Chapter 3 #2
We’re outside when I finally let her go, in a small paved clearing outside the ballroom, lit up by lanterns and the full moon above us. It’s much cooler out here, and quieter. Or at least it was, until I take my hand away from her mouth and she screeches, “How dare you?”
Before I can reply, she slaps me. Hard.
I bring my hand to my cheek, too damned shocked to do anything else.
“You cannot just drag a lady out here to do Stars knows what! Have you no shame at all? You’re lucky the guards didn’t notice. If they did, they’d—”
“You are going to be quiet now,” I snarl, pacing towards her. Flattening my palms against the wall on either side of her head, I stoop over her.
Any trace of her earlier confidence vanishes in the night air. “What?” she stammers.
“You are going to be quiet now.” I keep my voice low. “Unless you would like me to force you to your knees and give you something to fill your pretty mouth with.”
Her eyes widen. I already want to reach forward and kiss her again, but instead I brush my thumb over her lower lip, my voice softening.
“Would you like me to be gentle or rough with you?” I’ll punish her for her slap later. Now all I can think about are her rosy lips, and how divine they’d feel around my cock.
When she doesn’t reply, I lean forward to kiss her ear. “Gentle or rough, sweetheart. Those are your options. Pick one or I will choose for you.”
“Rough.”
I pull back to look at her, my brows raised.
“You heard me. I said I want rough.” She pouts.
I chuckle. “You don’t look like the sort of girl who’d like to be treated that way.
” With her soft hands and noble features she looks like she’d want me to get down on my knees, part her thighs, and treat her like a princess.
Which I would do for her. Gladly. “Let me be gentle for you.” I stroke her cheek.
She rolls her eyes, pushing my hand away. “If you’re just going to ignore what I asked for, can you let me go? I probably need to grind on at least another four princes in there to really make my point.”
“What?” I sputter.
“It’s nothing personal,” she carries on. “You’re handsome and all, but I plan to ruin my reputation tonight and I’m not getting anything done by standing out here with you.”
“What are you talking about—”
She goes to duck under my arm, but I lower it, shoving her back against the wall. “I didn’t give you permission to leave.”
“Excuse me?” she scoffs.
“You said you wanted me to be rough, sweetheart,” I remind her, pinning her wrists above her head with one hand and using the other to push up her skirt.
“Now you’re going to be a good girl and listen when I speak, or I will treat you like the little slut you seem so desperate to be tonight. Do you understand?”
She nods breathily, her gaze flicking to my lips.
“That’s better.” I grin. Her bratty attitude is going straight to my dick, but nothing is sweeter than the submission in her gaze. The second we’re back in my castle, she’ll find out just how submissive my magic can make her be.
Slowly, I push my hand up her thigh. She gasps as my thumb brushes over her clit.
I shouldn’t be doing this now. I brought her out here to use my magic on her. Nobody would notice if I compelled her to hide behind the shrubbery and touch herself while she waited for me to get the information I came here for.
I should be finding a secluded place to have her wait for me instead of leering over her like a damned animal. But all I can focus on is how soft her sex is as I slide two fingers inside. “You’re fucking soaked,” I breathe, stroking her walls.
She whimpers, and it’s my new favourite sound. “Please… faster…” she moans.
I happily oblige, curling my fingers around her sweet spot.
Chatter from behind me makes my shoulders tense. Others have wandered out from the ballroom into the clearing. Drawing closer to her, I use my shoulders to shield her from the crowd.
“Let them see,” she moans, and my eyes widen. “I want them to watch this.” She hooks her thigh around my waist, rolls onto her tiptoes, and presses her lips against mine.
I groan. My hand drops to her waist, pulling her against me.
“That’s it,” she breathes. “They’re watching.” Her words wash over me. I lift her up the wall. She gasps as my third finger eases into her.
“Fuck,” I snarl when she grinds her hips against mine. Letting my head fall against her shoulder, I bask in her scent.
“Oh Stars…” she sighs.
My cock throbs. Fuck leaving her out here. Removing my fingers, I go to loosen my breeches when a woman screams behind me.
“Call the guards!”
I tense, lifting my head from her shoulder.
“Whoops,” she whispers, out of breath. “May have gone a little too far.”
Reality slams into me, and I turn around. People surround us. In the centre are two women wearing gold puffy gowns, their mouths wide open.
Princesses. Horrified princesses.
“Shit,” I murmur.
“It’s time for me to go.” My little monster fixes her skirt and edges along the wall away from me. “Thanks, handsome.” She gives me one last wink before slipping through the crowd. I lunge after her, but she’s gone already.
“What were you doing to her?” one of the princesses – tall with brown skin and tightly curled hair – cries out to me.
“Guards!” the other princess with long blonde hair yells frantically.
I don’t have time for this. Ignoring them, I push through the crowd. She’s not getting away that easily. If she wants to be chased, I’ll fucking chase her.
Kennix blocks my path. “Lord Tauren!” he blurts. “I tried to stall him, but he realised his guards were gone and panicked. He’s spoken to Sol. The palace guards know we’re here for him. They’re protecting him. We have to go—”
“I don’t care.” I try to shove past him to get inside. I need to find her. But Kennix pushes me back.
“Sol will not take kindly to us threatening his ally. We can’t stay here anymore.
It’s not worth the risk.” Behind him, the ballroom is just as lively as it was, with dancing couples twirling over the floor.
But I don’t miss the increased number of guards now lining the walls, or the way Sol is barking orders at a group of soldiers.
Demons are not at war with this kingdom, but Kennix is right. If Sol believes Elheart is under attack from my court, he’ll make a salt circle around the ballroom. I need to get my soldiers out, and fast.
“Damn it.” I want to put my fist through the nearest window. “Give the signal for the others to retreat. The mission is over. There’ll be other balls.” Unlikely. But I can’t think about that bastard lord right now. All I can think about are those two dark eyes.
“Are you alright, sire?” Kennix studies me. “What happened out here? Who was that girl?”
I steady my breathing, trying to think of anything other than the taste of her rosebud lips. “I don’t know,” I mutter.
But I’m going to find out. And when I do, I’ll tame that bratty attitude right out of her.