“Frankly?”He jotssomething down with one half of a pen.Ink stainshis fingers.Theyarea bright red, the only colour on him.“You’re not my type.”
“What?Hot women aren’t your type?”
Another jot.“You’re sounding a bit desperate.”
No freaking duh, I want to say,I’m as horny as Zeus on awinter morning, and I just want my marriage to be better than my engagement.I glance over at Jace, hoping he’llhelp me, but all hedoesiskeep his eyes on the door behind me.And I thought he was the nice one.
Exhaling strongly, trying hard to ignore the pain of rejection from my own husband, Isay, “I know you didn’t really want a wife, and I didn’t really want a husband.”Ishakemy head as Ithinkabout Karl.“Well, I did.But not you, and –”
He finallylooksup.
Only itisn’tat me.And that hurts.
Staring at Jace, hesays, “Escort my wife back to her chambers and imprison whoever brought her here.”
My mouthfallsopen in utter shock and horror.“You can’t do that.”
His eyesflickerto mine, holding me down as good as chains.“You’ll find, my queen,” he murmurs, “that I can do a great number of things.”
And just like that, hestealsall my breath.All my fear.All my thoughts about not being good enough.
My throat dry, I’macutely aware of the wetness pooling between my legs.It’slike he fucked me with his words, like he’sstill fucking me with his eyes.I sway, unsure if I should move forward or back.
“Jace.”
That short commandbreaksthe spell.The flippancy of it causesa fountain of anger to explode inside me.It’ssuch a new feelingandsopowerful that itleavesme momentarily shaken.A good brownieisnever angry.A good brownie never screams.But in this moment, Iamtired of being a good frickin’ brownie.
Iwant him to look at me as if I’mmore than a signature he needson whatever itishe wants.Ignoring Jace as he approachesme, keeping my eyes solely on Richard, I reach up and yank a strap of my slip down.
Awareness instantly hitsme.His eyes dip to my chest.Hotand burning, they scorch a path down to my nipple.Icanfeel hishands there, his lips, his tongue, and my breath startsto come out faster.
“Have sex with me.”I reach up,readyto pull down the other strap.
Crack.
Something snaps, and I wonder, briefly, if itisme.My sanity.But then Iseethe ink pooling across his desk.
“Leave us.”
Tears burn my eyes at the newest round of rejection.I yankmy strap downin defiance.
“Jace,” he snaps.
I tense, waiting to be dragged out of here, but Jace simply walkspast me.IthinkIcatcha glimpse of a smile on his face, but Ican’tmove my eyes from Richard’s to check.Heholdsme captivated.Beholden.Enslaved.
The doorclicksclosedbehind me.His eyes darken, like a predator latched on to prey, and myheart poundswildly.A slash of fear slams into me.
Notofhim.Becauseof him.
Despite what I told Fabia, Karl’s rejection of me hurt.Him sleeping with my sister and mother instead of mehurt.Him marrying my mum hurt.But I smiled and moved on because that’s what a good brownie does.
But here?In this kingdom where it’s not illegal to feel all these other things?
My heart screams in my throat.Run!
Because Karl might’vehurt me.
But my king can ruin me.
