Flipping to the back of the petition, I ripoff allthe pages holding the signaturesneeded to bring this to my attention.Passing them to Jace, Isay, “Figure out who all these people are.I want to know if they’re going to be a threat to anyoneimmigrating over.”
Folding the pages, he slidesthem into his tunic.“Is this a hitlist?”
“Potentially.”
He grins.Idon’t.The last thing I want to do is handle this with more violence, but sadly, that’s the only language some people understand.
“Well, if you want to impress Arienna,”he says,“I would suggest it isn’t.”
“And I care about impressing her because…?”I shouldn’t have asked.I knew I shouldn’t have.And yet, Iwasn’table to stop.
Raising a brow, he grins.“I saw the way you kissed her.”
“It was a simple kiss.”
“You grabbed her throat, pretending it was something else, I imagine.”
Well, fuck.Now I’mimagining it.My hands on her ass.Her breasts.Her hair as she kneelsbefore me, her mouth –
“Careful with that pen there,Your Highness.”
“I told you there would be no kissing.To defy a direct order –”
He shrugs.“So charge me.I’ll be dead by the time of my hearing, I suspect.”
My eyes narrow.
His grin widens.“So when’s the last time you had sex?Because it might be worth jacking offbefore you go to her to consummate your marriage.You don’twant to let down our whole gender by coming too soon.”
Sliding one of the knives free from my wrist, I throw it at him.Hebackflips out of his chair.Spreading his wings, he landson thewooden edge of the mezzanine, another berry in his hand.The knifeslamsinto theback of the seat he just vacated.A knock at the door causeshim to laugh.“Saved by work.”
Flying down, he opensthe door andtakesa tome from the guard.Pulling my knife free, he placesit on the desk, then settlesin his chair,withhis back against one arm of itandaleg hanging over the other.With that stupid smile still on his face, hebeginsto read.
I look down at my own work, focusing on the words.
But all Icanthink aboutismy hand on her throat.Her breasts.Her ass.
Her moaning beneath me.Above me.
Her legs spread.
Her mouth full.
My name on her lips.
“My king…”
The pen snapsin my hand.
Jace laughs.
Fucking deja vu.Is this what my life’s going to be like from now on?
No, not from now on, a chilling voice corrects.
Just until the Court makes me execute my wife.
Twenty
