Freezing Reign: Earth's Final Queen is no Princess (The Reign Series Book 1) by Goff L.A

Author:Goff, L.A.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Goff Reads
Published: 2023-04-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Hungry Heart

As a goodbye gift to Rose, I didn’t complain as she applied lipstick to my mouth, rubbed oil on the ends of my hair, and attached a fresh sticker to the back of my neck. I even wore the purple gown and the sky-high heels without whining. After seven hours of sleep on a real mattress followed by a hot shower, I was human on the inside and content to look like a feminal on the outside.

I tossed down my first cup of coffee before it was cool enough to drink and welcomed the rush of caffeine like an old friend. Every nerve ending buzzed as I waited for Papa to arrive. He’d agonized over my survival, planning and plotting with Aaron for twelve years, and today he would cross the finish line.

“Lord, don’t let him get in a wreck driving here,” I said under my breath, soft but not soft enough. Daisy arched an eyebrow in my direction.

Unable to sit still, I stood watch in front of the living room windows. Their curves mirrored the mission style from the main house but without the vast square footage. Aaron’s place wasn’t what I expected. It was small and clean—with enough pockets of clutter to keep the white, stucco space from feeling sterile.

Now that Rose was home, would she tidy his random stack of album covers and organize his lists of employee shifts and inspection schedules?

“Breakfast is almost ready,” he said and handed me a refill. “Sip it this time. You chugged the first cup while it was steaming hot. Dr. Vega will be ticked off at me if you have blisters on your tongue.”

“Papa’s gonna notice your green and purple face way before my burnt mouth. Are you going to tell him what happened?”

“No, I’m not.”

“But it was my fault. If you hadn’t been drafted to bring me back here, then Billy wouldn’t have—”

“Yesterday was a victory,” he said, interrupting my stream of guilt. “A holy shit, throw-a-parade-down-the-center-of-Main-Street style victory. We’re both alive and you didn’t wake up this morning chained to some dude’s bed. Believe me, these lumps are no big deal.”

“Sleeping on a real bed was amazing. Thank you for not chaining me to your headboard.” It was meant to be casual banter… a lighthearted joke between old friends. But when I heard the words out loud, heat prickled under my cheeks and spread down my neck.

“And thank you for taking the couch,” I added, rushing to fill the awkward pause as his grin widened. “Do you want me to wash my sheets and pillowcase?”

If anything, his face was more discolored today than the night before. When he smiled, his left eye became a puffy, narrow slit that must’ve been impossible to see through. “No need to do laundry,” he said. “I like the smell of you. I always have.”

“Um, okay.” I was surprised by his honesty and flat-out shocked by the pleasure it gave me. Did I have a unique fragrance… something underneath the lavender in my hair? I forgot I was holding coffee until it sloshed over the sides.

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