Queen

"Oh, please." I rolled my eyes.

"You know what?" He raised his wrist and my eyes landed on the silver bracelet around his wrist that I had gifted him before we broke up. With his other hand, he snapped it within the same second and my mouth dropped. "I know you better than you know yourself. But since you seem to second guess that so often, this should erase any doubt."

I watched the bracelet drop to the floor and I swallowed a shallow breath. His hand reached out toward my chest and he tugged at the ruby necklace he gave me all those years ago. I gasped when the chain snapped and my hand flew to my bare neck. "Why would you—"

"I will fix it later." He grabbed my wrist, removed my hand from my neck, and pulled me toward him. My body fell flush against his and his hands moved to my waist. He leaned into me, his lips moving to my ear as my chest warmed with a feeling I hadn't felt in years. "Say no, Princess."

My heart raced and nervousness crawled through my skin. I forgot how intimidating this was- Syn having the ability to feel everything I was feeling and I him. There was no hiding what I was feeling anymore and a part of me was pissed that I wasn't the one to make the decision myself. I would have done it if he asked- hell, I wanted to do it but I had no idea it'd be under these circumstances.

The comfort of knowing I could lie to him about me not being curious or turned on in the slightest wasn't a luxury I had anymore. He laughed against my neck and a shiver ran down my body as I closed my eyes, trying to control my emotions. "You're angry with me."

"Yeah no shit, you could've guessed that without the spell," I snapped, pushing against his chest.

"Don't touch her-how can't you see that she wants nothing to do with you?!" Aiden screamed from behind me and I cringed, a sudden surge of anger flowing through my body- anger that could only be coming from Syn. That was a sudden reminder that this spell went both ways- I could feel what he was feeling too. He wasn't the only one who had power.

"Hmm." He hummed, ignoring Aiden and still holding me in place. "There's something else though...confusion?...or is it excitement? You may have to help me a little bit, Princess," he teased. "Oh, shame...that one doesn't feel good. Why do you feel ashamed?" He lifted his head and looked down at me, the still punchable smile laying on his handsome face.

"I'm going to get you back for this later."

"Trust me, I hope you do," he whispered into my ear. He cleared his throat, looking past me to Aiden and I slightly tensed. "Well, Aiden. What's it going to be? Are you ready to start being honest with me or am I going to have to resort to more...unpleasant methods?"

"I am being honest," he cried out and I closed my eyes, leaning my head against Syn's chest in disappointment. I didn't know what I was expecting from someone like him, but it was starting to annoy me. He had already been caught. If he wasn't guilty of the orphanage, he was still guilty of lying about his identity and stalking me to this cabin. "Queen, I swear to you I would never lie to you. I love you, you know this."

As gathered as Syn was pretending to be, I could feel his body tense against me and I could feel his jealousy causing through my veins as if it were my own- his composure was slowly slipping. I placed my palm against his chest, willing him to stay in control and I kissed his jaw.

I heard a small gasp from Aiden behind us and I closed my eyes, letting it fade into nonexistence as my focus went remained on Syn. He relaxed under my fingertips and he looked down at me before closing the distance between our lips. His fingers dug into my sides, and his shirt draped over my body rising as he held me. His kiss deepened, his tongue swirling against my own and I moaned into his lips.

This was a show and Syn was more than playing his part.

꧁꧂

Aiden

The dude was an asshole. Everybody who knew anything about anything knew who he was and he more than anyone in this world deserved to suffer for the things he had done. I wasn't good, nor was I the devil but I considered myself judge, jury, and executioner when it came to my dealings.

I always expected the unexpected and my moves were beyond premeditated. I remained ten steps ahead of most people when I was focused, but Queen was something placed in my path that I wasn't ready for. She may not have known it just yet, but she had been a part of my life far longer than either of them could ever know.

I hadn't wanted for much in my life until I had seen her for the first time, and Syn wasn't going to stop me- no one was. He could fuck her- I had seen her with different men throughout her life, but it didn't mean anything. My plans went far beyond what was happening at the moment...

But it was infuriating.

Watching him touch what belonged to me. Disgust hit the back of my throat, at the sight of them- more at the sight of her enjoying what he was doing. That was something I'd punish her for one day.

His hands were on her soft hips, moving her up and down as he buried himself in her and something in my chest began breaking. I tried to hide it but he saw it- he didn't miss much and when he did catch it, his mouth moved to her neck, giving me a smug smile before leaving his dark mark on her tan skin.

I would've never done that- I cherished her body, leaving its beauty unstained whereas he tainted it with his filthy marks- disrespecting the canvas that was her skin.

I closed my eyes, but it proved useless as her moaning his name filled my ears, disturbing every single nerve in my body. The damn wound in my leg was painful but her finding pleasure in him felt like a million stabbings. I found myself wishing that she wasn't enjoying it. It would've been easier to watch this if I knew she didn't want it— that, I could forgive, I'd heal her and deal with the aftermath but this...it made my blood boil.

This wasn't her. He could make me watch them until I lost my mind but I knew her deeper than anyone in this world. I thought back to the first night I introduced myself to her, her beauty immediately captivating me as I let myself stop being a shadow lurking unnoticed. It should've been me in Syn's place instead of him- perhaps it would've been if I had introduced myself instead of chasing her through the palace halls like a ghost.

I wasn't ready then back then and she wasn't ready for me either. That all changed the moment she moved to Earth with her family. It was finally my time to make myself known without interference from Syn- and that's just what I did.

꧁꧂

I stepped into the nightclub, my eyes floating around as I searched for her. From her friends' socials, I was able to find her location- stupid girls if you asked me, but I silently thanked them. Because if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have been able to see her tonight.

I spotted her in the far back section of the club and I smiled, shoving my hands into my pockets before descending into the thick crowd on the dance floor. On another ordinary night, I would've been pissed about all the gyrating bodies and collection of smells surrounding me, but they didn't matter to me right now- not when she was less than twenty feet away...my beautiful, unsuspecting girl.

She was distracted tonight. It was her birthday yet her eyes were glued to her phone, the light in the dark area casting a bright glow on her sad features. I watched one of her friends take her phone from her, making a sad smile appear on her face.

What's wrong...

I pushed through the last few people and walked up a couple of steps to them and their eyes fell on me. "Oh my god!" I heard one of her friends speak up. "Aiden, is that you?"

And you are...Xoe. I only knew that from Queen's social media but the way her eyes twinkled as she looked at me made me think her recognition was from elsewhere. I didn't like that. Maybe she had seen me on TV.

"In the flesh..." I shrugged, grinning back.

"It's so good to see you." She stood up and hugged me. I returned the gesture before pulling away and letting her introduce me to everyone.

I didn't expect it to be this easy...

"And this is Queen," she finally said. "Our birthday girl."

My eyes moved to Queen as I played along with the introduction and she nodded her head in greeting. "Nice to meet you."

"Aiden and I know each other from high school," Xoe spoke and I glanced at her, hoping she didn't elaborate any further or prompt me to speak on any past "memories". I couldn't do that. I wasn't equipped for that conversation tonight.

"Cool." Queen smiled, humoring her friend before looking around briefly. Who she was searching for, I didn't know...but I craved her attention on me tonight.

"You need to join us," one of her other friends spoke up. "I love you guys, but I need some testosterone."

"Maybe call your boyfriend for that," Xoe quipped with a raised brow. The girl pouted and Queen smiled, letting the pair bicker back and forth. I took a seat on one of the cushions opposite to her and Xoe passed me a flute of champagne before clearing her throat. "Hmm, to many more birthdays with our girl...and reconnecting with old friends."

I could get behind that.

Everyone except Queen tapped glasses. She only smiled, letting the party go on around her as she stayed stagnant in her own little world. I had imagined our meeting a million times before tonight and in all of them, she hadn't acted like this. It was disappointing- she didn't even speak to me past the "nice to meet you".

"I need something stronger," she finally spoke up before playfully plucking her phone from her friend's hand and standing up. "Do any of you need anything from the bar?"

"More of whatever the hell this is," her friend slurred, holding up an empty liquor bottle.

Queen nodded slowly. "Right." She spun on her dark stilettos and I let my eyes trail her curvy body. The black turtleneck dress hugged her like a second skin. The back was completely exposed, showcasing her faint birthmarks and dimples yet stopping just above her perfect ass. Modest, yet tempting. Giving just enough without being a common whore.

"So," I heard Xoe speak, disrupting my trance. I turned back to her, a slight irritation making my fists itch. "City boy turned superstar pro-athlete...why are you staring at my friend?"

I smiled. "Maybe because I like what I see..."

꧁꧂