11

STELLA

It’s long after the sun has set, and the surrounding city lights come alive like glitter in a black sea when I push away from the charm I’m working on and stretch.

Ben’s gaze is like a touch. It’s not the gentle reminder to come back to the real world to tell me it was lunch and then the same for dinner, but it feels forbidden still.

Dinner had been just the two of us, Fiona must have been busy working for Stoneheart, and it’s hard not to feel a little jealous of the fact that her purpose is so clearly defined compared to mine.

Stoneheart has not gotten back to me with how I can help.

The ringing silence of the meal was a reminder of my new aimlessness. Freedom from tasks isn’t real freedom, and the constriction of this life is starting to feel like a rope around my chest that tugs tighter with every echo of forks against our plates.

It’s only been a day, but if I focus on the sensation, I’ll be begging to leave the penthouse within minutes.

And that means facing the Leonids. The extended family who are waiting with bated breath for me to mess up. The same people who cast my mother aside.

Lions may not be monogamous, but there is certainly a double standard, since infidelity was the explanation Lorenzo Leonid used to disown me.

There is no denying I’m a Leonid, I passed that blood test to enter the spelled compound when I involved myself in this mess. Lorenzo can’t be the only guilty party, and a good portion of me is still angry about what happened. The unfairness of it if not for the rejection alone.

If I’m going to socialize with them, I have to get over that.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll leave the penthouse and face the nameless cronies who allowed my mother to be abandoned with a newborn. I don’t think I can be cooped up any longer.

The bracelet that I’ve been working on lays in disjointed pieces, but I’m past the point of the patience I’d need to troubleshoot it more tonight.

“It looks like you made good progress,” Ben says, ignorant of my thoughts. The comment is a safe one to make since I started on this charm from scratch. I’ve already tried a few gem combinations, but it’s missing something.

I sigh. “It’s not working quite right, but I’ll solve it tomorrow. I have an idea of what to try.”

He doesn’t ask what the charm is for, which is fortunate because I’m not quite ready to tell him.

The creation of it is still too close to my heart and the possibilities of what it will allow too far reaching. I have a gargoyle to speak to and a territory to consider…

My yawn is sudden and cracking. I have no idea what time it is, but I need to sleep after the amount of magic I wove into the metal today.

“I’m going to start getting ready for bed,” I say. “I don’t know what Stoneheart expects you to do?—”

“I should stay close if not have my eye on you.”

I raise my brows. “Well, you can wait in our room while I shower then.”

Hopefully removing his scent from my skin.

I’m too sleepy to tease Ben about his blush. It’s the first sign of his feelings since he’d touched my arm to reassure me earlier. Since then, he’s kept to himself. Which is good… being cautious is good.

I rush through the shower. The echo of the bathroom and curling quiet of the day is starting to get to me now that I’m not distracted by my work. Before I’m mentally ready, I’m back in the generic bedroom in a modest but thin sleep set.

Ben lounges in the corner where a pair of sitting chairs angle toward each other. His hands are interlaced in front of him, his tablet missing for once. The lamp next to the chair is the only light in the room, and its warmth illuminates the coffee table with a fake fruit center piece in front of him.

Why keep this room so bland?

The setup is worlds away from my new workshop that has every detail keyed to me.

“Are you just going to stay there all night?” I ask. The gaping emptiness that comes from pouring too much magic into a charm has my body is yearning for a cuddle it sure as hell isn’t going to get.

But once that charm is finished… I shake myself from that line of thought. Just because Stoneheart made some vague comments doesn’t mean he’s suddenly gotten over his jealousy. The charm will just be a fail-safe.

If nothing else, it was a fantastic distraction today. A way to accustom my witch senses to my new space and life.

“Stoneheart asked me to,” he says with a shrug as his eyes travel down the thin fabric of my sleep shorts and loose tee. “The penthouse has protections on it, but that doesn’t stop the people allowed to come and go.”

My nipples take notice of the stroke of his gaze, but I ignore them.

“Like the gossipy Pepper?” I ask. The young Leonid woman hadn’t made eye contact with me before scurrying out the door after setting our dinner plates down. “His expectation is silly. You need to sleep sometime.”

Ben snorts. “I’ll message him before it becomes a problem. You should get some rest.”

I yawn, my body agrees with him. “Watching me sleep is creepy.”

“Only if I enjoy it too much.” The corner of his mouth kicks up.

I blink not expecting the quick reply.

“Well—uh—” I struggle. “Don’t enjoy it too much then.”

What does that even mean?

Before I have a chance to obsess over my awkwardness, the balcony doors shake. The sprawling nerves that have threatened to distract me all day pull tight. The door unlatches as slowly as a horror movie, and Stoneheart steps in.

Unlike the other times I’ve seen him enter a space, his larger-than-life aura is dim tonight. One wing isn’t clasped at his shoulder and is instead extended in a hang. And is he limping?

“Ah, you’re still awake.” He doesn’t sound thrilled by that. His normally growly voice sounds less intense than just this morning.

Fuck. He seems tired. A portion of his skin that isn’t tattooed is darker on his chest, but it’s hard to see in the lamplight. I hit the overhead lights, and my sleepiness evaporates.

Ben hisses in dismay, jumping to his feet.

“What the fuck happened to you?” I ask. Dried blood clings to his skin in the shape of jagged edges.

“Nothing to be concerned about. Just a little fighting.” His tone is cavalier and doesn’t reach me in my rush.

I find the first aid kit I stumbled upon when I was putting away my toiletries this morning. I’d been curious why the kit was so large but had written it off as someone being over-prepared. As I bring it to Stoneheart, he sits heavily on the end of the bed.

“I just said it’s fine.” But his growl lacks any real fire. The marks on his chest start to make sense in my brain. They’re from claws.

He narrows his eyes at where I’m frozen with the kit. My stomach turns at the sight of blood. One of the lower cuts beads with fresh red. “Have you ever patched anyone up?”

“…No.” I hand the first aid kit to Ben who snorts but opens the kit with practiced competency. Of course, Ben knows first aid. He removes some gauze and douses it with alcohol.

“They’ll be fine by morning,” Stoneheart says, inching away from Ben.

“Don’t be a baby. I doubt you want your skin healing over any pieces of someone else’s claws,” Ben mutters and presses the astringent smelling pad against the claw marks. Stoneheart makes a snarly sound but cuts it off with a glare at Ben. There’s some sort of tension between them, and Ben gentles in his task with a swallow. “Stella, hand me the saline. I’ll flush the wounds out.”

I do as he asks and observe the unusual way Stoneheart is holding himself. I peer around his back and gasp at the double set of deep scratches on one of his wings.

“I thought gargoyles could heal by stone-sleeping,” Ben says.

“That would be true of most gargoyles. I’m not full-blooded. I’ve always suspected that if I were to stone sleep, I’d never wake up,” Stoneheart says with his eyes closed and head tilted back as if he wants the both of us to disappear and leave him in his current state.

“Who did this?” I ask, like he hadn’t just shared something very personal and troubling.

Stoneheart cracks an eye open and arches his brow at me. “Are you going to defend my honor?”

“Yes.” I frown. “If it was a Leonid?—”

“Stella.” Stoneheart focuses his full attention on me, and his cajoling almost sounds warm. The tone shift distracts me enough that I don’t comprehend his words. “This is allowed. It’s from pit fighting.”

Until I do.

“You got injured on purpose?” I ask, not controlling my volume.

He snorts. “I won on purpose. Injuries are just the price paid for stability and to get the lay of the land.”

“Explain,” I demand.

His eyes narrow, but I don’t back down. It doesn’t matter that our marriage is political. From his own admission, we’re business partners.

That doesn’t stop me from being surprised when he speaks. “I asked anyone who wished to challenge my role in the territory?—”

I suck in a breath.

“And I won. Many times,” he adds, like it makes it better.

“That was risky,” Ben says with a frown. “What if you lost?”

“If I lost, then I wouldn’t deserve to hold this territory.”

“But Stella would have been put at risk,” Ben grits out.

“Which is why you were here and would have been able to get her out. Silas was prepared to message you in case the worst happened.”

“I want to go with you the next time,” I say.

“Absolutely not,” Stoneheart responds immediately, and from Ben’s expression, he agrees. Sucks for both of them then.

“Are other women there?” I ask. “Is this a social event?”

I suspect it is. Why fight unless there’s an audience?

Stoneheart’s expression isn’t as closed off as usual, and he furrows his brows. “Yes?—”

“Then I want to go and present a united front.”

“There shouldn’t need to be a next time,” Stoneheart grinds out.

“Promise me you’ll take me if there is.” I’m not going to let him slide past on a technicality.

He glares and doesn’t say anything.

“I’m either your partner in this, or I’m not,” I say. “You don’t just get to take me out of the cabinet when you need a prop.”

“ Fine ,” he hisses. “I promise.”

“Thank you.” I blink to hide away how much his capitulation means to me and clear my throat. “Is there anything I can do to help you feel more comfortable?”

“Tell your demon to finish up quickly. I don’t appreciate his nurse’s touch.” Stoneheart casts a look at Ben, but it’s not nearly as caustic as his words are.

“I’ll do my best,” Ben says drily. There’s a pause where he does seem to focus on working quickly before he speaks again. “I didn’t know you were mixed blood. No one actually has a record of your history either. Which I assume is your intention.”

“Was any of that a question?” Stoneheart asks before sighing. “It’s better for people outside of my circle to know as little about me as possible.”

Ben nods. “I won’t share your secrets. Do you want bandages or?—”

“There’s skin protective film in there. Since you went through the trouble to flush the wounds out.”

Ben finishes his work in no time. Knowing that the wounds will be healed by morning helps, but pit fighting ?

Quicker than I’d expect for him to move, Stoneheart grabs Ben’s wrist before he pulls away and brings the demon’s hand to his face, inhaling. Ben and I both freeze as the gargoyle breathes him in.

The act is intimate and sparks something curious in my belly.

“You’ve been touching my wife, Barnes,” Stoneheart’s pupils expand has he speaks against Ben’s skin.

My cheeks burn even as my heart sinks, but instead of threatening, the statement sounds like a purr.

“I’m surprised you can scent anything past the disinfectant,” Ben says instead of rushing to deny the claim.

“Her scent is one that I’m attuned to.”

That surprises me, but it shouldn’t. I am his claimed mate. I may be numb to the physical nature of it because I’m a witch, but he apparently isn’t.

The silence is tense as they stare at each other. There’s a playful light in Stoneheart’s eyes, but Ben’s stillness is full of trepidation.

Ben breaks the standoff. “Then, if Stella doesn’t object, you’ll have to add it to my tab because you’re not doing anything about it tonight.”

My mouth falls open. Object to what?

“You should rest,” Ben continues as he steps away from Stoneheart. There’s a shake under his professional tone, but his face remains placid. The gargoyle releases him. “If that’s everything, I’ll come back in the morning.”

Stoneheart considers him for a moment before giving his permission with a nod.

Ben looks to me and freezes. He hesitates like he doesn’t want to leave me alone here.

But I’m not afraid of Stoneheart. Maybe it’s the mating bite or the meticulous workshop he set up for me, but I can handle what he dishes out. My curiosity won’t allow me to leave the way Ben is anyway.

“See you in the morning,” I say.

“Barnes,” Stoneheart says right before the demon vanishes. Ben stills. His eyes on the injured gargoyle like he’s a cobra about to strike. “Thank you for watching over Stella. Her safety and happiness are a priority to me.”

They have another silent conversation that leaves me feeling like an uncomfortable third wheel, but Ben speaks up before I can voice my questions.

“Of course,” Ben says and disappears.

I turn on Stoneheart. “What was that?”

“I thanked him.” He rolls his shoulders with a wince.

“No, not that,” I say. There’s something between the two of them. “What are you planning? What tab? What would I object to?”

Stoneheart tilts his head. “Don’t you enjoy his presence?”

“Husband.” The term is husky without my meaning it to be. “Don’t try and distract me.”

He must be very tired because he actually responds when I use the title, his eyes slit in pleasure.

His actions are so contrary to our wedding night that I don’t quite know how to interpret them. Which are his real feelings about me? Am I a pawn or a prize?

The pleased look morphs into a frown as if he’s frustrated that he reacted in such a way, but he goes back to a poker face before he answers me. “Barnes has a very unique skill. If he were to eventually to come and work for us, that would be advantageous.”

Now I’m frowning. “Ben will never leave Kalos.”

Stoneheart shrugs. “That doesn’t mean I won’t try and give him a reason to.”

“And you want to what?” I ask, my disbelief on full display. “Use my pussy as bait? Just last night you didn’t want me to touch him?—”

“It wouldn’t be just you drawing him in,” he interjects coolly.

There’s a thud in my stomach. Like the world has just been turned on its head. Little details I’ve gathered align. The changes in the edginess between them. Ben’s secret.

“You want him?” I croak out. The possibility may have crossed my mind with how he just scented him, but with his earlier jealousy, I’d dismissed it.

“Is that something that you’d be opposed to?” Stoneheart asks like he’d never considered that possibility.

My husband wants the same demon I do.

And that means…

“You don’t want me?” My heart aches . He may be an asshole, but I’m his mate. Something that I upended my entire life to become. Did he ever want me? For him to want to replace me so quickly?—

Stoneheart stands and cuts through my mental spiral.

“Stella,” he growls with a warning. “Stop.”

“It’s not like this is a love match.” I force out of my tight throat. “You were clear about that last night.

“My desire for you is undeniable and always has been.”

Always has been. My mouth snaps shut at his words.

Stoneheart’s touch to my cheek is soft. Just this morning, I flinched away from him, but now the contact is a balm. He takes a moment to rub soothing circles down my jaw as if he’s enjoying the feel.

“I should be offended,” he says. “Do you want me any less just because you want him?”

I should deny wanting Ben at all or even Stoneheart with how he’s treated me, but I don’t want to lie. “No. You’re both different.”

Stoneheart appeals to my secret needs and dark fantasies. Ben…makes me feel safe and more myself even as everything changes around me. “But I thought it was impossible. You seemed like you were ready to kill him last night.”

He pulls away with a sigh and takes my hand instead. The gesture is chivalrous. “That was before I considered other options. Barnes could serve a purpose for us.”

“What purpose?”

“I’m not made for a regular relationship, wife. As you’ve already experienced. I won’t ever be your soft place to land.” His words are light even as they’re laden with regret, and he gently kisses the back of my hand. “But I won’t deprive you of that comfort . It would even be fair of you to demand it.”

“What changed?” I ask. “How do you go from wanting to kill a man to being okay with him fucking your wife?” For him to suddenly desire Ben.

Stoneheart leans back, considering his words before answering me. “I admit that I am a jealous beast, but I… sense that we could all be compatible.”

Probably the same sense that informed him exactly how much I craved submission. The memory of that stings.

“If he’s here with my permission and direction, it’s different for me,” he clarifies. “I would prefer you both to abstain from fucking without me, but I wouldn’t deprive you shared moments of a less intense nature.”

It all sounds so analytical, but I’m grateful for the outline.

Stoneheart continues, “If you prefer to keep our marriage the way it is, I am mated to you. I want you to be happy. I thought this was a way to best allow for it.”

“We are either partners in this, or it doesn’t happen?” I echo the earlier sentiment.

And Stoneheart’s eyes light at that. “Exactly.”

It’s the three of us in bed or neither of us gets Ben.

The thought of Stoneheart’s unforgiving dominance paired with Ben’s defiance is searing. I want to see how this gargoyle would tempt the demon I want.

“Look into your heart, wife. Would you really deny me a taste of your demon? Do you find the possibility of having two lovers at once so offensive?” Stoneheart asks.

It’s definitely not my heart that gives a pulse of heat at the idea, and he knows it. His nostrils flare and his lids lower in pleasure as if he can scent my reaction to the picture he’s laying out.

If this is just physical for him…if Stoneheart only wants to seduce Ben to have access to his abilities—which would never happen. Ben won’t leave Kalos…

“What’s in this for Ben?” I ask. It’s high-handed of us to be discussing this without him here to interject.

Stoneheart’s expression turns sly. “I’ve already laid the crumbs to lead him in, and he’s proven willing. I warned him that if he touched you that there would be a price to pay. He knows he’s playing with fire.”

“Why would he want this?”

My husband’s smile takes my breath away. The pure sex and sure dominance that had him sucking me into his gravity before is on display as he brings my inner wrist up to his face and licks it. The wet stroke reminds me how it felt between my thighs.

I need to think about all of this and just how Stoneheart really benefits from this before I allow myself to buy into this, let alone involve Ben. But fuuuuck this gargoyle knows how to get me wet.

Stoneheart rumbles in what sounds like bliss. “Because a taste of you would be well worth a fall.”

“You don’t believe that,” I say breathlessly.

His pale eyes focus on me, and it’s as if he would say more, but instead he bows his head and lets my arm drop.

“Take your time to consider it. I need to sleep and so do you.”

The pang of disappointment is silly. The guy is as scratched up as a cat toy. Nothing of that nature is going to happen tonight. Now if Ben were still here…

Fuck, I’m considering this.

I clear my throat and glance at the giant bed. “And we’re sharing?”

A laugh bubbles in my chest, we’re considering sharing much more than a bed, but I suppress the sensation.

“I won’t force you to.” Stoneheart moves to the side of the bed I’ve already claimed. Annoying gargoyle thinking sleep is going to be an option now that he’s dropped the details of his plans on me.

He keeps talking as he climbs under the covers with a wince. “But it will be better if our scents mingle, especially if you visit with any Leonids tomorrow.”

With too many things to consider, I turn off the lights of the room and climb into the opposite side of the bed. His breathing evens out immediately like someone who has no issue falling asleep.

As if I needed another reason to dislike my husband.