Gilded in Gold Ch. 06

Lucien bared his teeth. "I won't. A certain blonde wetted my appetites." He licked his bared teeth.

A nerve twitched in Xerxes jaw but he said nothing as he released Lucien's hand. He took a moment's pleasure when he saw the other man wince and shake out his hand. If he showed how much he was affected by the mere thought of Lucien placing his filthy hands on Tibby, he'd be forced to examine his growing attachment to her. She was the enemy and the lines were clearly drawn. He couldn't be swept into thinking that he was wrongfully manipulating her. He needed her to free his sister. It was for a good cause.

Xerxes growled when he realized it sounded as if he were convincing himself. He looked back at his sister, taking in the anger and hurt coming off her. She'd been through so much and he couldn't waver from his set course just for a pair of trusting, gold eyes.

"I have a promised dance to claim. I'll be seeing you, Novos," Lucien bowed out of the room and Xerxes stomped down the urge to go protect Tibby.

That was an amusing thought, one predator protecting the prey from another predator.

But when he'd talked to Tibby, she'd seemed so vulnerable yet so strong. She was trying so hard to survive and as a survivalist himself, he had to respect that. He'd seen red when Daniel had forced that kiss on her and he'd been halfway out of his seat until Tibby looked at him. She had looked away in shame. He reigned in his anger, but kept watch over her for the rest of the night. Daniel hadn't tried anything with her but he still hated the sight of him sitting next to Tibby. He had been alternating between feeling jealous of Tibby and disgust with himself. If Tibby had been anyone else, he'd have pursued her like his past women, but she wasn't. He shouldn't be yearning for Tibby past a basic male desire when her brother had been bringing so much pain to Xerxes' own sister.

"What do you have planned?" Gianna pulled him out of his quagmire of thoughts as she pulled him to sit next to her on a settee.

"Don't worry," Xerxes assured, "You'll be free of that bastard in just a few days. Do you want to talk to Eli?" Gianna nodded excitedly and Xerxes pulled back in the body and let Eli come to the forefront. He dimly listened to his siblings' converse, knowing Eli would be better suited to put Gianna at ease. But that just left him free to expend useless energy trying not to think of Tibby and the way she moaned so sweetly underneath him.