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Cassie
Elizabeth hands me over to the guards, who are waiting silently outside the room to escort me back to mine. The queen has surprised me—in a good way. She has dissipated some of the fear that surrounds this family and shown me a window inside what appears to be a normal family. Actual humans, not gods, and I feel a little better about my situation except for one thing. Him. The King.
The thought of being anywhere near him freaks me right out because of my reaction to him. I should hate him, despise him and fight against him, but he just has to breathe in my direction and I fall at his feet. I hate myself and I hate him because how dare he make me weak. I won’t allow it, but do I really have a choice?
As we walk toward the staircase, I’m surprised and relieved to see a familiar face heading toward us, and I almost buckle under the weight of his furious stare.
The guards appear to crowd a little closer as Victor hisses, “Stand back, I need a word with my brother’s bride.”
I can tell they’re unhappy about the order, but he is a Prince and they know their place, so as they fall back to a respectful distance, I allow him to take my arm and guide me to the side.
“Are you ok, Cassie?”
His anxious gaze brings tears to my eyes and I nod, apparently having lost the power of speech.
“It will be ok.” He leans down as he whispers and his breath grazes my cheeks and wraps me in hopeful expectation.
“How?” I stare at him with the hopeful look of the deluded, and he smiles with a tenderness that takes me by surprise.
“I have a plan and you must trust me. I won’t let him take you.”
“Take me, what do you mean?”
“I think you know that.”
I step back a little because Victor is scaring me. The look shining in his eyes isn’t one of a friend. He wants me, a blind man could feel the vibes, and it strikes me that I’m more shocked about that than anything else this evening.
Reaching up, he touches my cheek and the lust in his eyes makes me feel strangely uncomfortable and I pull back a little, “Victor, what’s going on?”
Shifting closer, he whispers, “I love you; I always have. You must know that.”
“No, I um… don’t, actually.”
For some reason, the passion in this brother’s eyes fills me with horror rather than excitement and he says harshly, “We have grown up together, it was always meant to be us. I’ve watched you over the years and fallen deeply in love with you. That’s why I’ll save you, Cassie. We’ll be together and nothing will ever come between us.”
“Victor, I…” He places his finger on my lips and I watch his eyes close as he struggles to catch his breath which is quite freaky to watch and when he opens them, the pure lust clouding them makes me feel on edge as he whispers, “There is a get-out clause in your contract and the only way out of this madness.”
“Which is?” For some reason, I don’t think I’m going to like what that involves, and he leans closer and whispers, “You give your virginity to me and then Maxim will be forced to let you go. He can’t marry a woman who has already given herself to another. I am your lifeline, Cassie and I will make sure you get the life you dreamed of. With me by your side we can’t fail. We can have it all.”
“No.” I pull back, desperate to create some distance and as the guards shift nervously toward us, Victor growls angrily, “Stay back, this is none of your concern.”
They halt and he pulls me roughly against the wall and, leaning in, whispers, “I’ll find a way to get you alone. All it will take is that one act to set you free. Give yourself to me and there is nothing he can do about it.”
“Victor!”
We both jump at the angry command that comes from nowhere and as I look up, I see the anger blazing from a certain man’s eyes as he stands facing us. The anger is almost tangible as Victor sighs and moves away and Maxim says curtly, “I think you should leave before I do something we will both regret.”
For a moment, I see a flash of victory in Victor’s eyes before he closes them and then looks at his brother with a malevolent gaze.
“This isn’t over, Maxim.”
I hold my breath as the king heads toward us looking furious and there’s a sense of cold madness surrounding him as he reaches for my hand.
“Allow me to escort you back to your room.”
As my hand closes around his, I feel a spark of electricity traveling to my core and I can’t explain it. Two brothers invoke very different reactions inside me and it confuses the hell out of me.
Maxim snaps at the guards. “I will deal with you later.”
