Page 58 of Kneel Before Me

Daphne smiled wider. “And I meant it.”

Kronos let out a low chuckle. His expression softened. “Stubborn girl.”

Infernal. Stubborn. To other people, the words might not be compliments. But to Daphne, they were. Lately she’d gotten used to words that hurt her. If felt nice to hear the opposite.

“Kronos,” she said quietly. “Just tell me the truth. Why weren’t you there today? Are we…?”

She trailed off, unsure what she was even asking. Are we over? They had never begun in the first place. Are you mad at me? It was juvenile to wonder such a thing. Do you feel the same as I do? Not possible. In the silence, Kronos stepped closer. Daphne’s breath hitched as he raised the hand that wasn’t covering his cock to her face, brushed a single finger under her chin and tilted her head up to his.

“I was not there because I could not bear to hear how you gave the prince what you refuse to give me.”

Daphne stared up into his golden eyes, which were rapidly turning black. “You left before I could tell you I gave him nothing.”

His hand tightened. “Do not lie to me.”

“I’m not. We didn’t even kiss.”

“That does not mean you gave him nothing.”

Daphne didn’t dare speak. She couldn’t tell if Kronos was angry at her, the prince, or both.

“He is falling for you,” Kronos whispered. “And if he finds out you do not feel the same, he will eliminate you.”

“He won’t eliminate me.”

Kronos frowned. “And why not?”

“Because we have…an arrangement.”

His frown deepened. “What fucking arrangement?”

Daphne had never heard him swear before. “He’s still grieving the mother of his child. He isn’t ready to marry, and he doesn’t want to do the competition. He’s going to choose me so his father calls off the wedding.”

Kronos stared down at her, his eyes still narrowed. Daphne could see his mind working as he processed what she’d said. “You…are not sleeping with him?”

“No.”

Kronos dropped his hand. The place where his fingers had been was suddenly cold. He shook his head. “You cannot trust the prince, Daphne. It is not wise to make arrangements with the royals. They do not keep their promises.”

“He’ll keep this one.”

“How can you know that?”

“Because he’s still in love with Lilibet. He can’t feel anything for anyone else.”

Kronos snorted, turning to the fire. “You are naive.”

“I thought I was stubborn.”

“You are that too.”

Daphne looked into the fire too, staring at the glowing coals. Between the heat from the flames and the heat from Kronos’s body, she was beginning to sweat. The instinct to remove her dress had only increased since the urge she’d felt earlier. It wasn’t just the heat; she wanted to be naked in front of him.

“Whatever you gave him, he will expect more,” Kronos said, oblivious to her struggles. “And if you do not give it willingly, he will take it.”

Dread twisted her stomach. Daphne knew how men were—knew how they acted when you rejected them. She had seen it many times before. Only, with Maximus, it would surely be worse. Benjamin only had the power to call her names. The future king could destroy her. But would he? Daphne pictured the way he’d watched her in the bathtub, remembering the hunger in his eyes. She’d denied him then, and he’d liked it. Daphne was quite sure she could deny him again. She looked up at Kronos, who was still staring at the fire. Tonight was not about Maximus.

“I didn’t come here to talk about the prince,” she said firmly.