Their Secret Obsession (A Reverse Harem) by Pippa Moon novel Chapter 153

Lottie POV

"Comfy?" I asked as I walked out of the bathroom to see Chase sprawled out on my bed. I hadn't even had a chance to sleep in it yet, so his bloodied shoes resting on the comforter had a nerve twitching in my eye.

"Not really; I prefer feather down." He shrugged like the wind-up merchant I knew him to be.

"Aw, sorry, Princess, but it wasn't meant for your delicate ass; it's for my mates and me. And we like it hard." I teased playfully, wanting to drop my mates into conversation.

"Gross." He grunted, a shiver running down his spine.

"Hey, you started it!" I winked, leaning up the door frame to watch him.

"Whatever." He laughed, nodding to me, the sound making the muscles in my body relax instantly. But it didn't stop my eyes from noting the way he looked at me. There was no desire in his stare, no lust or craving; it was purely platonic. Which was somewhat reassuring, but I knew I needed to broach the subject with him, just to make sure we were on the same page and to soothe Sage's nerves.

"How do you feel about impending motherhood?" he asked, his lips twisting into a smirk.

"Fine." I fibbed, but given the way his lips curled further, he knew I was lying.

"What do you want me to say?" I shrugged, crossing my arms over my chest. "That I am nervous; scared shitless even because I never exactly had a family that gave a shit, and I am worried I will fuck my kids up."

"Excited... would have covered it." Chase smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes as he sat up, hanging his feet over the edge of the bed. "But yeah, I understand Anthony doesn't exactly seem like the warm and fuzzy type," he muttered. "I can relate to that." He nodded, a long breath leaving his lips.

"Really?" I asked, pushing off the doorway to sit beside him. I had so many questions and hoped that if I let him talk, I might get some answers to them.

"Really?" He nodded, eyeing me out of the corner of his eye, a smile teasing his lips. "Three questions, that's all you get!" He nodded, crossing his legs as he turned to face me. My eyes dropped to the bloody mark his shoes left on my bed, a brow arching as I raised them to look at him.

"Ughh, it's just a little blood." He moaned, trying to rub the mark off, only to make it worse.

"Do you bloody mind?" I laughed, slapping his hand away, his eyes lifting to meet mine, filled with fake hurt as he cradled his hand to his chest.

"I am sorry, Chase." I whispered, my hand landing on his to stop him from pulling his lace apart. Squeezing his hand lightly, I nodded for him to continue, not because I needed him to finish his part of the deal and answer my question but because I could tell he genuinely needed to talk. To get this off his chest and if I could help ease his pain just a little, I would. Given what he had done for me last night with Mike and my father, I owed him that.

"It's fine." He nodded, his eyes tightening. "It is what it is. We go where we are told, do as we are told, and kill when needed without question—all part of the training. All is good as long as the Royals are untainted and clean of blood." I ran my tongue over my suddenly dry lips and dropped my eyes to his shoes that were coated in blood, my father's and ex-boyfriend's blood.

"You like it though, don't you... killing?" I asked, my eyes rising to meet his, a sadistic grin pulling at his lips, sending a shiver down my spine. Liam was right; he was beautiful but deadly.

"You just realised that, Char!" Sage whined as she settled behind my eyes to watch Chase, more intrigued than nervous.

"Holding a life in your hands and having the power to snuff it out, knowing that you are all that stands between their next breath and a painful death, does give you a sense of power like no other. It makes you feel like a god!" He answered truthfully, but I could see the glimmer behind his eyes—not his wolf, but his conscience!

"Chase, will you hurt me? Knox? Kane?" The words toppled from my lips before I could reign them in because I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer.

"I don't know, Your Highness.. but I hope not!"