48. Ariel - Anger 2

48. Ariel - Anger 2
For a moment, I wonder what Elijah meant about Rheon touching me, but then it comes back—the night he pulled me onto his lap and got handsy, the same night his cousin was killed.
Elijah’s eyes blaze with pure hatred, and there’s no doubt in my mind he would kill Rheon for that bold move…or should I say stupidity? If Rheon had known I’m mated to four dragons, he would have kept his hands to himself. But I trusted no one on that ship with a truth so dangerous. Besides, I wasn’t even sure if the dragons wanted me. After overhearing that discussion between two of them, I doubt it even more, because I still don’t know which one of them doesn’t want me.
So I lie, while I avert my gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Elijah grabs my chin between his thumb and forefinger and forces me to meet his gaze. “Look into my eyes while you repeat that.” 
I swallow hard before I stammer, “He… he was very respectful.” 
Both Killian and Khai let out vicious snarls while Elijah huffs. 
“Respectful?” Elijah’s voice comes out as a menacing growl. “There was nothing respectful about him putting his hands on what’s mine! I didn’t crush his hands because I needed him to get you out of there, but once I find him, I will,” he promises. “Tell me, my sweet Ariel, should I start with his fingers? Or his legs? Maybe I should dig out his eyes so he won’t be able to look at you. The options are endless.” 
I blink. “You are crazy.”
Elijah laces his fingers through my hair. “Oh, I am. I’m crazy about you. I kept calm around you all this time, when all I wanted to do was fuck you on every hard surface of the house, but I’m done pretending to be this cool and collected guy when my Fire wants to possess you entirely. You have no idea, Ariel, the things I want or I’ll do to you.” 
My heart hammers against my rib cage. If I remember correctly, Elijah said that he’s a pleasure dom. 
Despite everything–me recuperating from being shot, not trusting my dragons, Elijah being angry at Rheon for touching me–my body comes to life and a pulse starts between my legs, making my clit throb with need. 
Elijah’s eyes shine brightly before he buries his face in the crook of my neck. His lips barely touch my skin, but it’s enough to send a shiver down my spine and make me gasp. 
My hands fly to his shoulders. “Elijah,” I murmur. “Please.” 
I’m not sure what I’m begging for since in my state, the only thing I can do is kiss, but it seems that my pussy doesn’t care that my body is not up to the task of getting fucked right now. 
“Does your sweet, little pussy want to be recked by my big, hard cock?” Elijah asks, and I let out a half-huff, half-moan, because that’s exactly what I want. 
Khai moves close enough for me to see his golden eyes gleam like the sun as he adjusts himself through his pants.
Instead of answering Elijah’s question, I shove him away and snap, “Did you bring your mate too, or did you leave her at home so you could keep me a secret from her?”
Confusion flickers in Elijah’s green eyes. “What are you talking about?”
He acts like he doesn’t know what I mean. Maybe he hasn’t married her yet—but that doesn’t mean he and the others won’t. Maybe the one of them who doesn’t want me anymore prefers her, a dragoness, over me. After all, I’m just… human.
His fingers are still laced through my hair. I bat his hand away. 
“Why are you here?” I ask. 
Elijah’s brows draw together. “You’re upset.”
I don’t even bother to deny it. “I am.”
“Why?” Khai asks. “Is it something we did?”
“More like something you didn’t do,” I reply. “You didn’t tell me you’d chosen another woman as your mate. No wonder you never wanted to fuck me.”
I keep quiet about my nights with Killian. After all, he fucked me enough times for me to regain my strength back—the least I can do is protect that secret.
The words keep spilling past my lips anyway. “Did you plan to keep me a secret while you made her your official mate?”
Killian has me looking at him. “There is no one except you.”
His voice is steady and sincere, but how can I believe him when they never told me about this woman, whoever she is?
But Elijah says, “My father wants me to take the Archduke of Hungary’s daughter as my mate. No matter how many times I’ve told him I want nothing to do with her, he won’t back down. He’s hungry for power, and an alliance between our families would make him one of the most powerful dragons on the continent.
“The reason we kept our distance after you got sick was because he threatened to kill you if we mated with you. The only way to protect you was to play by his rules—at least until we could deal with the dragons he set to guard us. He even had our house bugged. He knew every move we made, every word we said, and we couldn’t risk you, so all we could do was to keep you in the darkness. Until it was safe to tell you what was happening. 
“Fortunately, Chicago isn’t ruled by dragons but by werewolves, and here my father’s influence means nothing.” He hesitates only for a moment before he adds, “This is the only place we are truly free.” 
All I can ask is, “So, do you want me?” 
Hope flares inside my chest. 
Elijah gathers me in his arms. Pain shoots through me, but I grit my teeth as he chases away all my doubts. “We’ll mark you right now, if that’s what you want, because you are the only one for us. We exist so we can love you. Never doubt that you are ours, Ariel, that we want you. Our lives are meaningless without you.” 
Khai and Killian agree with Elijah. 
I still hold back since I don’t know which one of them still grieves the woman whom they were entrusted to protect and the life he could have had with her. The right thing to do is to ask, but I doubt I will find out the truth. So, for now, I’ll bid my time. Sooner or later, the truth will be revealed. 
For now, there are more pressing matters to attend to. Like finding Rheon and Mindy. 
“Elijah, you are hurting me,” I grunt when I can’t take the pain anymore.
“Shit!” he swears as he lets go of me. “I didn’t realize it.” 
“It’s fine,” I reassure him. “How do you know Rheon is alive?” 
Elijah tilts his head to the side. “What?” 
“You said that Rheon is alive. How do you know if he’s still on the ship?”

I had a very busy week, but I am finally back to writing. The next update will be in 2 days.