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His brow furrowed as those expressive eyebrows of his came together. “I’ve said nothing that isn’t true. I remember you, Your Highness,” he said, in a voice way too full of passion. I took a step back, shaking my head.
“You remember me? What are you talking about? From where? What do you remember?”
“From the training academy, when I was there on temporary instructor duty. You had a huge infatuation for me then. It was quite noticeable, and everyone teased me about it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Infatuation. Is that not the word? A fondness? An immature fascination…whatever you want to call it. I’m sure those are the right words.”
“The word is ‘crush.’ And so what if I had a little one?” I cried, feeling hot and cold with embarrassment all over. How dare this man confront me about some juvenile feelings I might have had for him once long ago. Maybe I still had a few of them now, but I’d never act on them. I was mortified that he thought I would. Was this because I’d let Venkarr kiss me? Was he throwing that back in my face? Or because of what happened earlier?
I answered him stiffly. “That’s all in the past now.”
“Good, I hoped it would be. But then today when you grabbed me inappropriately, I was concerned. Your father has charged me with protecting you. These feelings are totally unsuitable, and I hope I don’t have to speak to him about them.”
“How dare you? Are you threatening me?”
He looked confused, and I almost took pity on him—almost. But I was far too outraged that he’d threatened to tell my father on me like I was a child.
“Colonel, what happened earlier today was an accident. I explained that. And what you’re talking about—that silly crush I had—happened when I was sixteen. And it wasn’t me who had a hard-on when they ran out of this room earlier. Don’t pretend you don’t know what that is, either, because I’ve heard plenty of Tygerians use human slang, and you know exactly what I’m talking about.”
He gave me a look that was so offended it caused a shiver to slide down my spine. I wondered if that face was perhaps the last one a lot of people had seen before this warrior ripped out their throats. “My body reacted to you pulling at my clothes and putting your hands on me. It was a biological response, and I can assure you it was entirely inadvertent.”
“Oh, you mean like an accident? Like what I did?”
He stared at me for another long moment and then nodded. “I don’t think we need to speak of this any further. I see we understand each other.”
“Oh, I understand perfectly. You’re a dick.”
“A…a what?”
“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”
“It can’t happen again. Are we clear?”
“Oh, I’m crystal clear. I’m just not so sure about you.”
His face reddened again, and I could see he was furious. “How dare you turn this around on me?”
“Well, you were the one hanging onto my hand all day and giving me orders like you owned me.”
“It’s my job and my responsibility to keep you safe and by my side. If you didn’t act like such a child, it wouldn’t be necessary.”
“You didn’t seem to think I was such a child when you struggled with me at my door this morning and threw me to the ground.”
“Gods, that’s such a wicked lie, and you know it! I never threw you anywhere.”
“Did so.”
“I did not.” He put up a hand and rubbed the spot between his eyes. “You’re giving me a headache.”
“Good!”
I knew it was juvenile, but the word came out before I could stop it. He gave me a wounded, angry look and turned to leave.
And I flew at him, jumping up on his back and intending to pull him to the floor if I could. That’s how crazy he made me, but I was tired of him turning his back and walking away from me.
He shrugged me off and shoved me back away from him, and I slammed back into the wall. I was a little stunned for a moment and I saw the panic in his eyes. It was an extreme aberration for an Imperial guard to put his hands on a royal at all, but especially like that. It just never happened, and I must have pushed him beyond his limits. Beyond all reason.
