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Chapter 10 – Constantine
Once we were throughthe curtained doors, I released her. The jolt of energy that had resulted from our touch rushed through me, fueling my arousal. The contact—and my reaction—was too much.This whole night is too much!
I quickly shut the French doors behind us. What the hell was I thinking? I’d thought I was prepared for this marriage, ready to be aloof and unaffected by tonight’s proceedings. Instead, we’d no sooner stepped into the exclusive restaurant and my heart began to beat double time. All I could see was her. Talia radiated fear but refused to show a drop. Instead, a regal spark lit her midnight gaze.
Being in her presence awakened something dark inside me. An urge that was ravenous and fueled with lust, something I didn’t know I was capable of.She’s going to be mine.That thought was the missing part of the equation, because while all the battle lines were being drawn up and the calculated moves were unfolding in quick succession, at the heart of this move was the plain and simple fact that I was taking this woman to be my wife. And all thoughts of it being in name only were vast disappearing in her presence.
“What did you want to ask me?” Talia demanded, maintaining a careful distance.
Fresh desire rose to the surface at the sound of her voice. My gaze roved over her intoxicating body. The white lace of her designer dress hugged every curve, and while the cut was extremely modest, it temped me more than if I'd seen her stripped naked and on a pole.
At that thought, I looked behind her, noting that any curious onlooker could pull aside the curtain and spy on us. I wanted no witnesses. I spotted some stairs to the side, which led down to a back entrance to the building.
“Come,” I ordered. Not sure that she’d come willingly, I grasped her elbow and led her forward.
Talia shivered at my command. It sent a stab of lust straight through me, calling directly to the beast living inside me. I clenched my teeth and resisted the urge to adjust the hard-on in my pants.
We made short work of the stairs. How was she so steady on those damn shoes? Those fucking hot shoes! That thought was odd because I’d never considered a woman’s footwear erotic before. Images instantly sprang to mind of her walking in nothing but those strappy stilettoes before it was followed by me pushing her to her knees and mounting her from behind. I imagined how she’d moan as I rode her hard and brought us both to the pinnacle of pleasure. It was a fucking hot fantasy.
But that’s all it can be,I reminded myself firmly. While many marriages were loveless, ours couldn’t even be built on lust. I couldn’t trust her.
“Where are we going?” she hissed as we moved around the side of the building.
I noticed her knuckles were going white where they held that little purse in a death grip. Such a sharp display of bravado. It had my dick straining painfully against my dress pants. Thank God it was dark! “Where we won’t be disturbed,” I bit out.
A shudder rippled through her body, more powerful than before. Fuck! I was going to lose control. I clenched my jaw tightly and looked around to ensure we were alone. Satisfied, I released her, the skin of my palm burning from the contact.
“This isn’t proper,” Talia protested, flicking a wary glance back to where we’d come from.
Oh, my pet, they can’t save you.The dark thought sent a bolt of glee straight into my already smoldering veins. “We need to talk,” I said firmly. I dragged my gaze to the windows, pretending to look for witnesses. I kept an eye on her expression out of the corner of my eye as I asked her, “Talia, is your father forcing you into this marriage?”
Talia was good, I’d give her that. But her left eye twitched. A subtle tell. It was unnoticeable had I not been searching for it.Gotcha.She didn’t want this, not really. No matter what she told her father, no matter how obedient she was portraying herself, this wasn’t a course of action she was entering into with heartfelt intentions.
“As I told you at Club Black, I’m honored to bring peace to our families.” Talia’s voice was steady; the lie was well-rehearsed.
“Such a pretty answer.” In a flash, I was pressed close to her, backing her into the building. My hand came down on her jaw hard, holding her captive and forcing her to look up at me. “Lie to me again and you’ll come to regret it.”
Not one feminine squeak came from her mouth. What a little soldier! Her father should be damn proud.
In the dim light, Talia’s eyes were wide but her features were aflame with wrath. A beautiful blush had ignited over her olive skin, and I felt my erection stab painfully against my dress pants, because I knew that blush would infuse her skin if she were heavily aroused.
I pressed my body even harder against hers. A moan slipped from her parted lips, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
“I didn’t lie.” That elegant throat bobbed as she swallowed.
“You did. And I won’t degrade myself to some sadistic level by taking a bride of barelly eighteen just to enact peace. I’d rather die in this war,” I growled in a low voice.
“I’m twenty,” she snapped. “And, is it ideal? Am I enchanted by the prospect? Hell no!”
It was the truth. I could see that plainly enough.
