Page 75 of The Rat King
“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said, crossing his arms. “And it certainly doesn’t make it my fault.”
“Well, if you hadn’t brought Jetta without giving me a heads up, I wouldn’t have stormed into my room, taken off my dress and thrown it into the fire. So, here we are and now you see that it’s your fault—”
“You threw all of your favorite dresses out into the hallway because you were jealous?” His voice went low and gravelly as he said the words.
“Well, nothing else I’m doing seems to be working, so I figured I need to dress like avixen,” I spit the words out and my hand immediately went to my mouth. Crap.
Nighval’s expression jumped through a series of emotions before landing on amusement. “So, Link was right, and you did this on purpose trying to get into my bed.”
“What?” I blurted. “No, I didn’t.” Holy cow. Surely, he didn’t actually believe that.
“I think you did,” he said, stepping toward me, a taunt playing on his features. I swallowed as I tilted my head back at the menacing man hovering over me.
“You know I didn’t,” I said, but his smug expression made me question myself. He wasn’t gaslighting me. That wasn’t like him. Then it dawned on me. This was a game. Was he ready to reconcile? He rubbed at the back of his neck, causing a peck and bicep to flex beneath his fitted black shirt. My pulse skittered.
“I think you did. I think you missed me so much, and I didn’t give you what you wanted, so you threw a fit and caused a fire. Very naughty, Avery.” In a swift motion, he leaned down and hoisted me over his shoulder. This time, I kicked my feet and beat my fists into his back.
“Put me down, you caveman,” I called as he carried me down the stone corridor, all the while desire pulsed through my body in a dizzying wave. He responded by giving me a swift smack on my ass, which had a decidedly different feeling than when he’d done it in the Wildwood. A second later, that same hand slid up my inner thigh, and rubbed teasingly close to the part of my body that was actively responding to his utter maleness until my struggle dissolved into me wiggling, trying to get closer to his devious fingers.
“This is what you asked for, so who am I to deny you, my queen?” he said, stomping through the hallways with purpose. The electric lights flickered as we passed as if they were reacting to the power of the man carrying me. He got to the end of the hallway where there must have been a door I couldn’t see. He kicked it open, stepped inside and then slammed it behind him. A few more giant strides, then we were through another door into a smaller, darker room.
As he turned, I saw a massive four-poster bed draped with a navy velvet coverlet. Every piece of furniture was black, even the rug. The walls were exposed grey stone and long sapphire satin curtains hung on each side of huge windows which opened onto a balcony beyond. A single flickering lamp sat on the nightstand, faintly illuminating the area nearest the bed. The space was haunting and gorgeous. I could only assume this was his bedroom. Much more somber and reserved than the simple elegance of his suite at the palace. Morehimand something about him bringing me here felt intimate, like peeling another layer back from the mysterious man I’d fallen for.
Still, I asked, “Where are we?”
“My rooms. Isn’t this where you wanted to go?” he asked, still keeping me hoisted over his shoulder as he pulled the curtains closed.
“Why am I here?” I asked, voice turning into a whisper.
He turned and then a few more footsteps and we were in front of his bed, which he lowered me none too gently on to. I landed and immediately propped myself up on my elbows. He stood at the side of the bed with a shit-eating grin on his face, his fists planted on his hips reminding me of the man he’d been when taking out the wraiths with all that power. The same power that snuffed out a fire a moment earlier without him breaking a sweat.
Just the thought of it made flutters erupt in my core because all of that power and the man who wielded it belonged to me. I could practically see it shimmering in the surrounding air, like a teakettle about to explode.
His voice was guttural when he said, “Have you figured out why you’re here, Avery?”
I swallowed, really hoping I did. Pulling my lower lip into my mouth, I nodded.
“Then tell me,” he demanded.
I didn’t hesitate. I knew exactly what he wanted, so I assumed my role in this game, and said, “I’ve been a bad girl.”
“Goddess, Avery,” he said, running a hand through his thick hair, never taking his eyes from me. “You’ve been very bad. And do you know what I’m going to have to do now?”
I brought my hand to my neck and ran it down my décolletage, down the seam of the jumpsuit’s V-neck, then between my breasts. His eyes tracked the whole way, and I continued my path across the smooth fabric further down until my fingers disappeared between my thighs.
“Punish me,” I said, unsure of where the words were coming from. I only understood my intrinsic need to give him something he felt he’d lost. Show him I knew I’d hurt him and that I was willing to do what it took to rebuild it. To surrender to what was between us.
“That’s right,” he said as his eyes darkened and lulled and his need for this, for me, became apparent. I didn’t know if he could resist even if he wanted to and suddenly, I felt powerful, in control. This was probably how he had felt in the carriage when he knew I couldn’t say no to him.
Then his hand went to the bulge in his pants, and he rubbed what was beneath. My mouth fell open at the thought of him. Of tasting him.
I sat up and crawled over to him, getting up on my knees so we were chest to chest and my fingers went to the buttons of his shirt. He watched me as I loosened each one and then pushed the fabric off his broad shoulders. My fingers went to trace the scar that ran across his pectoral when he grabbed my wrist. His other hand wrapped around my head, and he brought my eyes to his.
“You don’t get to touch me like that until you’re forgiven. Until you’ve earned your penance,” he said, and his eyes went to my mouth.
“What’s it going to take, Nighval?” I asked, using his full name, and he flinched.
His thumb traced over my bottom lip. I parted for him. I flicked my tongue out, licking his thumb, and he slid it into my mouth. I sucked and swirled around it, hoping that the imagery would drive him wild.
