Prince of Flight Read Online Free Page A

far behind him.
    “Are you even listening?” asked Rossi.
    Keonae tipped his head. No, he’d not bothered paying attention. His focus was still upon Lark as she came deeper into the back room, paying him little mind as she adjusted a tray of drinks. He’d wanted to show her off to the men, but now that they were here, he simply wanted them to go so he could spend time with her. He didn’t want their judging gazes upon him.
    He wanted to go to her, touch her, be touched by her, but he didn’t dare move from his chair. Tonight he felt on edge, too close to doing something questionable. He could stand rejection from others, not that it lasted long, but he couldn’t risk the look in Lark’s eyes when she caught sight of him fully. She was different. He needed her to accept him for who and what he was, though it made no sense to him.
    “I daresay your brother is ignoring you,” interrupted Lazar with a snort as he found amusement in something. “He must feel you babble endlessly as well. We all share that opinion, Rossi.”
    Sachin laughed. “That we do.”
    Rossi followed Keonae’s gaze and lifted a brow when he looked in Lark’s direction. “I would take offense, but I think something else holds his interest.”
    “Or rather someone ,” stressed Lazar, noticing Lark as well.
    Uncomfortable knowing the men had seen his keen interest in Lark, Keonae attempted to find his place within the conversation once more. “Vultures, yes. They’re evil, vile pricks. We should string them all up. Blah, blah. What are we doing about them?”
    The men shared a look and laughed.
    “Oh yes,” said Sachin. “Someone else holds his attention. Dear friend, we were taking a moment from talk of enemies to discuss the coming festivals. It would mean a great deal to Kabril to have all of us home for it. Though, I highly suspect your interests do not lie within festivals unless the celebration was to be held between a tall blonde’s legs.”
    Keonae didn’t comment because Lark picked then to approach their table. Her gaze found him and he averted his, trying to keep the scarred side of his face in the shadows of the dimly lit area at the end of the table.  
    “Keon,” she said, holding her tray of beers. “I brought refills for you and your guys.”
    His hand went up to the top of his head, touching the black do-rag he wore that came down far, just missing covering his eyes. It hid a large portion of his scar. The rest of the scar was locked in the shadows as he kept his head bent, only showing the unmarred side of his face to her. It was hard to always try to hide his imperfections from her, but he did so anyway.
    “ Keon ?” Rossi repeated in a mocking tone, and Keonae considering knocking his baby brother out of his chair.
    “Enough, Rossi ,” Sachin scolded, keeping his lips pressed in a thin line, appearing amused by it all even though he was trying not to.
    The Keonae of old would have punched his youngest brother in the face by this point. The new man, brought about by the blonde he’d been coming to the bar in hopes of catching glimpses of, was a changed man. At least, he was trying to be.
    “Lark,” Keonae said, acknowledging her with the slightest of head inclines. “These are some of the motley crew I told you about. Sachin, Lazar, and my brother Rossi.”  
    “Ah, one of the seven brothers,” she said, grinning at Rossi. “I would have guessed that. The two of you look alike. Well, except for the eyes. And the fact you don’t seem to give off the ‘I will break you in two’ vibe your brother here does.”
    Rossi gave him a questioning look, but said nothing.
    “You’ve told her of your family?” Sachin asked, his underlying question clear. All eyes tracked to Keonae, as if the men in his company could not fathom that he would disclose anything to a woman, let alone personal information. Their gazes held concern. He knew why. They all held the same question on the tips of their tongues. What else