Chapter 11

Once they landed, a smiling Quinn greeted them at baggage claim.

"It's so good to see you again, Amira!" he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "I hope Dick is behaving himself with you," he met Richard's gaze with a steely one of his own.

"Richard is a perfect gentleman," Amira stated before moving away from Quinn.

Richard wrapped a protective arm around Amira's waist. Quinn gazed at Richard's hand on Amira's hip and looked up at them both with wide eyes. "Are you two an item now?" His tone was as incredulous, as was the look on his face.

"I guess you could say that." Amira smiled and nodded at him.

"Wow! I didn't see this one coming at all. Let me guess—Stan?"

"Yeah, it was Stan all right," Richard said as he placed a palm on the back of his neck.

"I should have known. Only Stan would get you thinking about dating again, Richard."

"I would have to agree with you there."

"Let's head over to Harriet and Lear's so we can brief you. SHIT is happening in Skyros this year, and with Zagan on the loose, we need to protect all the royals."

"Since you're Lear's cousin, that makes you part of the list of people that need protecting, Quinn."

Quinn gave Richard a cocky grin before responding. "I'm just the spare to the heir. Lear's the one I'm most worried about."

"Still, it's our job to protect all of you. We've already gone up against Zagan. He's a slippery one for sure and always escaping."

Quinn introduced them to Dayton, their driver, who helped them gather their bags and then escorted the three into the car. When they arrived at the palace, they were introduced to Lear, Treasure, and Mateo.

"Welcome to Skyros!" Lear greeted. "I'll show you around the place, but I wasn't sure if you needed one room or two." Like Quinn, Lear had spotted Richard's arm around Amira.

"Did Stan fix up another couple?" Treasure asked with a laugh. "Looks like TLC strikes again!"

"TLC?" Amira asked.

"Tender-hearted Loving Caringbear," Treasure explained. "Stan played a part in all of our matchings. Didn't you know?"

Amira's face registered shock, revealing she did not, in fact, know.

Luckily, the others didn't seem to notice as Lear piped up, "Not sure that name fits the grump, but he is a great matchmaker for sure. Harriet is the most beautiful woman I've ever met."

"Yeah, yeah, and Erika's the most beautiful woman I've ever met," Quinn added. "Can we stop laying on the factor fifty and show these two where they're staying?"

Lear nodded. "We'll give them the guest house. Since they're Stan's latest love success, I don't think any of us want rooms nearby. We need our sleep."

Amira's cheeks flushed. Lear gestured for them to follow him, but as they walked, he started to look at her curiously. "Did anyone ever tell you that you look like you could be from Skyros?"

"I think my mother had roots from this area of the world, but she never really talked about it." Amira shrugged.

"What was her maiden name?" Lear asked.

"Barclay. She was Christine Barclay."

Lear's brows shot up his forehead. "My Great Uncle Alexander was married to a Christine Barclay! That can't be a coincidence! That would make us all cousins if it's the same Christine Barclay!"

Quinn's brows now shot up his forehead. "This is so strange, but if we are family, it would make a whole lot of sense."

"Why?" Amira asked.

"Because Zagan targets royalty," Richard said, tightening his arm around her.

"I'm not really royalty!" Amira objected. "Just maybe a distant cousin from what mom and dad told me growing up. What was it you said, Quinn? A spare to the heir? I'm no big deal."

"You're royal enough for Zagan to target you. Us." Quinn offered her a sad smile.

Lear escorted them as far as the back door. "I'll let Quinn show you to the house. Take your time to freshen up, and we'll see you for dinner in the main dining room at six. And it's a working dinner, so wear your blacks."

Quinn led Richard and Amira down the driveway that wrapped around the back of the palace. The guest house wasn't, by any stretch of the means, modest. It looked like a mini-mansion next to the palace, sure, but it was huge compared to Amira's apartment.

"Welcome to your new digs for the next week."

"This is amazing! It's so big. I think five of my studios could fit in this foyer alone."

"Well, we are on palace grounds, Amira, and if I were you, I'd get used to the digs. Since we are pretty certain we're related, you'll be here every year for SHIT."

"Really?"

"Yup. It's like a family reunion. Unless, of course, you decide you want to make living here permanent. I'm sure BS would be happy to have another FUC join their ranks."

* * *

The words Quinn said to Amira stung Richard. He never thought he'd lose her to a job offer in Greece. This was just supposed to be a side hustle until the two of them were back at WANC. That was how he wanted it. She should be safe and sound and in his arms whenever they got the chance to be together.

Richard shifted from one foot to the other. Why would Stan put them together, only to make him mourn losing her if she moved to Greece? None of this made any sense. But this was her life, and he had no business asking her to stay with him. If she wanted to move to Greece, he wouldn't stop her.

Still, all of this information made him sad. How could he give her up? She was his mate, and he'd already imprinted on her—well, his heart had at least. That was what llamas did with the ones they loved. They imprinted on them to protect them from predators like Zagan.

He loved her. She was his—there was no denying it. But if she thought differently, then he'd just have to accept it. Until then, he was going to take advantage of the time they had together, and he'd start by drawing her a bath after Quinn left them alone.

"Well, I'll leave you both to it. See you in a few hours," Quinn said as he closed the door behind him.

Richard turned to Amira, who was wandering around the place with an awestruck look on her face.

"I just can't get over how big this place is!"

"Yeah, it is pretty big, and I can't even imagine cleaning it."

"Oh, I know! I don't think I'd ever want to live in such a big place because of that."

"We should relax a little before dinner," Richard said as he walked over to the kitchen area. "How about I pour you a glass of wine and draw you a bath?"

Amira followed him into the kitchen, opening the upper cabinets in search of wine glasses, he assumed, since he already had the wine fridge open.

"Red or white?"

"White, please," she said while pulling two tumblers from the second cabinet she opened. "And a bath sounds great, but on one condition. I'd like you to join me."

Richard smiled while wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. He took in her mandarin and coconut scent as his lips grazed her neck.

"I like the sound of that. Let's hope the bathtub is as big as the house is."

Amira let out a giggle as she grabbed the bottle.

"Race you!"

She darted to the foyer, down the long hallway, and up the stairs, pushing open every door in search of the master bedroom, and he loved how her ass sashayed from one side to the other.

"I think this one is it because the sitting room has French doors leading to a patio. None of the other rooms have a balcony."

She strode into the bright room and opened the white doors at the opposite end of the room. The bathroom was filled with Carrera marble and teak wood, and if she hadn't been in the room, he swore he'd be taken in by the view of the ocean from the tub.

"Oh, my God! This is so much more than I expected! Just look at this gorgeous view!"

Without taking his eyes off of her, he responded, "Yeah, sure is gorgeous."

She slapped him on his arm.

"I meant the view, silly!"

"You are prettier than the view and far easier to relax with!" he said as he palmed her cheek and drew her lips to his.

He traced the seam of her lips briefly until she opened up to him. His dick hardened as he pulled her closer to his waist and his tongue danced with hers. She began to play with the buttons on his shirt, and he quickly palmed her hands.

"I don't want to rush this. Zagan cheated us. Our first official date together should have been special. Instead, it's tainted because of him." She pulled back from him slightly, but he wouldn't have that. He cupped her face so her gaze met his.

"I mean it, Amira. I want you, but we deserve to take our time and enjoy each other. What Zagan did to us will never happen to us again if I can help it." Her eyes finally reached his, and there was so much wonder in them.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm just glad you see things the way I do, and I'm wondering how I got so lucky."

He smiled at her. "We have to run the bath water so it's warm." She made a pout with her perfect lips as he pulled away from her, and it almost made him want to say fuck it, but he wouldn't. He couldn't. They deserved this time together, damn it! And he'd make sure she was more than satisfied before he ever gave in to a sweet release. She deserved that and so much more. He'd give and give to her until she was satiated beneath him. Or if she was the type of girl that enjoyed being on top, he certainly wouldn't complain. He just wanted her in whatever way she felt like the goddess he perceived her as. He turned on the water, and she smirked.

"I get the whole going-slow part, but I so need to strip. This bra is killing me! If I didn't know better, I'd swear a man created these, but alas! It was women who did. Not sure how I feel about women torturing other women," she said as she unbuttoned her blouse.

He wanted to stop her so he could do it for her, but he had to admit that he enjoyed watching her strip in front of him. When he asked her to twirl with a gesture of his finger, she became more seductive with each garment she removed. Once she was down to just her panties, he cupped her hands.

"No, let me," he said with a deep rumble in his voice. He pressed soft kisses on the tops of her breasts and down the middle of her torso before pressing a kiss on her center. She let out a soft moan as he stood and guided her into the tub. "My turn," he said as he began peeling off his clothes, one piece at a time, before hopping in the tub himself. He turned on the jets, and the water lapped around them.

"This was a good idea." She took a sip of her wine after Richard poured a glass and handed it to her. "Thanks for suggesting it."

"I'm glad I suggested it, too."

He began rubbing tiny circles on her thigh.

"You are so beautiful, Amira, and I can't stop thinking about you." He leaned forward and kissed her. Placing a hand between them, he circled her center with his thumb. "I want you to come for me."

She whispered his name in between the other delicious sounds she was making. She arched her back, giving him better access to her throbbing bud.

"Richard, I need you inside me."

"I've got you, babe."

She straddled his hips in the oversized tub and slipped his cock inside her. Her inner lips clamped around his dick, and he almost lost it right then and there. But he would not do that to her. He wanted to worship her as the goddess she was. He continued to thrust his hips against her. As her moans grew louder, her breath hitched. She dug her nails into his back just as her walls pulsated around his cock. And that was when he lost it, riding his own sweet release at the same time as her.

Once their breath steadied, he got up and stepped out of the tub. Extending a hand to her that she took with a smile, he guided her out of the tub and dried her off.

"We should get changed and head to the main palace for dinner," he said, glancing at his phone. He then wrapped a towel around his waist. "I'll grab our suitcases."

"Thanks."

Richard came back with the suitcases, and they both got dressed in relative silence, but he caught her more than a few times staring at him through the large mirrors. Okay, he was staring at her, too. There was just something about a woman getting ready that he found intriguing. Of course, that someone was her and definitely had something to do with it.