Page 40 of The Rat King
Her eyes widened as she took me in. “You were so gentle with me last night, but you are so harsh with them, abrupt. You should treat them like people, not objects designed to serve you, but like I said, it doesn’t matter.”
“I’ll be better,” I said, as that was all I could think to say. “Is that what has upset you?”
“Are you kidding?”
I studied her as understanding came to me. “You’re still upset about what you believe my intentions to be.”
“Duh,” she said.
“Duh?” I asked at the unfamiliar word.
“Yeah, duh. Like, no shit Sherlock. It doesn’t take a wizard to figure out my situation isn’t exactly ideal. So, go ahead, then. Woo me. When I crumble to your charms and fall for you, what happens then? Will we be king and queen again?” Her pink lips were an angry line, as she raised insistent eyebrows at me.
“You’re glorious,” I said, and her jaw dropped. I sat next to her on the bed. It groaned under my weight.
“Don’t,” she said, lifting a hand to push me away as I leaned into her space. I grabbed her hand and placed it over my heart, pressing it flat with my palm. I lifted my other hand to cup her tear-stained cheek and her breathing hitched.
“Even if there were no curse to break, I would still find you intoxicating. You do something to my blood—”
“Don’t say that,” she said.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because you’ve been around me for all of two days and it makes you sound crazy,” she said.
I tilted my head to the ceiling and laughed. Of course, that was what she remembered. Two days. She didn’t remember our kiss or our picnic in the garden, or before the wedding. Forcing myself to remember that was already presenting a challenge.
I lowered my head and brought my eyes to her gold ones. I lowered my lips so they hovered but an inch from hers, and I could taste the sweet honey of her breath. “I’m not crazy. Any man with a brain would want you. Especially with the way you share your emotions so openly, your fire and cleverness, and that fucking outfit.” Being so blunt, so bold with her was risky, but the way her breathing kicked up a notch made me think she liked it, so I kept going. “It only took a few hours to be affected by you, Avery. To be in your thrall.”
Her mouth parted. I wanted to lean in and take because I knew she would give despite herself. I really wanted to, but I ignored the sparks crackling across my body and released her beautiful face, standing. Walking over to the tray of food, I opened the bottle of wine and poured two glasses. When I had my breathing under control, I said, “Come eat. We have longer days ahead of us and you need your strength.”
Chapter 28
Avery
Goddessabove,howdidthat man take me from crying over the mess of a situation I was in to practically panting and this turned on? The idea of him, his power, his larger-than-life presence made me feel so small, so feminine, and the pretty words he said sent waves of euphoria coursing through me. I was almost drunk on them. For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me, and I swear I would have let him.
I glanced over to where he stood, waiting for me, a glass of red wine in his hand, the other tucked into his pocket. His eyes were searching as they grazed across my face. Maybe I was the crazy one, because I didn’t think his words were lies. Well, what he said about his intention was, but his gravitation to me was as real as mine was to him. Maybe he did want to make me his. Would it be so terrible allowing myself to get close to this man? He was dominant—a scary, forceful presence. I had no idea what it would be like to be with a man like that. He was one-hundred and eighty degrees in the opposite direction of Xavier. I hadn’t liked that. Maybe I could like this. My core pulsed as if it were trying to remind me I did indeed like this. I liked the fearful thrill of having his full, ominous attention on me.
Shit, it was one thing to role play with the mafia man, but whatever Nighval was, was real. Did this attraction I felt mean I’d have to check my feminist card in at the door? No, I didn’t think so. Nighval said he liked my fire. He was drawn to it.
And the truth was, I’d come here to marry a king, to save my people and now here I was, with another chance, though it wasn’t exactly what I’d expected. I doubted they’d give me that crown back. I took a deep breath. I could do this. Something about him, his quiet, commanding nature, the way his body moved all stalking predator made me think he’d be excellent in bed. Another surge of warmth flooded through me and, like my thoughts were transparent to him, his eyes darkened.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that, Avery,” he said in a low grumble.
I stood, crossing the room, taking the glass he extended to me and sat. My mouth was so dry I took a sip, swishing the liquid. Notes of blackberry and oak danced across my tongue. It didn’t burn, which meant it wasn’t strong. That was good because while I worked in a bar, I wasn’t much of a drinker. The last thing I needed was to get tipsy around this man.
Getting naked with him would be easy. The charge between us told me that is exactly what he wanted to do. Coaxing this attraction into something more would take time, and when his lips hadn’t crushed into mine, I felt like it meant he was on the same page. We were doing this. I would fall for Nighval Helicanus and save everyone. His people and my people. Easy.
“We should eat before this gets cold,” he reminded me. He held my chair out for me, and I sat at the little table the food tray was placed on. He sat opposite me, reaching forward to pile some food onto a plate. He glanced up and found me watching him again as I gripped the stem of my wine glass trying to work up the nerve to take the plunge and let him know it was game on.
“What are you waiting for?” he asked, noticing I hadn’t moved.
The corners of my mouth twitched. “For you to woo me.”
His breath caught… and I grinned.
Chapter 29
