“Fuck, Ruby,” I breathe into her neck.
“Please. I can’t…” Her voice trails off as I use one hand to grip both her wrists and the other to squeeze her thigh. “Y-You have to leave,” she whispers.
“Oh, Ruby. I don’t think you want me to,” I chuckle. “Because I know your secret.” Slowly, I slide my hand higher and higher up her thigh. “I can smell it on you.” My fingers pause. “Right here.”
Her back arches as I drag two fingers across her hot, silky folds.
She’s completely soaked, almost enough to leave a puddle on the sheets. Just the feel of her on my fingers is enough to fill my head with dangerous thoughts – thoughts I should absolutely not be having about one of King Sol’s treasured virgin daughters.
Fuck.
“Listen to me, Ruby,” I hiss, my cock achingly hard. I need to get out of here before I do something much worse than murdering a prince.
With a heavy breath, her eyes flicker open.
“You owe me,” I start, resting my fingers on her mid-thigh. “And now Hugo has beenpermanentlydealt with. You owe me a lot more than a few diamond necklaces.”
Beneath me, Ruby quivers. “I said you could take as much as you want. My sisters have jewels too. Lots of them.”
Laughter rolls off my chest. She may as well be offering me dust as my cock throbs, reminding me of what I really want. But I won’t take it from her. Not until she’s begging me for it – and Starswill I make her beg.
“Jewels aren’t enough any more,” I tell her as she squirms beneath me.
“Do you want money? I can pay you anything you want!”
‘I want to see you again,’ is what I almost say, but I bite my tongue.
I don’t want to leave her here. I can’t say goodbye. Not yet. But she has a life here at the palace, and I need to go home – back to Night Alley, back to killing.
Unless.
“Work for me.” The words come out before I can stop them.
“What?” she chokes.
This is a stupid idea, and I know the rest of my guild won’t agree, but for some reason I don’t care. “Work for me,” I say again. “You owe me for killing Hugo, and whatever money you can give me will never be enough. I’m in need of a dancer with skills such as yours for an upcoming job. So unless you know of anyone else who could take your place?”
It’s technically the truth. I do need a dancer for an upcoming mission. And while we were going to take one of Lady Carp’s girls, Ruby would be a much better fit.
Besides, I’d rip a man’s throat out to see my princess in a dance gown again.
“But I can’t do what you do,” Ruby scoffs. “I’m hardly allowed to leave the palace and I could certainly never… kill someone?—”
“You wouldn’t have to,” I cut in. “All you’ll need to do is perform on a stage while the rest of my crew locate the goods. You’ll be a distraction, Ruby. Just for one job, that’s all.”
At least for now.
She stares up at me with her huge beautiful eyes. “But won’t it be dangerous? Surely there’s some other way I can repay you.”
“You won’t be in any danger. And I won’t leave you alone, not even for a minute.” That, I can be certain of. No one touches what’s mine.
“Fine,” she agrees after a few moments of thinking. “When do I need to be ready?”
A smile tugs at my lips. “I’ll deliver the details in a letter.” I withdraw my hands from her wrists, ignoring the instant coldness that burns my skin. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
She nods, but before I push myself off of her, I lower my voice. “One last thing, Ruby.”
Her violet eyes meet mine.
