Octavian's Undoing (Sons of Judgment) by Airicka Phoenix Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Airicka Phoenix
he’d thrown an insult at her. It also brought to surface the urge to smack him.
Reggie turned brown eyes on Riley, his grin mischievous. “You returned. I was sure Gideon and Magnus scared you off.”
Riley chuckled tightly. “No.” She turned her gaze on Octavian and gave him a cutting smirk. “I don’t scare easily.”
Octavian said nothing, but he leaned a hip against the counter and folded his arms in a manner that insisted he was silently challenging her. The fire in his eyes burned through her, making her painfully self-conscious of just how dangerous the game being played was. But there was more at stake than the sparks dancing between them. There was a thin piece of thread holding up her pride and somehow, by breaking that connection, she was severing that tie. So she hung on, returning his bold stare even as her cheeks flushed and the urge to drop her gaze became almost unbearable. Her heart rocketed in her chest, growing embarrassingly violent with every passing second and she briefly wondered if he could hear it, because the rest of the world had gone unusually silent around them. Even the music had faded so it felt like they were completely alone, but she couldn’t look away to check.
Reggie cleared his throat, tearing out the bottom of their bubble and dropping them unceremoniously back into reality. “So, not to interrupt this very R-rated moment, but the kitchen is this way.”
Riley flushed, dropping her gaze. But even then, she could feel Octavian’s eyes sweeping over her, warming her skin beneath the sweater she now wished she hadn’t worn. The stifling heat was overwhelming. It pulsed off her in waves. But she sucked in a deep breath and, with as much dignity as she could muster, she lifted her chin and turned to the boy at her side. “Lead the way.”
Reggie made a dramatic gesture with his arms, propelling her away from the bar and the man that needed a handle with extreme caution sign. Riley followed, curious as to where her kneecaps had gone. They seemed to have been missing as she fought not to let her legs completely desert her. A tiny voice at the back of her mind prodded the wisdom of working with a man that had that kind of power over her with only a mere glance. It certainly could not be a good thing. Weakness was weakness no matter which way it was turned and Riley disliked being weak.
As a dare to herself, she stole a peek back over her shoulder, merely to prove to herself that he had no power over her or her knees, that she was in control. Bad idea all in all when she found him watching after her with a look that said very clearly that this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
She was so screwed.
Chapter 4
“Okay, so this is where the magic happens.” Reggie pushed open the doors leading into a spacious kitchen and held them open for Riley to pass through. The music faded when the doors swung closed behind them, locking them in with the scent of grease, fried meat and pine cleaner.
Riley had never been inside a restaurant kitchen before, but she knew enough to find the enormous, wall to wall stone fireplace a bit out of date. A fire leapt in the grate, licking the bottom of a giant, cast iron cauldron. Steam rose from inside, filling the room with the subtle scent of vegetables and meat. On the opposite wall, beneath the window overlooking the dining area, was a row of granite counters that curved left. It was interrupted by a stone basin before continuing on to stop next to a wood cook stove. A massive, solid oak preparation table sat in the center of everything, cluttered with pots, vegetables and an assortment of herbs, slabs of meat and powders Riley didn’t recognize.
A mountain of a man stood behind the stove, flipping burgers in an old fashioned iron skillet with one hand and stirring a saucepan with the other. He cast them a brief glance before going back to his task. His dark chocolate skin glistened with
Reggie turned brown eyes on Riley, his grin mischievous. “You returned. I was sure Gideon and Magnus scared you off.”
Riley chuckled tightly. “No.” She turned her gaze on Octavian and gave him a cutting smirk. “I don’t scare easily.”
Octavian said nothing, but he leaned a hip against the counter and folded his arms in a manner that insisted he was silently challenging her. The fire in his eyes burned through her, making her painfully self-conscious of just how dangerous the game being played was. But there was more at stake than the sparks dancing between them. There was a thin piece of thread holding up her pride and somehow, by breaking that connection, she was severing that tie. So she hung on, returning his bold stare even as her cheeks flushed and the urge to drop her gaze became almost unbearable. Her heart rocketed in her chest, growing embarrassingly violent with every passing second and she briefly wondered if he could hear it, because the rest of the world had gone unusually silent around them. Even the music had faded so it felt like they were completely alone, but she couldn’t look away to check.
Reggie cleared his throat, tearing out the bottom of their bubble and dropping them unceremoniously back into reality. “So, not to interrupt this very R-rated moment, but the kitchen is this way.”
Riley flushed, dropping her gaze. But even then, she could feel Octavian’s eyes sweeping over her, warming her skin beneath the sweater she now wished she hadn’t worn. The stifling heat was overwhelming. It pulsed off her in waves. But she sucked in a deep breath and, with as much dignity as she could muster, she lifted her chin and turned to the boy at her side. “Lead the way.”
Reggie made a dramatic gesture with his arms, propelling her away from the bar and the man that needed a handle with extreme caution sign. Riley followed, curious as to where her kneecaps had gone. They seemed to have been missing as she fought not to let her legs completely desert her. A tiny voice at the back of her mind prodded the wisdom of working with a man that had that kind of power over her with only a mere glance. It certainly could not be a good thing. Weakness was weakness no matter which way it was turned and Riley disliked being weak.
As a dare to herself, she stole a peek back over her shoulder, merely to prove to herself that he had no power over her or her knees, that she was in control. Bad idea all in all when she found him watching after her with a look that said very clearly that this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
She was so screwed.
Chapter 4
“Okay, so this is where the magic happens.” Reggie pushed open the doors leading into a spacious kitchen and held them open for Riley to pass through. The music faded when the doors swung closed behind them, locking them in with the scent of grease, fried meat and pine cleaner.
Riley had never been inside a restaurant kitchen before, but she knew enough to find the enormous, wall to wall stone fireplace a bit out of date. A fire leapt in the grate, licking the bottom of a giant, cast iron cauldron. Steam rose from inside, filling the room with the subtle scent of vegetables and meat. On the opposite wall, beneath the window overlooking the dining area, was a row of granite counters that curved left. It was interrupted by a stone basin before continuing on to stop next to a wood cook stove. A massive, solid oak preparation table sat in the center of everything, cluttered with pots, vegetables and an assortment of herbs, slabs of meat and powders Riley didn’t recognize.
A mountain of a man stood behind the stove, flipping burgers in an old fashioned iron skillet with one hand and stirring a saucepan with the other. He cast them a brief glance before going back to his task. His dark chocolate skin glistened with
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