30. THIRTY
THIRTY
Darius
Mina rears back for a second slap, but I gently grab her wrist.
“I deserve that, but I’ll only tolerate one.”
She breaks free of my grip. “How can you abandon these women to their fates? They deserve a chance and a choice, at the very least.”
“I agree.” She crosses her arms, ready to switch to verbal strikes. I mirror her pose. “But even as emperor, there are some things I can’t force people to accept. Such an ingrained taboo will take a lot more than plucky wishes to change.”
“It’s not a plucky wish. It's medicine.”
That was a poor choice of words on my part. I sigh, pinching my brows to ease my growing headache.
“It’s medicine we don’t have here yet. There’s nothing you and I can do to change that until we take back Kalisham. It takes one bad reaction, one sick or dead victim, to destroy any chances of making such a procedure common practice.”
Mina lets out a frustrated groan and wipes at her tears. “I feel like we didn’t even try. I promised those girls that I would fight for them.”
I risk a step forward. “You did fight for them, but this isn’t an easy battle. This is a war of conscience and morality. That takes time, trust me.”
Her shoulders drop. I can see the logic sinking in. “They deserve better than this,” she says.
Her nails bite into her arm so hard I fear they’ll draw blood. I’d rather she take her anger out on me again than herself. I try to reach for her hand, but she just uncrosses her arms.
“You seriously expect me to believe that some rich noble never financed such a procedure to save face?” she asks.
“Yes.” Disgust churns my stomach. “In the old kingdoms it was cheaper to just take care of the problem entirely. No mother, no child.”
Mina’s mouth parts on a sharp inhale. Her rage is palpable, like a cold wind that warns of a blizzard. Her voice shakes as she struggles to get the words out. “How is that better than what I proposed?”
“It’s not. I’ve done everything to root out such backwards and dangerous thinking, but it takes time.”
I lean down to meet her glare head-on, willing her to understand my sincerity. She needs to believe in me for this partnership to work.
“You did not fail them, Mina. They’ll have support for the rest of their lives because of you. Under the rest of my council's direction, they would’ve received nothing more than hollow platitudes.”
Her tears batter my resolve. The urge to wrap her in my arms is so strong, I almost break my vow.
“I hate this.” Her exhale is sweet on my lips, and I realize just how close we’re standing. She closes those beautiful eyes, wincing as if the pain of each victim is her own. “I understand this is the logical path, but it doesn’t feel right.”
Not everything will go her way just because she wills it. As much as it bothers me to refuse her for some damn reason, she needs to learn patience. Her passion for these women is blinding her to other options.
“I know, but the tonic is too dangerous. Publicly we can’t support it.”
Her gaze flies to mine, then to the chessboard. Her brows crinkle, the strategist from before moving pieces in her head. She sucks in a sharp breath.
“We can’t publicly support it.”
I nod, palms burning with the urge to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “Women are resourceful. If a safe option exists somewhere in Veloria already, we’ll find it. Discreetly.”
She bites her lip and studies me slowly, searching for a lie. Moments pass in silence until her shoulders finally soften. A tiny spark of trust ignites between us, warming my chest.
“I’ll hold you to that.” The smallest smile graces Mina’s lips. The tiny movement fills my chest with pride, more so than any victory I faced on the battlefield.
Her lovely gaze drops to my lips for a split second, and I let myself imagine what it would be like to hold her affection. To have the honor of kissing her whenever the mood strikes, wrap her in my arms, earn her laughter.
I push the thought from my head, reminding myself this is a political arrangement. I clear my throat.
“First thing tomorrow, we’ll set it in motion,” I say. “For now, we get some much-deserved rest.”
I offer my hand, nerves settling low in my stomach. Mina studies my palm for a moment before sliding her fingers onto it. Instead of moving her hand to the crux of my arm like usual, I lace our fingers together and pull the door open.
Jaime is waiting against the wall.
“Let Staefan know he’ll be joining us for breakfast,” I instruct.
She glances to our hands, then Mina, saying nothing.
“We’ll dine in our room. He can join us when you bring the food in the morning,” Mina adds.
Jaime nods. “Anything else, Queen Mina?”
I glance between the two women, and Mina casts me a victorious little smirk.
“No, thank you, Jaime. Have a good night.”
I run my free hand through my hair and sigh. I can freeze a room full of the bravest men by simply touching my sword, but somehow I’m no match for these two.
I escort Mina back to our room, ignoring the hole she’s trying to cut into the side of my head with her stare. The short walk passes in a deafening silence. The second we are inside our room, Mina pulls her grip from mine. I shut the door, turning to face her.
Mina’s arms are crossed, her arched brows a mixture of confusion and amusement.
My cheeks burn, and I kick myself for not just escorting her like normal. I slip on my usual mask of indifference, desperate to gain back some semblance of control. “You can wash up first.”
I try to walk past her to the closet, but she steps into my path. “That’s all you have to say?” Her eyes flash with irritation. At least I get under her skin as much as she seems to live under mine.
“We have an early morning. Unless you want to fulfill your end of our bet now, I suggest we head to bed.”
She pushes me back a step, immediately back in fight mode. “Oh, no. Our agreement is off. You tricked me.”
My laugh is anything but kind. “I did no such thing. You should’ve seen that move coming, but your impatience distracted you. Whether the game lasts one move or one hundred, the outcome will always be the same. You agreed to the terms.”
I unbutton my jacket and throw it over the back of the chaise.
“I don’t lose. Isn’t that why you married me?” I challenge.
She assesses me for a beat, then sighs and takes a seat on the chaise, patting the cushion next to her. “Let’s get this over with then.”
Not exactly the level of enthusiasm a man wants to hear from his wife. “On second thought, if you hate the idea that much, then we can forget it.”
Mina crosses her legs and pats the cushion again. “A deal’s a deal. Sit.”
The room grows heavy, our battle of wills a storm right before the rain falls.
Leaving very little room between us, I take my place beside her. Our thighs touch, but when I reach for her, she grabs my hand.
“I agreed to a kiss for five minutes. Nothing more. Your vow of not touching me still stands.”
I resist the urge to sigh—I should’ve seen that coming. Still, she’s right.
“I won’t touch you anywhere I would not in public.” I crack my knuckles, resisting the ache to do just that.
Mina isn’t even trying to seduce me. She’s the picture of restraint, yet everything about her calls to me on a primal level.
Her bright eyes and full lips hold my attention with each shift in expression.
The pulse point at her neck quickens when I close the distance between us—her standoffish attitude a ruse, after all.
I glance at the time, then place one finger under her chin, tilting her soft lips up to meet mine. She smells like a damn apple orchard. All I want to do is taste her.
Instead, I place gentle, teasing pecks on her mouth. When I pull back, Mina is blushing, eyes alight with irritation.
Even now the chess game continues.
Mina shivers as I trail my thumb down the side of her neck before breaking contact completely.
“Tick tock,” she challenges, a little breathless.
Her pupils darken with a desire that mirrors my own before her long lashes flutter closed.
I capture her mouth again. This time my tongue darts out, seeking permission to deepen the kiss. We never agreed on what kind, so Mina has the power to keep things chaste.
Her lips part on a sharp inhale, granting me access to the mouth I’ve been dreaming of since our wedding night. She tastes fucking divine, as sweet as the wine we had for dinner.
I ply her with gentle strokes of my tongue, earning a soft sigh. She shifts closer and her breasts brush against my chest. I keep a death grip on the back of the couch, shackling my desire to reach out and discover all the places she’s sensitive.
Keeping my vow is quickly becoming the most trying task I’ve ever faced. More than uniting a continent. More than the deadliest battle.
Not touching the goddess in front of me requires all my control, and it’s close to breaking.
Mina’s hands have no such compulsion to stay put. She runs her fingers through the hair at the base of my neck, pulling me closer. I shift, deepening the kiss as it grows in hunger.
We’re as close as a couch allows two people sitting side by side to get. It’s not enough. Time is already running out, and she’s not going to make the first move like this.
I break the kiss abruptly and stand, offering my hand to a bewildered Mina. She cautiously slides her fingers into mine, and I pull her up.
Fuck me. Her nipples greet me through the thin fabric of her lavender gown, and I would trade every kingdom for a moment to lavish them both. My cock jumps at the idea.
I bring our lips back together slowly. Mina melts into the kiss instantly, pressing our bodies together as she wraps her arms around my neck. She backs up, pulling me with her until she hits the wall, never breaking the kiss.
I trap her between my arms, palms pressed firmly against the rough wood. I won’t touch her, as impossible as the thought is at the moment. This is about her having control, her feeling comfortable.
She smiles against my lips, her breathy laugh clouding my brain as she rocks against my erection. Lust rolls through me with each brush, threatening my control.
“Mina,” I growl her name in warning, but it sounds suspiciously like a plea.
I suck on her tongue, and she grabs my shirt in both fists. With a satisfied hum, she pulls me closer until I’m flush against her warmth. I pin my body against hers, sliding my leg between her toned thighs.
Mina grinds against me, brushing my cock with each teasing movement. Her moan mirrors my own—riddled with desire and frustration and need. Every breath and touch grows more frantic as the seconds fly by.
I grip the wall so hard the wood creaks. My own desire coils tighter with each roll of her hips. Not yet, dammit.
I break the kiss, moving to worship that sweet spot on her neck. I suck until she pulls on my hair so hard it stings. Her breath quickens in time with her movements against my thigh, her hot core driving me mad.
I hate these barriers between us.
“So fucking lovely, Mina.” I pepper kisses along her cheek before recapturing her mouth.
She grinds against my leg a few more times before melting into me with a small moan. I swallow the sound with a gentle kiss and hold her in place against the wall.
Her hands fall from my hair to my chest, and she puts a few inches of space between us. I feel the absence of her warmth immediately.
I hate it.
Mina’s eyes remain closed, her chest rising with controlled deep breaths. I wait for the aftermath, unsure if I’ll find cool indifference, as if nothing happened, or the fiery anger I’ve grown to enjoy. I’d bet money on the latter.
I’ll happily risk her wrath again, over and over. Mina’s soft moans are better than any song.
The last thing I expect to find is bewilderment. She studies me with a small smile, glancing to where my fists are fused with the wall.
“I think that was more than five minutes,” she says through a breathy laugh.
“My apologies.” I return her smile, my words empty. I’m the furthest thing from sorry, and she knows it. “I suppose I’ll owe you the difference.”
She arches a brow, her heated gaze searing a trail down my body until it reaches my pants. My cock throbs, straining against the tight fabric.
Her tongue darts out to lick her swollen lips. I nearly lose it. With more restraint than I thought possible, I draw her chin up until her focus is back on my face.
“On the road. Whatever questions you have, I’ll answer until the time is met.”
“Deal.” She unleashes her full smile, and my breath falters at the sight.
Mina is so damn beautiful it physically hurts sometimes. The world falls silent when we’re alone like this, but for two people who hold the world on their shoulders, that’s both a blessing and a curse.
My lips seek hers out on instinct, but I freeze before doing anything foolish. Dropping my hands, I take two large steps back and clear my throat.
“We should get ready for bed. We have an early morning.”
The disappointment that flashes across her lovely face makes me want to fall on my sword. I want her to want this though. I need her to want this enough to make the first move next time.
She hugs herself and nods. “You can bathe first. I need a moment of fresh air.”
“As you wish.”
I’m grateful for the space as I close the washroom door. My head is still spinning from her touch, and my dick is pressed painfully against my pants, begging for attention.
I twist the handle to start filling the tub and grab some soap. The echo of running water hides the wet slide of my cock. My hand is a sorry substitute for Mina’s delicious curves, but my body reacts just as strongly, muscles aching through my release.
Minutes pass, but my desire for her only grows stronger. Not just Mina’s body or her kisses, but her laugh. The spark of strength in her eyes when she puts me in my place. Her tears and compassion.
She’s my opposite in so many ways, yet somehow, we fit.
This was supposed to be strictly political. Sure, I set out to tease her into crossing a line tonight—to enjoy the physical benefits of our arrangement.
But Mina pulled me across a different line instead. One I swore to never cross.
I didn’t just stumble over it. I fucking fell.