Page 32 of Witch’s Ruin

He growled. “Careful, Lady Witch. I will bend you over this ledge and I will fuck you for the entire city to hear, if you don’t mind your sass.”

I grinned, letting a bit of darkness seep into my eyes.

“Insufferable woman,” Rixon muttered. I mock pouted. “Kiss me,” he ordered, voice dropping low. So I did, lifting onto my toes to reach his mouth, releasing his wrists to wrap my fingers in his silky hair.

When I stepped back, I studied his face, turning serious. “You want to talk about it? About the betrothal?”

Aside from my scolding him earlier, after dinner, and our reckless fuck in the corridor, we hadn’t said all that much about what had happened.

“Not really.”

“But…”

“No, Lady Witch.”

“All right.” I’d give him his space. I respected his wishes. “But when you’re ready, I’m here.”

* * *

I smoothed the formal tunic over Rixon’s broad chest, relishing in the bulge of his muscles beneath my fingertips. “Now,” I said, “Play nice, and be compliant. Go along with everything your father says and behave yourself.” I threw last night’s words back in his face. Even now, I couldn’t stop replaying the way he’d taken me against the alcove wall, the fire in my chest, the way his recklessness made my insides purr.

Gods, I’d become a wonton little hussy.

“Not sure I’ll manage that.” He glanced down at himself, frowning.

“Rixon…” I warned. He shrugged. “Would you like to go in under my control?”

It was meant as a joke, but—

“Yes, I think that would be best.”

“You…you’re serious?” My brows drew together. “You want me to use the bond to force you to comply with your father?”

“If you don’t, I’m going to do something I’ll regret. I’ll probably break his fucking nose, at the least.”

I sighed. “Rixy, what am I going to do with you?”

“Don’t call me that,” he barked, irritated.

“No? But Rixy’s so cute.”

“Gods, Mina! Miny? There. How about that?”

“It sounds like Meany.” I pouted.

“Well?”

“All right,” I huffed. “Point taken.” I loved this man—so very much. “Rixon, you have better control than anyone I’ve ever met, except perhaps Herrin.”

“I have better control than Herrin.”

“And still, you’ll bash your father’s face in the second he says something insulting.”

“Exactly.”

I regarded him. “He only does it to rile you. And you let him.”

“Perhaps you don’t fully understand the extent of his rearing.”