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Chapter Fifteen
In the Chamber of Prince Balduin
I’d been to the Heir’s Tower and to the chambers of Prince Balduin on many occasions, usually with Nicolo. But never like this nor under these circumstances.
“You know the way, you go first,” smiled Balduin. “I may as well enjoy the view,” he continued as he fell in line behind me and made a motion of sizing up my backside. “A preview of what’s to come.”
My heartbeat was roaring and my breath was so short, I feared I might pass out. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Balduin rolled his eyes. “And put a smile on your face, girl. I’ll put one there for you later, but it’s quite off-putting to be with a woman who’s pouting as though she’s walking to the scaffold.” He smacked my ass as if to draw more attention to his point.
I laughed at his ‘joke’. “Apologies, Your Highness. This is just… a little overwhelming.”
Balduin accepted the compliment—maybe even believed it. He laughed. “Just wait until you get a good look atit, my dear.Thenyou’ll be overwhelmed.”
But a finger-length less than Nicolo, I thought to myself.
The bodyguards tramped along with us, saying nothing, seeing everything. They were as inconsequential as the walls and I suspected Balduin barely even noticed them.
By the time we entered Balduin’s chambers, my heart was thumping painfully through my chest and I’d started to feel dizzy, almost like I was going to pass out. I’d spent much of the evening trying to find ways to dampen my own arousal—turned out all it took was the prospect of a night with Balduin.
This couldn’t be how tonight ended,I thought to myself, even now still in shock.
This couldn’t be how my first time happened.
Trainee assassins were encouraged to get used to the idea that their first time would be in service of a mission and would have nothing to do with love or romance or even attraction. If they were lucky, the man would be gentle and might know what he was doing. I’d been ready for that or I’d thought I was. But meeting Nicolo, spending time with him, seeing his interest in me and feeling mine grow for him had changed my expectations without my even knowing.
I’d gotten lucky that my mission had brought me to a man like Nicolo, but now that same mission had landed me with Balduin, and I couldn’t get out of this situation without blowing my cover. Then again, perhaps this was what I deserved; like a black widow, I was supposed to kill after mating—that was a hell of way to say ‘thank you’ for an amazing and life-changing night.
Perhaps I could never have gone through with killing Nicolo after bedding him. Maybe my feelings would have been too cemented by that point, too deep? Maybe this was actually a benefit in disguise?
“The word is ‘Pumpkin’,” Balduin spoke to his guards as we left them on the doorstep. “Any other screaming you can ignore.”
Instantly, my heart dropped to the floor as I wondered what affronts to humanity were awaiting me. What were Balduin’s turn-ons for him to say such a thing?
The door closed, and suddenly I found myself missing the silent, wall-like company of the bodyguards, because now it was just Balduin and me, and I saw no obvious way out of this. Perhaps I could knock him out and claim he knocked himself out on the headboard.
I recalled one of the older girls at the Guild telling a story about finding herself in a similar situation. She’d knocked the man on his ass, held a knife to his genitals and told him that if he uttered a word about what was happening, she’d tell everyone he’d been beaten by a woman.
That might work on an arrogant man like Balduin.
“Charlotte, is it?” Balduin asked.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“We’ve known each other a while now, but I make very little effort to recall the names of subordinates.”
“I understand, Your Highness.” Even as the words escaped my mouth, I wondered what would happen if I killed Balduin and then escaped the Gath and returned to the Guild? But no, that was simply a day dream that would get me nowhere but dead.
“Drink?”
“No, thank you, Your Highness.”
“Yes, you will.” He walked over to a tray, complete with a decanter of amber liquid and a few crystal goblets, that sat on a wooden side table by the wall. There was the sound of glass touching glass and liquid being poured. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, he disgusted me so.
Suddenly, the prince spun around, his arm moving quickly. A throwing knife spun through the air, straight for me. Acting on instinct, I dodged the projectile, the knife hit the wall and I grabbed it, ready to defend myself.
But Balduin just smiled and applauded quietly. “Very good. Nicolo said you were a good fighter, but I don’t think he knows how good, does he?”
