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I have no idea what you’re talking about, Reyes. Don’t be so fanciful, Reyes.
‘So you deny that the sight of the restraints disturbed you? Then you won’t mind if I use—’
She tried to snatch her hands away. ‘No. Don’t use it. I promise...I won’t leave the villa.’
He was dying to know what had happened to her. But not so badly that he wanted to be lied to. He might have tried to fool himself into believing that it didn’t matter, but Jasmine’s untruths somehow managed to get under his skin. Sting that little harder.
‘Your promises are worthless to me—surely you know that by now? So I’m afraid you’ll have to do more than that.’
She swallowed. ‘What do you mean?’
Reyes stepped back and indicated the door to his study. ‘You’ll stay where I can keep an eye on you.’
‘So I guess a request for a trip into town is out of the question?’
Reyes let his cool stare speak for him.
She rolled her eyes before her gaze dropped to his pockets, where the cuffs were hidden out of sight. ‘Fine. I’ll go and find a book to read.’
For some reason, Reyes couldn’t suppress a smile as she firmed her lips and sent him a glance of pure loathing.
He stopped her as she stepped past him. ‘Wait.’
Surprised, she looked up. Then frowned. ‘What now?’
Reyes grasped her elbow and examined where she’d rubbed it before. Faint marks marred her skin. A touch of fury flared within him. He would be having words with his bodyguard later. ‘You didn’t tell me whether you were hurt or not?’ he repeated his earlier question. Why was that so important to him? He stemmed the mocking voice and waited for her answer.
‘It’s nothing I haven’t endured before.’ As if realising her slip, she bit her lip.
The memory of doing the same to those lips, and much more, slammed into him. His groin stirred to life. Smashing it down, he concentrated on her words.
‘You’ve been manhandled before?’ The very thought made something tug hard in his chest.
‘Not without fighting back, I can assure you.’ The blaze of defiance and determination flared higher in her eyes.
He wasn’t reassured. Intrigued, he stared at her for a long time before he could form the words. ‘You will not be treated like that under my roof. Be assured of that.’
‘So what do you call using those handcuffs tucked away in your pocket? An early Christmas present?’
His mouth twisted. ‘Perhaps I should rephrase that. No one but I will be allowed to touch you while you’re under my roof.’
‘Well, that makes me feel heaps better.’ Despite the bravado in her voice, a dart of apprehension crossed her eyes.
About to reassure her again that she would come to no harm, he stopped himself. Reminded himself of what this woman had done. To him. To his country.
Right at this moment, he had members of Santo Sierra’s council in his study, trying to find a way out of their current predicament. So far they seemed to be agreed on only one course of action. One that Reyes was determined not to give in to.
Meanwhile, here he was trying to placate the woman responsible for causing the turbulence in his kingdom.
Twisting on his heel, he barked, ‘Come.’
‘You want me at your meeting?’
‘I want you where I can keep an eye on you.’
He heard her footsteps behind him as he entered his study. Two of his advisors gaped at his guest. The third, most senior of them, frowned as Reyes shut the door and directed Jasmine into the seat in the corner of the room.
His senior advisor shifted in his seat. ‘Your Highness, what we’re discussing is highly confidential. I hardly think it appropriate to have a stranger—’
‘Miss Nichols is here as my guest. She won’t divulge anything we say in this room.’ He looked at her. She read the clear warning and nodded.
He sat down but not before his gaze caught her bare legs as she crossed them. Again heat lanced his groin. Those legs had curled around his waist, urged him on as he’d thrust inside her.
Inside her duplicitous body...
He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. ‘You said you know how many people were thinking of backing the new treaty?’ he addressed his senior advisor.
Costanzo Alvarez nodded. ‘It is currently seven to nine, Your Highness. With each day that passes, the older members are being swayed to the idea of the original treaty your father agreed to sign.’
