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I was about to correct that misapprehension, but Lachlan did it for me. “You do love to hear yourself speak.”
Ciara stuck her tongue out at him. It was such a sisterly thing to do that I nearly laughed. “No one asked for your opinion, but I do want to know what spa Cate prefers. If you’re forcing her to attend a bacchanalia, the least we can do is spoil her first.”
“She’s a person, not a doll,” he warned her. “Perhaps you could ask her what she’d like to do.”
“It’ll be fun,” Ciara said primly, “which seems to be something the rest of you struggle with.”
He rolled his eyes. “You mean that you know how to blow through a bank account.”
“We can’t all sit at home, brooding and waiting for something to kill.” Ciara turned to me expectantly.
Oh, right. Spas. I twisted the necklace awkwardly. “I, uh…I don’t have a preference.” Spoiling myself at a spa hadn’t exactly been a priority when I’d been struggling to survive.
Lachlan glanced at me, something tightening around his eyes, and I knew he’d heard what I hadn’t said. “Do you want to go?”
I dropped the necklace like it was on fire.
What was he playing at? Was he looking out for me? If so, that was surprisingly…thoughtful.
The last thing I needed in my already confusing life was a thoughtful Lachlan. I needed him to be arrogant and annoying or my hormones would win before I made it a whole month.
“Are you going to be there?” I asked him, trying to reverse course. When he shook his head, I smiled. “Then, yes. I’d love to go to the spa with you, Ciara. And shopping to spend all your brother’s ill-gotten gains. And whatever else you want to do.”
Shaw, who’d been hanging back—probably trying to stay out of his brother’s way—coughed to hide a laugh. Lachlan’s mouth tightened into a thin line. I felt bad for half a second, but Ciara giggled as well. “I think I’m going to like her. We’ll go first thing tomorrow.”
Maybe it was guilt, or maybe I was being played, but I decided in that moment I wasn’t just going to pretend to be Ciara’s friend—I was going to actually be her friend. And Shaw’s, too, if he let me.
“What about Fiona?” I asked. “Will she be coming to this bacchanalia thing?”
Ciara’s smile faded, and she shook her head, dark curls spilling over her shoulders. “No. She got out of it.”
Oh. Maybe someday one of them would tell me why Fiona avoided her family or why everyone tensed at the mention of her name. I certainly wasn’t going to risk asking and dredging up that shit myself.
Roark unfolded himself from the armchair and joined us, clapping his hand on Lachlan’s shoulder in sympathy. “Fiona isn’t the heir to the Nether throne. That comes with perks.”
“Thanks for reminding me,” Lachlan grumbled.
Roark shook him a little. “Cheer up. You can still get in plenty of trouble. We’ve doubled the usual amount of security. Even the crown prince can let loose with whomever he chooses.”
Did I imagine Roark’s eyes flashing in my direction?
I crossed my arms. “I’m beginning to think I’m going to be everyone’s babysitter for the next few weeks.” That was probably for the best. It wasn’t like I hadn’t let loose plenty when I was younger. But I’d paid dearly for it.
Lachlan took a step closer, his mouth curling softly as it lifted with his mood. “What? You aren’t interested in a little trouble?”
My heart dipped dangerously at his words. His eyes smoldered into mine, the very embodiment of trouble standing before me.
I resisted the urge to retreat. “Unlike you, I don’t need trouble to have a good time.”
“But that’s the best kind.” He leaned so close that I saw the gold flecks in his irises for what they really were: sparks of mischief. “I could give you a few pointers.”
“I’m pretty sure all you’ll ever give me is a headache.”
“Maybe you should keep an open mind.”
He was so close, I could taste his breath on my lips. Why did he have to be so fucking beautiful? With his stupid, sexy magic and those eyes? “Maybe you should—”
Ciara coughed, and we snapped apart. Lachlan looked as startled to remember we weren’t alone as I felt.