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I stood behind him, wall at my back, and he spun to meet me. “Answer my questions, Julian.”
A low rumble rattled in his chest and Ms. Pus was officially in meltdown mode. “You cannot expect me to do anything but make you submit when you speak to me that way.”
A thrill shot up my spine at the thought of him doing just that.
Maybe that’s exactly what I wanted.
“Answer my questions, Julian.”
“You are making this extremely difficult, Eden. We are equals, but when you challenge my authority, I cannot resist the urge to show you exactly—”
Julian didn’t get to finish his sentence.
He was too busy flying across the room.
I’d found that well of strength I’d tapped into before and shoved him away from me.
I wanted answers.
And I also definitely wanted to be put in my place.
Julian crashed into the wall at the far end of the room, putting a king-sized dent in it. The room filled with thick, choking dominance.
He stalked closer, and with every step I had to fight to stay upright. Every muscle in my body wanted to bend to him. To bow or kneel or supplicate in some way. Any way. The magic didn’t care, it just wanted me to obey.
I threw my shoulders back and held my head high as I stared into his black eyes. “I won’t bend to your will, Julian. If this is going to work, you have to be honest with me. You have to treat me like the equal you keep insisting I am.”
Julian drew close enough that I scented something new in him. A wild, untamed scent I couldn’t quite name but made me dizzy with every good feeling imaginable. I took a deep breath, relishing in it.
The king smirked and pinned me to the wall at my back with just one hand pressed against my waist. He shoved his nose in my neck and I shook under him, adrenaline, lust, and the smallest touch of fear mixing within me. He took a deep breath of me and mumbled, “I pay everyone in my employ a wage above whatever their industry standard dictates.”
His hands ran up and down the sides of my body as he nibbled on my earlobe and pressed himself against me. I groaned as that rod of hardness pressed into me. Need and frustration warred within me as I arched myself against him and threaded my hands into his hair.
Another low rumble vibrated in his chest as his lips brushed the base of my neck. “Bloodlust during the mate bond only lasts until the bond is secured. You needn’t worry about your falling into your old patterns, Eden.” He leaned into my touch before snatching both wrists in his other hand and pinning them to the wall over my head.
His dominance swirled about me, wanting me to stay just as I was, trapped beneath him.
And God above, Ireallywanted to stay just like that.
But a nagging little voice in my head insisted that wasn’t a good idea.
I couldn’t let him believe he’d won this battle of wills. No matter how much I wanted to let him win. So I tapped into that well of strength again and wrenched my hands free, putting them right back where I’d had them. In his hair, directing his head and, by extension, his mouth, whereIwanted.
He chuckled lightly against my skin but didn’t fight me. Instead, he pressed light kisses and slow, languid tongue lashes against the pounding vein in my neck.
Ms. Pussscreamedat me to let him do what he wanted, however he wanted.
I’d probably have to throw away these panties.
But I had to do this. I knew it.
“As far as the diamond and the dress are concerned, Eden,” Julian’s whispered words danced along my skin as he continued his ministrations along my neckline, “both were gifts to my mate to use however she saw fit. That they also served another purpose doesn’t detract from that sentiment.”
I pulled my neck away and forced eye contact. “The hell it doesn’t. A gift isn’t a gift if it has ulterior motives, Julian.”
“A gift always has ulterior motives, Eden.”
“It does not.”
