We’re already yours.
He looked sad but sincere and I knew he had said that because he thought I’d leave him out to teach him a lesson.
“And I’ll be yours?” I looked around at each of the gorgeous men standing around me.
“More than you realise,” Carter said. “And if you only want a cuddle, you only get a cuddle. Everything is on your terms.”
“Why are you doing this, Carter?” I asked.
“Two reasons, Lacey. I need you to trust me again before binding, so first I want to atone for the sins you still believe I committed, I give you this and hopefully, you’ll understand and give up the others.”
“And two,” I asked.
Carter glanced at the ceiling. He said nothing else.
“We wereallchosen to protect you,” Ryan said and shrugged his shoulders. “It makes sense to be close to you, to develop a deeper relationship with you. Which will strengthen our bond.”
“Oh, okay,” I said. “Let me think about it. It’s a lot to take in. You can’t expect a decision right now.” I nodded slowly and searched around at each of the guys facing me as they stared at me.
“In your own time,” Ryan said.
“Okay, will someone take me home now?” I asked.
“I’ll take you,” Carter said as quick as a flash.
Chapter 22
Lacey
Carterparkedupoutsidemy dorm and turned off the engine. He slid his hand over mine and looked into my eyes.
“Do you remember what your father used to say about us? How we had to be together?” he asked.
“I remember,” I said. “But I’m alone now, Carter, and make my own decisions.”
Blowing out a deep breath, he glanced at some people walking by his car, before he slowly turned back to me. “You aren’t alone, and I wish I could, but I can’t change what happened to your parents.”
As I looked at him, he had a sorrowful look that made me feel he carried the burden with me. Sharing the guilt I carried from that night, but little did either of us know I was about to lose my parents.
“How much do you know about the magic in the kingdom, Lacey?”
“My parents didn’t wrap me in cotton wool my entire life, Carter,” I said. I hated talking about kingdom business. My whole life had been learning and developing my magic and fighting skills, and I knew one day they would crown me as Queen because I also knew there was an expectation of a war between the kingdoms. “I’m not allowed to talk to anyone about what I know.”
Carter blinked hard. “Lacey, we are…”
I held my hand up to stop him from talking. “Carter, I don’t want to talk about us.”
He puffed his lips. “You’re linked to me, Lacey. We are telepathic with each other.”
“I know. I told you I feel you,” I said.
He shook his head. “And doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“Of course it does. I need to work out what though.” I paused for a beat. “Do you know I’m the same with Seb and I didn’t know him a matter of weeks ago?”
“But Seb knows you,” Carter said, swiping his tongue over his lip.
“He knows me?” I queried. My eyes narrowed and felt my forehead wrinkle.