“Shhh,” Caspian’s lips at my ear soothed me, calming me. “We’ll figure that part out, I promise. And fuck what other people think, right? Trust us, that’s a lesson we were born into.”
“Go show your face, baby,” Cade said. “And then meet us later.”
I shivered at the thought, my body already yearning for more of them.
I nodded. “Okay. Later?”
“Absolutely,” Cade murmured, kissing me. I turned again to kiss Caspian too, before pulling away from them.
“I really do have to go,” I whispered.
“Go,” Caspian grinned. “But you know that we’re coming for you later.”
I grinned. “You promise?”
“With everything we have.”
I kissed them both once more before I turned and dashed out the door, back to the ball.
Chapter 8
Ilana
I felt like I was floating as I practically skipped down the halls of the castle. I felt like a total dork, like I was in some sort of cartoon movie with little hearts bubbling around me, or like I was about to burst into song with woodland creatures. It was eye-rollingly ridiculous, but I didn’t care. I was happier than I’d ever been.
My mind was still spinning about what had just happened, and my body was still buzzing as I made my way back to the ball. Okay, I’d make an appearance, I’d smile and make the rounds, show people that I hadn’t disappeared, and then I’d—
“Oh! Ilana!”
I almost jumped out of my skin as the guest bathroom door swung open and my sister Imogen stumbled out.
“Im!”
Her hair was a total mess, her cheeks were bright red, and her dress wasn’t even tied all the way up the front. I saw her doing the exact same thing to me, her eyes going to my hair that was no longer up, and to what I was almost sure were bruises on my neck — bruises from two men’s lips.
“Oh my God!” she hissed, her eyes going wide. “What did you just—”
“Me?”
I raised a sharp brow at her and she blushed right back.
“You’re missing a tie on the top of that gown, sis.”
She flushed dark crimson as she looked down, hastily tying the last title bow on her dress.
“And who might you have been with?”
“No one,” she spit quickly.
I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest and totally playing the big sister card. Yeah, I’d just been fooling around, but I was dying to know what she’d just done. And with whom.
“You just half took your dress off and decided to mess up your hairstyle and makeup, huh?”
“Well looks who’s talking!”
I did my best to hide the grin, but it broke free. So did hers.
“Who?” I eagerly pressed grabbing her hands and grinning mischievously.
Imogen shook her head.
“Oh c’mon!”
“You first,” she whispered.
I swallowed the heat from my face “I can’t,” I whispered. I couldn’t I mean how could I tell my own sister that I’d just been having the best sex of my life with two men? Twins no less!
She sighed. “This is silly, we should just say it.”
I nodded, biting my lip. “Totally. Okay, no judging?”
“Of course not!”
I’m the worst sister ever.
I wasn’t going to tell her, but I was dying know who she’d been with. I justified it as being protective of my little sister, but I knew it was terrible to set her up like this.
“Count of three?”
She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay, one, two, three!”
“Prince Magnus.”
My jaw dropped. “Imogen!”
“Did you seriously not say who!?” she spat at me, her eyes wide. “Ilana! That is so fucking not fair!”
“I know, I know, I’m sorry!” I cringed.
Mine is worse, trust me.
“Look, mine is worse, seriously.”
“Worse than hooking up with Prince Magnus?”
I eyed her, the big sister mantle coming on strong. “Imogen, did you let him—”
“No,” she said quietly.
I started to exhale when she continued.
“He said he wants to marry me.”
“Seriously?”
“I know, what a line right?”
I frowned, thinking of the very notorious Prince Magnus and my very not-so-worldly sister. “I don’t know, Im. Invoking marriage just to get into your pants seems low even for a guy with his rep. I don’t get the feeling he’s a bad person, he’s just got all those tabloid stories dogging him.”
Her face fell. God, I did not want her to make the same mistake I’d made with Henry those years before.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, of course not,” she said fiercely. “He was actually really sweet.”
I let her let it out, feeling the weird mix of excited and protective as she told me about Magnus. Hell, maybe this was a night of leaving reputations behind?
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me who, you bitch,” Imogen finally muttered.
I gave her a sheepish look. “I’m sorry, I just…”
I trailed off.
“Who!”
“It’s…scandalous,” I whispered. I knew at some point I would tell her, but not yet. I couldn’t. I was still wrapping my head around the fact that I was falling for two guys.