Page 70 of Caroline the Cruel
Breicher was sure she was going to kill him and had to fist his hands to stop them from giving away his trepidation. He waited for the sting of a blade piercing his back as he made his way to the target. Grabbing the first dagger, he rocked it back and forth until it came loose. He stole a glimpse over his shoulder. Caroline stood, twirling the one she’d picked up in her hand.
“You’re fond of throwing. Can you use any other weapons?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“I find throwing knives helps center me. Especially when I’m angry.” She gave him a mocking smile. “I haven’t found the need to learn to wield other weapons. Physical prowess was never impressed upon us Dallimores, considering the nature of our power.”
He gathered the weapons, careful not to slice his hands open. He wasn’t sure she’d heal him. When he was about halfway back, she said, “Do you trust me?”
A muffledpfftburst from him before he could stop it. “No.”
“I don’t like your answer, but I appreciate your honesty.” In a blink, her arm lifted, then sprung forward. He had a split second to decide if she genuinely wanted him dead. Repressing the instincts screamingmove, he froze, breath catching in his lungs. Air stirred near his ear as the blade zipped by. He spun to the target right as it dug into the center. “Maybe you trust me more than you realize,” she said.
How did she get under his skin like this? He wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she realized what a thorn in his side she was. Or force her under him and take out his frustrations on her with his body, like he was so close to doing only a few hours earlier. Knowing she’d only like that, he brushed away the thought.Take me, she’d said. A chill worked its way from his mind to his cock. He had to get out of here. He walked past her toward the door. “Let’s try to work together—”
“I have been trying to work with you people. You’re impossible,” she yelled, chucking another dagger at the target. This time it went wide by a foot.
Breicher remembered the words of his nephew. “Please, give me time. I need to process what I saw, okay? Please?”
“Just leave,” she hissed.
“Caroline, please?” For his family, he would beg.
“Fine. Take all the time you need. The result will be the same.”You’ll be minewas what she didn’t need to say.
Fear of her wrath and concern for his brother warred in his mind. Finally, getting up the nerve, he asked, “And Hollis?”
The laugh that came out of his wife froze his blood. “You ask too much. Now leave me before I reconsider the gift I just gave you.”
Chapter 13
Weeksbledintomonths,and she still hadn’t pressured him to come to her. She was giving him time as she’d promised. They were locked in a stalemate, full of flirting and innuendos. She’d been working hard to seduce him with her clothing and mannerisms. The way she spoke, walked, ate even. Everything she did seemed designed to make him want her. To lower his guard, draw him in. Or maybe that’s just how she was.
No. He should not underestimate his wife, or she’d have him in her thrall again, ready to drop the hammer like she did with Felix.
He would ignore his urges. She’d made him too terrified to take a lover, so he dealt with his aching manhood himself, letting the images of her that flashed through his mind be enough.
And if he were being honest with himself, the flirting was fun. When Caroline’s guard was down, she was playful and vivacious, like she’d been when he’d first met her. Dangerously so.
They’d formed a comfortable rhythm, going back and forth between Roskide and Kierengaard, dealing with petitions and the daily business of running two kingdoms. Despite himself, he enjoyed it—being king—and they complimented each other in their ruling styles.
“What did you say that was?” Breicher asked, pushing his empty plate away.
“Mmm.” Caroline swallowed. “A spring harvest quiche. Do you like it?”
He eyed the portion she would not finish in answer. She ate more since she’d become whatever she was, but he still always got a part of her portion. She pushed her plate to him as had become their morning routine.
“Quite the appetite.” The innuendo was not lost on him. Caroline picked up a ripe berry, and sucked the juice from the end, before plopping it into her mouth. She’d done that once before, an old trick of hers. An unbidden chuckle rose in his chest.
“What?” she asked, glaring at him.
“You’re incredibly transparent.”
Caroline made a show of assessing herself. “I have no idea what you’re speaking of.” Dusting her hands off, she stood and headed for the war room.
Breicher stuffed the rest of the quiche in his mouth, then followed after her. He put his hand on the small of her back and gave her a little domineering nudge into the room, leaning down to whisper, “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Angus was already there when they arrived, sorting through papers. He tossed a missive in front of the queen and the amused expression slipped from her face.
“No,” Angus said, “it’s not that. Just a report from the vintner. Looks like the cool season rains didn’t affect the vines. Should be another good yield this fall.”
