Page 35 of Reign of the Queen
Outlining my lips in pencil first and filling in the deep rich matte color, I move onto my blue eyes and dab just a hint of champagne-colored eyeshadow on the lids, taking a deep silver tone and creating a smudged smokey winged look. The look is complete with a dusting of bronzer powder and a swipe of mascara on my lashes.
“Holy shit, girl, you look stunning.” Raegan approaches, staring at me through the mirror while I’m still sitting at the table.
Taking my hair out of the messy bun it’s been in most of the day, I start to play with it. My dark blonde hair cascades around my shoulders in a wavy length reaching the middle of my back, loose layered highlighted sections falling along my collarbone and shoulders. I start to pull it up in a high ponytail, but Raegan grabs the elastic out of my hands.
“Nope, today that beautiful mane is being worn down.” Grabbing a brush, she smooths out some of the tangles. When she’s satisfied with her work and my hair is falling in soft waves around me, she nods and then hip-checks me so she can take my seat and starts applying liquid eyeliner to wing out her gorgeous green eyes.
When we’re both ready to go, Raegan looking smoking hot, we head down from my wing in the house and pass the kitchen area. My mom’s long gone, there’s no sight of the broken mug she threw or the bottle of bourbon. I feel a pang of regret at how I behaved earlier. I need to lay off her and try to understand where she’s coming from and the shitty hand she’s once again been dealt.
Heading away from the kitchen and to the garage, mom’s Porsche is no longer next to my Range. We get in the SUV and leave the property. My phone connects automatically to the Bluetooth, and we start singing loudly and way off key to Adele.
We pull into the parking lot of the Quick Bean Café, Bullet for My Valentine’s “You Want a Battle? (Here’s a War)” starts playing. Raegan and I stare at each other and then crack up laughing. It’s fifteen minutes past six, which means we’re late for the meeting with the kings.
Theo’s Range is in the parking lot, but not Finn’s vehicle. They must have all come together. Knowing Theo the way I think I do, he’s probably livid that I’ve kept them waiting. Someone with that amount of control issues won’t accept tardiness, which of course is why I did it.I love giving him a massive “fuck you” whenever possible.
Parking and turning off the car, we step out. I spy them sitting at a table near a window of the café, their reflections shimmering through the glass. Taking a deep, fortifying breath and preparing myself for the battle to come, I lead Raegan into the café and head to the table; they are holding court at.
This place is a coffee lover's dream, filled with cozy brown and cream checkered banquets and reclaimed driftwood tables. In the corner there are deep brown comfortable looking leather wing chairs and a round wood and glass coffee table shaped like a book that surrounds a corner electric fireplace. Low Edison style lightbulbs strategically placed giving off enough amber light but not taking away from the warmth and coziness of the space. Book quotes and framed book covers from various authors line the walls. The rich smell of coffee beans and homemade goodies permeate the air. I take a deep inhale of all the goodness and it helps settle my nerves a bit.
To my knowledge, the kings have never seen me out of uniform, so I’m not sure what they were expecting. The looks on their faces as they watch us approach are so intense and telling. Carter looks like he’s about to fall out of his chair, his mouth hanging open. Mateo almost drops his cup on the table when he spots us, and Finn’s face doesn’t even attempt to hide the desire he’s feeling, dark chocolate eyes warm me from a distance. My eyes shift over at Theo, his eyes glitter intensely with what I think might be rage, his jaw is clenched tight.Oh well, three out of four positive reactions aren’t bad.
“Hey, hoe-bros, sorry we’re late, actually scratch that, I’m definitely not sorry,” Raegan lets out in greeting with a little wave.
I can’t handle this chick; she’s freaking hilarious. I look at their faces and catch Finn and Mateo cracking a smile. Carter looks like he might want to thrash her right now, and Theo turns into a damn statue.
“Raegan, make yourself scarce, will ya? This is a discussion for kings and queens, not peasants.” Carter scowls.
“Mmm, sure thing Carter, after you find me a king, that is. The only thing I see around here is my queen.” She giggles and proceeds to sit her ass at the end of the booth, right next to Mateo, reaching over to steal a cookie from Finn’s plate. All eyes turn toward her, but it doesn't stop her from taking a huge bite out of the cookie.
My gaze returns to Theo, he’s giving me a whole-body perusal from my Dior-clad feet to the top of my blonde, wavy-haired head and stopping everywhere in between. His stare is so intense that it’s giving off heat and making my skin tingle underneath my clothes. When his eyes focus on the unbuttoned cardigan and the black lace peeking through, his breath catches, and I watch him fist his left hand.Hmmm, I guess he’s not so immune after all.
“Raegan, love, what will it take for you to wander off for a moment while we have a discussion with Mia? Mateo inches closer to Raegan, purposely invading her personal space, and trying to seduce her with his soulful accented voice, beautiful olive-green eyes, and sinful lashes that no male deserves to have.
“Wow...Mateo, you sure are pretty,” Raegan gushes, batting her eyelashes and leaning toward him. “Prettylameif you think any of your douche bag charms will work on me. I’ve known you too long, and I know what a reptile you are under that pretty face.” Shoving her elbow right into his ribs, he lets out a deep grunt.
I’m still standing in front of their table, awkwardly, I might add, while this girl is just going for their jugulars. I can’t contain the laughter that springs from my mouth, which isn’t pretty. I start laughing so hard that I can’t quite catch my breath, and tears begin to spring to my eyes. “Reptile...face. Oh my God, you’re killing me, girl.”
“ENOUGH!” Theo shouts. “We need to talk, Mia; enough with this nonsense. It’s beneath you and this situation.” He gets out of the booth, throws a hundred-dollar bill across the table at Raegan, and moves to pull her out of the booth forcefully.
Immediately, I step in his way before he can touch her, grabbing his wrist that was reaching for her arm and digging my nails in hard. “Do not fucking touch her, Theo Saint-Lambert.” I apply more pressure on his wrist, my long oval red nails breaking the surface of his skin and crescent-shaped blood spots appearing around my embedded nails.
Theo gives no indication that I am hurting him in the slightest. He stares at me with arctic eyes, like I am some wild creature he has never seen before. He doesn’t try to pull his wrist away from my grasp, but he doesn’t continue to try to move toward Raegan either.
“Okay then...mmm maybe I’ll just take Mr.Lord of Flieshere’s cash and go buy us some lattes and sweets.” Raegan glances from me to Theo, reaching for the C-note.
Everyone is silent at the table, watching the showdown. In fact, I can’t even hear a peep in the whole café at this point. Everyone and everything has just stopped to watch the meltdown about to happen.
Raegan grabs the cash off the table and steps out of the booth. As she passes me, she peeks down at the wrist I’m still holding, blood now cresting down to the top of his palm from how deep my nails are sunk into his flesh.
“Mia, don’t kill him; remember, you want to hear what the scum has to say.” She taps me on my arm and strides toward the barista who’s watching this whole shit show go down.
“Mia, please let go of Theo,” Finn asks so quietly that I am not even sure I’m actually hearing him. Letting go of Theo’s wrist, I take a step back. Carter passes him a paper napkin from the table, I can see small blood rivets dripping down his hand. Theo examines the napkin, wrinkles his nose in disgust, and sits back down in his spot, never attempting to clean the blood off.
“Can we now have a civilized discussion?” Theo calmly asks like we didn’t just go toe-to-toe, and he isn’t wearing the battle injury to prove it.
“Why am I here?” I take Raegan’s vacated spot next to Mateo. At the hostile look I give him, he moves farther away from me in the booth.Clever boy, I’m no longer in any mood to play.
“We have a proposition for you.” Carter leans across the table, studying my face, his jawline taunt.
