by Nora Cobb
I laughed as his eyes darkened and he scooped up his own handful of snow, throwing it at me. His aim was off, but I dodged it anyway, attempting to make another. “You need to work on your aim, Royce!”
“That was on purpose,” he said lazily before he charged me.
I squealed and tried to run away but he tackled me about the waist, pushing us both into the snow. The cold seeped through my clothing as Royce flipped me over, his face looming over mine. There was a smug grin on his face and my breath stuttered in my chest as I took in his handsome profile.
Too bad he was a king. “That wasn’t fair.”
“Kings are never fair,” he stated, his hands pinning my wrists into the snow. “Do you yield?”
A snowflake landed on my face, then another. “Yes, I yield before I freeze to death.”
Royce got off me and helped me to my feet, his hand gripping mine. “Come on, you crazy fool. It’s fucking cold out here.”
I allowed Royce to lead me back into the warm house, shivering as I removed my coat. My workout clothes were soaked through and so were Royce’s, the outline of his muscular body on full display. He turned to me, his eyes narrowing. “You’re shivering.”
“You pushed me into the snow,” I argued, my teeth chattering.
He chuckled. “I did, didn’t I?” His hands touched my upper arms, flashing me a smile. “Then it’s my job to make you warm.”
I swallowed hard as he stepped closer. “What are you doing, Royce?”
He lowered his head to my neck, nuzzling it with his cold nose. “What I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.”
I pressed my hand to his chest, pushing him back. “We can’t do this. I’m not fighting off another king and his claim to me.”
Royce slid his hands up to my shoulders until they were cupping my face. “I’m not trying to claim you in any way, Anna. I want you. Just you.”
How could I trust him? I knew their pact and how Arthur had gotten what he wanted before I realized what he was using me for. I couldn’t trust any of the kings. “Can I trust your word?”
He brushed his lips over mine lightly, leaving behind the smallest hint of whiskey on my lips. “With this, yes, you can. I want to have you, Anna, not for any other reason but to touch your skin and have you gasp with pleasure.”
His words felt so right. I wanted to feel pleasure again, but could I afford to feel it from Royce?
Or should I turn the tables on him? I should feel empowered to do so. After all, I was one of them now.
My hand curved around his shoulder, threading into his hair, and I pulled him into a hungry kiss, tasting his surprise. I could control Royce. We were both consenting adults and maybe I did need to lose myself for a little while with someone who at least pretended to understand me.
Royce recovered and his mouth devoured mine, his tongue sweeping in and taking over the situation as I knew he would. Suddenly his hands were everywhere, and I tore away from his mouth, my breathing labored. “Wait.”
“You’re fucking killing me, pauper,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine. “What now?”
“I’m cold.”
He laughed harshly, stepping back and extending his hand. “Come, then. Let’s get you out of those clothes.”
This was my chance to walk away. I could easily grab my bag and walk out, head back to the academy, and Royce would let me.
He wasn’t one to chase me down. Not him.
But as I debated whether or not to run, there was a hopefulness on his face, one that he couldn’t hide. This was the Royce that no one saw, and my heart ached just a little because of it.
There was no way I could walk away now.
So, I took his hand and he led me up the stairs to a bedroom, the master bedroom, in fact. It was intimidating like him, dark colors with a large king-sized bed in the center of the room. “The bathroom is in there,” he said, yanking open one of the dresser drawers. “I’ll get you something to wear.”
I hesitated, looking in the bathroom at the massive stand-up shower. It was the perfect size for two people. I suddenly didn’t want to be alone. I wanted to be with Royce.
Oh God, I wanted to be with Royce!
So, what was I going to do with him? A thought crossed my mind and I swallowed my anxiety. I was going to do this. “You have to be cold too.”
Royce’s hands paused and he looked over at me. “What are you saying, pauper?”
I swallowed. “Join me.”
His jaw clenched. “I’m in no mood to be teased, pauper.”
“I’m not teasing you,” I said softly, reaching for the hem of my shirt. Royce’s eyes darkened as I pulled it over my head, throwing it on the hardwood floor, and I heard the sharp intake of his breath as he viewed my sports bra. “I’m going in that shower now.”
Without waiting for an answer, I marched into the bathroom and started the shower, my hands trembling slightly. Would he come? Desire had my body flushed, no longer cold on the surface, and I knew I was playing with fire.
But I wanted Royce. I wasn’t going to deny it any longer. I wanted his hands on my skin, to make me forget that the kings were using me and to just live in the moment.
The hell with Arthur or anything else. I could use Royce for my own selfish pleasure, just like they were going to use me. Sure, I had a soft spot for the king, but I was far from falling in love with him, better prepared to handle this than I was with Arthur.
I stripped the remainder of my clothes and stepped under the hot stream of water, warming the remaining coldness that was clinging to my skin.
A hand touched my side and I smiled as Royce kissed my shoulder lightly. “I thought about not coming in,” he said near my ear. “But damn, pauper, I can’t stay away.”
His body pressed into mine and I felt his arousal, my body reacting in response. Was I really going to do this with him?
Yes, I was.
When his hand slipped down to cup my breast, I let out a moan, arching against his muscular body. His thumb rubbed over my peaked nipple and I felt my knees weaken, wondering where else he would touch with such steely softness.
“You’re gorgeous, Anna,” whispered, his other hand sliding down my body and delving between my legs. “What sorts of sounds can I get you to make?”
I didn’t know, for I had simply forgotten how to breathe. When his fingers found my hardened nub, I groaned, shamelessly grinding against his hand with some urgency. It had been eons since Arthur had touched me and no matter how I tried to recreate it, I couldn’t by myself.
But Royce was doing a fine job, and within minutes I was crying out as my body was racked with pleasure. “Damn, pauper,” he said, nipping at my neck. “You made that too easy.”
I turned in his arms, feeling his arousal press hard against my stomach. His eyes were heated with such an intensity that it took my breath away. “I hope that’s not all.”
His grin was quick. “Hell, no. I’m going to have you all night.”
I pushed at his shoulders, wanting to get a look at his body, not feeling an ounce of shame in doing so. This was a different Anna experiencing a sexual encounter, far different than the one that had allowed Arthur to take her virginity.
My hands roamed over his shoulders and down his chest, tracing the rivulets of water as they dripped down his hard muscles. As my finger traced his cut abdomen, I felt the thin ridges along his skin. “What are these?” I asked lightly, finding them all over.
“Swords,” he answered, his voice clearly bothered by what I had found.
My breath hitched. I knew what he had told me about drawing first blood; I just hadn’t expected him to have the scars to go with it. My heart turned over as I dropped to my knees, pressing a kiss to one of the ridges. “What are you doing, pauper?” he asked.
I didn’t answer, slowly kissing my way down his abdomen until I had reached his cock jutting out from his body. Both nervous and eager, I gripped him lightly, hearing Royce hiss in return. There was a thri
ll that ran through me, having this power over Royce. Whereas Arthur had been my first, Royce was my experiment, a way for me to start on my true sexual journey.
I took him in my mouth, and he groaned, his hands thrusting into my wet hair. “Damn, pauper, that feels good.”
His words flowed over me as I teased Royce, tracing my tongue down the length of him repeatedly until he groaned and pulled back. “You’re killing me, Anna.”
“What else do you want, Royce?” I asked as he helped me to my feet.
He framed my face with his hands, his eyes searching mine. “I want you, Anna. Can I have you?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
Royce reached around my body and turned off the shower, our breathing heavy. “Come on then,” he said, his own fingers trembling as they took mine. I never imagined that anything rattled Royce but apparently, I did.
He walked me into the bedroom, and I fell onto the bed, my body still wet from the shower. Royce’s eyes raked over my body before he reached into the drawer next to the bed, pulling out a condom. “This is proof I don’t want to get you pregnant with my kid,” he said, tearing it open. “I have no other desire but you.”
“Shut up, Royce,” I demanded, reaching for him. “And come here.”
His grin was quick as he slid on the condom and climbed onto the bed, covering me with his body. “I like it when you are feisty.”
I slid my arms around his neck, pressing my own kiss to his lips. “You better make this good.”
“Oh, pauper,” he laughed, nuzzling my neck. “It’s going to be good.”
I gasped as he slowly pushed himself into me, filling me to the core. Royce took his time, growling against my shoulder as I clenched around him. “You’re so fucking wet,” he breathed, biting my shoulder. “So tight.”
“You talk too much, Royce,” I said as my hands gripped his strong shoulders.
“Maybe I am looking for you to make some noise, pauper.”
I dearly hoped so.
Royce settled into a rhythm, his hands gripping my hips and driving into me so that I screamed his name as the orgasm hit. “Yes,” he said, pounding into me. “Damn, pauper, yes.”
“Royce!” I cried out, knowing my fingernails were digging into his shoulders. He was taking me to a place I hadn’t been before, feeling my body starting to turn over to him.
Only him.
It wasn’t long before Royce was shouting my name, his body stiffening and collapsing on top of me. I gladly accepted his weight, feeling his quick breaths on my neck as he tried to recover.
Oh my God. I had just had really good sex with Royce Whitehall.
**
Sometime later, Royce rolled off me, dragging me to his side as he did so. “Damn, pauper, I can’t move.”
Despite my concerns, I snuggled up against his chest, laying my palm over his heart. I shouldn’t have these tender feelings for Royce or even feel this afterglow with him, a king, who was only after my birthright.
Yet with Royce, I felt like I could trust him. Call me stupid, but I did trust him far more than I trusted the other two.
His fingers drifted down my back lightly, tracing circles on my skin. “I found out something about your mother, Anna.”
My breath shuddered in my throat. “My mother?”
He blew out a breath. “Yeah. I had some people look into her former addresses and it looks like one of them was your father’s palace, long ago.”
My heart stilled in my chest. That was yet another link between my mother and my father. I still didn’t know what sort of relationship they had, but I was starting to understand that it wasn’t just a one-night stand either.
“There’s more.”
I looked up at Royce, seeing the frown on his face. “What?”
He drew in a breath, his hand touching my hair. “It was at the same time that Isauros lost her son, Anna.”
Great, just great. Everything kept pointing back to the headmistress, meaning she was the only one who could tell me the entire story.
The story that she had sworn I would never learn.
“I’m sorry,” Royce said sincerely. “Be careful, pauper. She’s not going to tell you anything that will ruin her life in the process.”
I just laid my head back on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under my cheek. I knew that. I was honestly waiting for the day that she just killed me off and was done with it.
For if she didn’t, these kings were going to.
Royce shifted suddenly and rolled me over, rising above me with a concerned look in his eyes. “Tell me you will stay away from her, pauper.”
His concern was touching. I reached up and cupped his cheek. “I can’t, Royce. You know that. She holds the secret to my past.”
“I’m not worried about your past,” he growled. “I’m worried about you being around to see your future.”
I arched a brow, trying and failing to keep this moment light between us. He had seriously just rocked my world, but I didn’t want him to fall under the charm of protecting me. I was fine on my own. “Are you going to lecture me or make me scream your name again, Whitehall?”
His expression was priceless, but a moment later he grinned. “You like that, pauper?”
I slid my hand over his arm. “Let’s just say I have no problems doing it again.”
Royce leaned down and pressed an excruciatingly soft kiss to my lips. “This time, I’m going to taste you all over, pauper.”
Oh crap, why had I poked the beast?
Because I loved it.
Chapter 13
Anna
Two days later, after mulling over what Royce had told me, I decided to confront Isauros. It had taken a lot of effort on my part to even come to the realization, but if I didn’t, I would never learn the truth.
I just hoped she didn’t shoot me on the spot.
So, I waited until late that afternoon, when I knew that most people in the office would be gone. There was no reason to air our dirty laundry with anyone else that didn’t know, and I knew she hated the fact that we were interwoven at all.
Why was I doing this again?
I thought briefly about letting Royce know at least, but the last thing I needed was for him to show up and try to protect me.
This was my business.
So, I squared my shoulders and pushed open the door to the office. The headmistress was seated behind her massive desk, her head bent over a pile of papers before her and for a moment, I just stood there, wishing things were different between us. She could tell me how my father truly was, what kind of man he had been to her and to my mother. She could share stories of him, maybe even a few that I could laugh at and feel a closer connection to him than I did now.
But we were enemies, at least in her eyes, and I didn’t know how to make her see me as anything but. “Headmistress?”
She looked up and her eyes narrowed. “Miss Komita. This is quite brave of you, stepping into the lion’s den like this.”
I did just that, shutting the door behind me. “Can we talk civilly?”
She chuckled, removing her glasses from her nose. “Talk civilly? Come now, Miss Komita. There is nothing civil between us.”
All right. It was clear that this wasn’t going to work out as I had rehearsed in my head. “I’m here to hear about my mother.”
Something crossed over the older woman’s face. “I do not wish to discuss anything with you.”
Instead of backing up, I took two steps forward. My knees were shaking but I wasn’t going to walk out, not yet. I had come for a reason and she was going to help me. “My mother’s name was Irene. Surely you remember that.”
To my surprise, the headmistress’ shoulders slumped. “I remember your mother’s name. I remember everything about your mother.”
It was the first sign of emotion outside of anger that I had ever seen from her. “You do?”
She let out a laugh. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I remember your mother?”
We weren’t getting anywhere with this conversation. “I only want to know about her. Is that so wrong?”
The headmistress looked at me, her eyes full of emotion. “Once you start digging into the past, Miss Komita, it’s hard to close it once more. There are things you do not know about your mother, about your father, about your birth, and I am not certain you want to hear any of it.”
“You don’t know what it’s like not knowing,” I shot back, desperate for her to understand why I needed to know. “I have no idea who I am! I’ve never met my father, never met my mother, and now I am thrust into this world with no rhyme or reason as to why he wanted me here!”
