Heart of Stone (Rock Star Fairy Tales #1)

Chapter 64

C h apte r 64

Love Shall Se t You Free

Morning, Monday M arch 16 th at The Willis Center at Beau Lake in Ta flah, Genc

M argot stared at Ash across the empty room. The remaining Lords had fae-stepped away, and Lord Novus was giving them a few moments of privacy. She was exhausted, body aching as she stood in her blue party dress, but she knew it wasn’t over yet.

“Ash,” she said, finally breaking the silence. He hadn’t spoken since his father had left them, but she could feel the whirling maelstrom within. His loyalty and resignation warred with his Claim on her and his possessive nature. Sighing, she shook her head. “Look, do you have to be such a dragon r ight now?”

He whirled on her, eyes narrowed, and she knew he didn’t think they were alone. His father may have left the room, but there would be eager ears nearby. They couldn’t speak fre ely here.

“Home,” she told him, knowing he would understand her request.

Without a word, Ash grabbed her hand and pulled her through the world. They stepped out in front of her bus, the night sky beginning to lighten w ith dawn.

“I…” Ash began, letting her hand drop. “You can’t marry him, Margot. You ju st can’t.”

“Why?” she asked. “Because he’s Lord Rebinus?” She moved closer, lowering her voice. They were alone, but apparently it never hurt to be cautious. “Because he’s your brother?”

“He’s not good for you,” Ash gritted.

“And you are? Last I heard, you’re engaged to a dragon princess. You’re not in a position to tell me what to do.” As she spoke, she could feel Ash running through her, using his Claim to see her thoughts, feel her emotions. “Oh, Ash,” she said, voice sympathetic. “You really are an idiot.”

“What would you have me do?” he demanded, heat rising as he felt the walls closing in. “Betray m y family?”

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Margot interrupted, “because as I recall, my father is just as outraged that I would consider marrying Rebinus.” Before he could interrupt, she continued, “That’s my problem to deal with, Ash, and I will deal with it.” She shook her head. “But you—you have some serious daddy issues that need a lot of work.”

“We all have issues,” he said, admitting the truth of h er words.

“True,” she agreed. “Right now, I just want to go to sleep and think about all of this ano ther day.”

“Stay with me?” he asked gently, and Margot could feel the pull of his need for her. “Just for a litt le while?”

Margot stared at the handsome face she had dreamed of, longed for, ached over, cried about, and underneath, she could see the boy she had met so long ago. Before all this, she would have loved nothing more than to hear him ask her to stay with him.

But not now.

“Oh, Ash,” she said again, and she could feel that pull inside her slowly fading. She watched it go, not understanding what was happening. Since Ash had Claimed her, she had been waiting for the slavish devotion to hit her, to overwhelm her desires and transform her into a mindless follower.

It hadn’t happened yet. She understood him now, but she didn’t have to please him. She knew what he wanted—which wasn’t that far from what she wanted, if she was honest with herself—but she was still enough of herself to re fuse him.

Is it because I’ve spent years feeling this way? Is Claiming just magical love? And if I already love him, then what is a Claim except a deeper co nnection?

Margot had a Connection with Tobin, a relationship built on mutual respect, but she hadn’t lost herself in him. She wanted him, but it was her choice, not a foregone co nclusion.

I don’t think this is what a Claim is supposed to be like, Margot thought. She watched Ash, but he had disappeared inside himself, mulling over the possibilities. He wasn’t listening to her. No doubt Ash would do what he always did—push her away. And Margot would do the sam e to him.

But I’m not pushing him away , she realized. I’m pushing his Claim away. Pushing him out of me. Freein g myself.

A spark of pure delight raced through her at the thought, but she pushed it down, shoving a wall of reluctant acceptance in Ash’s direction. He focused, looking at her again. “Go, wh at is it?”

“Is this what it’s supposed to be like?” she asked. “I can feel you, but I’m still pretty sure I have my f ree will.”

“Kiss me,” he said suddenly, and she stepped forward without thinking, the magic jerking her close, but then he put a hand on her chest to stop her. He raised an eyebrow, seemingly proving h er point.

But I could have stopped, Margot thought. I would have stopped.

“Kiss me,” she demanded, testing her own hold on him, and Ash bent without objection, mouth ravaging hers in a way that made her t oes curl.

When they parted a moment later, breathless, Ash chuckled. “I thought you would stop me.”

“So did I,” Margot mused, “but I can’t seem to help myself around you.” Nothing new there, she thought. It may take a little while, but Margot was fairly certain she could refuse Ash in the end if she w anted to.

“I love you,” Ash whispered, eyes glowing, face everything she dreamed it would be.

“I know,” Margot replied, knowing it was true. He did love her in his way, but it would never be what she felt for him. And that was okay. It gave her some breathing room inside the magic, a small space of separation to keep herself true. “I…” She gave him a gentle kiss, a quick meeting of their lips. “I need a moment, Ash. Just give me s ome time.”

He nodded, but she could sense his reluctance. “With him?” Ash asked, and she heard the bitterness in it, felt the jealousy screaming through him at the idea of his Go in Tobi n’s arms.

“I think you have other questions to be asking right now,” she reminded him. “I’d start with that arranged marriage your dad is so excited about.” She gestured to her bus. “I’m going inside. Let’s get through the show tonight. Then we have to head to Denham for the next show—and help Nik deal with his issues. There is more going on here than just us.”

Mentioning Nik had been a good idea, and Ash nodded, jealous rage fading as he began to plan his next moves. “Be careful, Go,” he told her, and he meant it.

“I will,” she promised him. She turned around and entered her bus, never so glad to be home.

Tobin laid in her bunk, her latest romance novel in his hand, and glancing down at her, he replaced her bookmark. “Of course, you show up right as they’re about to kiss.”

Margot grinned up at him, heart lightening at the sight even though she knew they had a lot to talk about. “I know that book. It’s not the kiss you’re excited about.” She racked her brain, trying to remember the order of the courtship between Hannah and Klauden. “Is it the boat ride? That part in the hold is pr etty hot.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Darling, you know I’d take you on a boat ride any time you want.” Dropping the book on the pillow, Tobin slid off her bed, all grace and glorious fae sexiness. Once he hit the floor, though, his face was serious. “I didn’t know if you’d come back here,” he told her. “You can still go a fter him.”

“He wants me to,” Margot said, kicking off her sandals.

“Then go,” Tobin said, voice perfectly neutral. “I understand h ow it is.”

Margot snorted, turned around, and presented her back to him. “Unzip me, please. This dress is great, but I’m dying to get o ut of it.”

Tobin obliged, hands professional as he undid the dress, helping her lift it overhead. Eyeing her lacey bra and panties, he said, “That’s a new one. He’ll appreciate it, but it’s a bold move to walk across the parking lot in that.” He eyed her feet. “Wear t he boots.”

“Tobin,” Margot said, freeing her hair and attempting to fingercomb the snarls and unbraid the remaining front. She faced him. “I’m not goin g to Ash.”

He furrowed his brow. “But … you said he wants you to com e to him.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, so what? He’s wanted me to come to him since he learned I was with you. This i sn’t new.”

“You know he w ants you.”

“Yes,” she replied, not understanding Tobin’s confusion, “and I’m ignoring him—just like yesterday, and the day before that, and the week before that. What gives? You want me to leave so you can get back to my book? I didn’t know you were such a fan of vampire romance.”

Tobin reached out and gently spun her around to face him. “Margot, he Cla imed you.”

Margot bit her lip and looked away from him. “Yeah,” she began, wondering how to explain what had happened, “about that…” She took a deep breath. “We had sex. I ’m sorry.”

Tobin eyed her curiously, a slow grin quirking his lips. “Sex during a Claiming?” He put a hand to his mouth. “How shocking!” At Margot’s expression, he put a hand to her cheek. “Darling, I told you I don’t mind. I know how you feel about him.” He frowned. “Though I am disappointed I didn’t get t o see it.”

Margot smacked his arm . “Perv!”

“I just have very different ideas about sex, darling.” He leaned forward, running a hand across her collarbone. “Last I heard, you did n’t mind.”

“I don’t mind,” she told him, meeting his eyes boldly. “I want you.”

His eyes narrowed. “Let me get this straight: you know Ash wants you right now. You can feel his need for you. And you’re staying here with me? How … curious.”

“I don’t understand it,” Margot said. “I mean, I know he Claimed me. I felt it. And I Claimed him. But I can say no. I can walk away. I know how he feels about it—but I can do it.” She looked up at him. “Did we do it wrong somehow? Can you fuck up a Claim?”

“There’s only one thing that would make the Claim allow such freedom,” Tobin explained, “and I didn’t know if it was possible. I’ve only seen it once before I did it. It was just a theory.” He paused, then added, “I hoped I w as right.”

“What are you talking about?” Margot asked. “Before you did what?”

“Broke my Claim.”

“With Rebinus? How did y ou do it?”

“How did you do it?” Tobin c ountered.

Margot frowned. “You think I broke my Claim with Ash? But I can still feel him over there thinking about me. That’s no t broken.”

“But you can act according to your will,” Tobin said. “That part of the Claim is broken.” He peered closely at her. “Margot, I know you love Ash, but do you believe he l oves you?”

“I think so?” she replied. “In his own way.”

Tobin nodded. “You are both fools. Why go through all this and Claim one another if you’re only going to set each ot her free?”

“You think that’s what we did? That we broke part of the magic because we love each other?” Margot considered. It did make a kind of sense. “Do you think Ash knows it’ s broken?”

“He probably doesn’t,” Tobin told her. “Rebinus certainly didn’ t notice.”

“Wait,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Is that how you did it? I wondered how you could have killed him if he had Claimed you—he would have known everything you thought or felt or wished. But you broke free by lo ving him?”

Tobin shrugged, the move dismissive. “He was my uncle. It wasn’t hard, once I figured out what I need ed to do.”

She cocked her head. “How did you figure it out? I didn’t realize anything except that the Claim wasn’t working the way you said.”

Tobin’s hand stroked her arm, as if assuring himself she was really with him. “When I arrived, there was an old woman in the palace. She had been the one to raise him when he was a child. You could call her his nanny. He Claimed her when he was very young, of course, much like Ash Claimed Timothy, but over time, I saw her behavior shift. I guessed his Claim wasn’t as strong because she already loved him—couldn’t help but love him—even when she didn’t want to.”

Margot nodded, thinking of how Timothy was able to argue with Ash despite the Claim. “Is that it? If you love the one who Claims you, you can break it? Or it doesn’t work the same way?” It made a weird kind of sense, especially since Claiming seemed to enforce a false love of sorts, an adoration or flattery. Margot recalled Lawrence’s fawning eagerness to please her and dismissed the image. She had plenty of time to deal with that—and tell Tobin what she had done. “Wait,” she said, looking up at him, “this whole time you kept pushing Ash to Claim me. Was it because you knew he loved me? That it would ultimately set me free?”

The man in her arms shrugged, this time uncertainly. “Like I said—I hoped. It seems like that worked for us, but I don’t know. It’s hard to tell since so few couples Claim one another. I need more information.” He reached out to touch her hair, slowly pushing it behind her shoulders to reveal her strapless bra. His finger traced the red line under her arm where the bra had dug in after so many hours of wear.

“Darling,” he drawled, “let’s get this off.” Margot smiled at him, lifting her arms so he could reach around and unhook the back. He tossed the bra atop the dress she had thrown on the passenger seat, eyes bright as he took in her nearly na ked body.

“You really want to stay here with me?” he a sked her.

“Oh yes,” she assured him, wrapping both arms around his neck and leaning close. “Darling,” she said, “we are going to have such a good time.” By the expression on his face, she knew he understood she was talking about more than just th is night.

It would take some time to wean herself from Ash. She would never be completely free, but now that she was Claimed, she was safe from other fae’s attempts to control her abilities. Margot would learn to use her new powers and see just how strong she was. And when she was ready, she wouldn’t stop until she had broken every l ast Claim.