Backstage at the Freak Show (Harem of Freaks #7) - Crystal Ash Page 0,28

rolled to unstick myself from Connor, who laid sleeping on my other side.

"About a half hour. Raz and Hunter just got back. They didn't want to disturb you, so they're having pre-dinner cocktails downstairs."

"I suppose we should join them." I stretched and yawned.

"I'll get the shower started.” Arjun dropped a kiss to my shoulder before climbing out of bed and heading toward the ensuite bathroom.

I watched his gloriously tight ass walk away before rolling back to Connor.

"Hey babe," I whispered, planting kisses on his face and neck. "Want to head down for dinner soon?"

"Mm," he threw an arm over me and pulled me close. "I love you so fucking much, baby."

I knew he was sleeptalking. As a heavy sleeper, he said hilarious nonsensical things sometimes but right then, I could only smile.

"I love you so fucking much," I whispered back. "More than I can ever express."

"You're the woman of my dreams and the best wife a man could ask for. And you're going to be an amazing mother to our son."

Son?

I lifted an eyebrow. "How are you so sure it's a boy?"

Connor jerked and snorted, his eyes fluttering open.

"Hey babe," he yawned. "Is it dinner time yet? I'm starving."

"Almost," I barely held back my laughter. "Raz and Hunter are downstairs. Arjun just turned on the shower."

"Perfect." He slapped my ass and rolled out of bed, walking on his hands toward the bathroom. "I can't wait for some shish kebabs or whatever the hell Romanians eat."

I just laughed as I followed him, ready to spend the next two weeks basking in the love and adventures of my honeymoon.

Thanks so much for reading! If you haven’t already, read the complete Harem of Freaks series at https://crystalashbooks.com/books

11

MELODY

“Where’s Raz this morning?” Hunter looked at each of us at the breakfast table, the tattooed dragon shifter’s place noticeably absent.

“He took off early for Bucharest.” Arjun stirred a sugar cube into his tea.

The pale wolf frowned. “Why? He didn’t say anything to me.”

“He went to see his friend, remember?” I grabbed Hunter’s hand and pulled him down next to me at the table. “The one who split his tongue and gave him all the tattoos? They haven’t seen each other since before Raz got captured and shipped to the States. So they’re off catching up.”

Hunter nodded and didn’t say anymore, but the wrinkle in his brow didn’t go away as he buttered a slice of bread. Connor slid him a cup of coffee and patted his shoulder. I kissed his opposite shoulder before digging into my own breakfast.

After eating, Connor and Arjun decided to take off for some castle tours and Hunter mumbled something about running through the woods. His mood didn’t seem to improve, so I cornered him outside before he could shift and take off.

“What’s really bothering you?” I slid both arms around his slim waist, propping my chin on his chest to look up at him.

He sighed and tried to force a smile. “It’s nothing, beautiful. Just my own stuff.”

“Tell me,” I urged, squeezing around him tighter.

It seemed like my shaman senses began picking up on subtler emotional shifts between my shifter men ever since we got married. I wasn’t sure if it was the ceremony that seemed to strengthen my abilities—a lot of my own magic was still mysterious to me. But there was a definite shift between the time before, and after we declared ourselves husbands and wife. And right then I picked up a sense of woundedness from my gorgeous wolf shifter.

“It’s just…” he sighed deeply, wrapping his long arms around my shoulders. “This is our honeymoon and it feels like he’s ditched us.”

“Oh, love.” I nuzzled my face into his chest. “He hasn’t. This is just his first chance to see his old friend in years. Bucharest is at least two hours away by train, so he had to leave early to spend the day and make the most of it.”

“But he couldn’t take any of us?” Hunter frowned. “What if you or I wanted to check out the city?”

“We can, but then he’d be interpreting for us and doing all the touristy stuff without getting time with his friend.” I played with the strands of long, platinum hair falling down his back. “This is his country, Hunter. His home.”

“His home is with us.”

“It is now, but he was taken from here forcibly. He didn’t leave by choice and never thought he’d get a chance to come back. Now he has. So give him a day, love, just to