“You’re welcome to join me,” I say. Myprintsesagives me the middle finger. I should not tolerate her disrespect. If she were to pull a stunt like that outside of these walls, where my boyevik could see, I would be forced to teach her a lesson in obedience. With no one to see us, I can let this infraction slide. She has a right to be angry with me. I stole her, and I intend to keep her.
Yet I need her agreement thirty-six hours from now. Hailey could refuse me at the altar. That would be an unbearable humiliation. I have until then to convince her that she wants to spend her life with me.
I watch as she moves around the room, opening drawers and closing them as loudly as she can despite their soft-close hinges. Her futile attempts to display anger are funny, but I don’t laugh. “If you are searching for an escape, I can assure you that you won’t find it inside the closet.”
She steps out, thrusting the door closed with a narrow glare and a loud bang. “What floor are we on?”
“The ninth. A fall would kill you,” I answer. “If the windows opened, which they don’t.
A tiny growl escapes from her. She avoids the bed, walking around it to inspect the windows that don’t open rather than take my word for it.
“Maybe I’ll sprout wings and fly away,” she says with sarcastic sweetness. She folds her hands into a bird shape and pretends to flap.
“I will have to change your nickname to angel if you do.” I don’t bother to soften my accent on the final word.Ahngul.Her cheeks turn pink. She unwinds the damp towel from her wet hair and goes into the bathroom to hang it up. So tidy, myprintsesa.Her shabby room, when my men cleaned it out, was neat and orderly, too.
Now that I have made my move, my enemies will try to kill her and take the passkey. The only thing that kept her safe all those years was that no one knew where she was.
“Listen, Rafe”—a pet name she used to tease me with knowing how much I hated it— “I’ve had a long day. I’d really like to get some rest while I consider yourgenerousoffer of becoming your bride.” Haily makes a shooing motion. “So, like, leave. Off the bed. Now.”
I don’t move. I cock one eyebrow. “Where will I sleep?”
“The living room couch is all yours.”
Sassy littleprintsesa. Thinks she can order me around. The thing is, she could order me to do almost anything and I would. Only for her. But not this. Certainly not tonight.
“Make me.” I shrug. She is just as easy to rile up as she was at sixteen. Her temper flares. Hailey strides over to me clearly intending to push me off the bed. Unwise of her.
I snag her by the wrist and pull her onto it with me. She yelps in protest, but I pin her to the mattress. “Or, we can both sleep here.”’
Startled green eyes meet mine. “We’ll only sleep,” she states, not phrasing it as a question though it clearly is one. Not if I have my way, no. But I have done enough to frighten her for one day. Even the bratva need their rest.
“No. We will do much more.” I don’t roll away. Her body feels too good beneath mine. The stubborn woman is taking her time to accept her fate.
Iam her fate.
Slowly, the tension in her body eases. Her scowl softens. I don’t hesitate. I lower my mouth to hers and take what’s mine with an unyielding kiss.
7
HAILEY
Rafail’s lips are warm and surprisingly soft, though his kiss is anything but. His long, muscular body presses me into the covers. Seconds ago, I wanted to stroke my palm down the long line of his back, from those broad shoulders to his narrow waist, feeling the play of movement beneath his tattooed skin.
Then his eyes darkened. After a beat of hesitation, as if he was waiting for me to respond with something other than snark and sarcasm, he kissed me. My entire world shifts. He isn’t gentle.
I don’t want to resist him.
I should.
But I don’t.
Instead, I part my lips when he seeks entrance with a sweep of his tongue. His hold on my left wrist relaxes fractionally. I work my hand free and cup the back of his head. His black hair is silkier than I expected it to be. Just long enough for me to run my fingers through it. To tighten my grip instinctively when he invades past my teeth with unerring confidence. I’ve never been kissed like this before.
With his free hand, he tugs aside the collar of my bathrobe and palms my breast. An embarrassing moan escapes from me.
“Good, Hailey. Stop resisting me. Your body knows what you need. Let me give it to you.”
Let. As if I could stop him if I wanted to.
