Total pages in book: 197
Estimated words: 186911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Alisdair had never spoken to me this way without a mocking tone and a smirk thrown in for good measure. To hear him say all the things I never dreamed a man would say to me, but deep down, wished he would...
It undid every lock, chain, and trap around my heart.
“Alisdair,” I whispered, stroking the fingers holding mine. “I—"
Alisdair tipped my chin. We kissed slow, sweet, and mind-scrambling.
How had he done this to me? I melted into the kiss. I think I’m falling—
“No!” I ripped away. “No, no, no!”
“Princess?”
“No.” I scrambled out from under him and snatched up my robe. “Absolutely not. We are done. You are done! This— Whatever this is,” I cried, waving my hands between us. “It’s over.”
He gave me a crazy look. “What the— You demanded I do this! You bawled like an infant when I refused!”
I flung a pillow at his face. “Well, lucky for you, the bawling infant is leaving!” I stormed off—my anger burning away whatever delusion-induced feelings I thought I was having.
“Fuck’s sake!” Alisdair’s roar rattled the door on its hinges. “You’re impossible!”
I slammed the door, then immediately dropped against it, sliding down to the floor.
I wasn’t versed in the ways of sex, attraction, marriage, mates, or soul-bindings. I never felt the emotions that others labeled, so how could I know which label fit?
All I did know was whatever Alisdair made me feel in there, it could never happen again.
THE NEXT DAY, I FOLLOWED Eadaoin down the many staircases to a part of the castle I’d never been before. It amazed me that there were still new depths to plumb in Castle Riagin.
Memories of last night flashed through my mind on a loop, warming my face and tightening my lower belly every night.
That could not happen again. Leave it to Alisdair to turn the tables, and make seducing me a bid for power that he won. Won absolutely.
The plan was for him to develop feelings or me, it wasn’t for me to form feelings for him. It made no sense that his initial rejection hurt me. I hated the man. What did it matter that he slept with and spent time with me out of duty? It shouldn’t matter at all... but it did.
I didn’t want it to be true, but it felt good when he praised me. Felt even better when he was impressed with me. And it thrilled my heart when he respected me and my opinion. No one, ever, in my whole life had done or felt any of those things toward me. No one except my family.
To have Alisdair turn around and say all of that was a waste of time cut me to the bone. And then to have him kiss and have me tender and sweet, healed all the broken parts of me right back again.
That wouldn’t do. I could not get overly invested in a man who planned to wage war on my home, my family, and my life. He was a monster and the only way this marriage ended was by me breaking my curse and leaving him—whether he loved the real and true me or not.
“Eadaoin,” I spoke up. “How did you and your soldier man fall in love?”
“Love?” She laughed. “I wouldn’t say we’re in love. More like having a bit of fun.”
“Really? Well, you two seem to have fun every free minute of every day. It’s a wonder to me that you don’t walk with a limp.”
She nudged my shoulder, laughing. “What can I say? When you’re having that much fun, you don’t want it to stop.”
“But the way he looks at you.” We stepped into a darkened hallway—heavy with a damp, musty smell. “With such need and lust like he can’t get enough of you. How do you... uh... invoke that in a man?” I forced out. “How do I make him need me?”
“Ahhhh.” She gave me a knowing look. “My lord’s giving you trouble, is he?”
I prayed Meya would open the floor and swallow me.
“Don’t worry, my queen. I know many a trick to bring a stubborn man to heel.” She threw her arm around me. “And may I say, I’m so happy you’re finally partaking in my sexual experience.”
“Or you could just kill me,” I mumbled. “End my humiliation now.”
Naturally, she laughed at me. “All right, first thing you want to do is make him jealous. That’s what I did with Keefe. I started bedding his friend Oisin. After weeks of watching how much fun we were having in the bed next to him, he finally leaped across the room, tackled me off Oisin, and had me right there on the floor.” She shivered. “Mother Meya, it was good.”
I gaped at her in horror. “That’s what you suggest I do! Bed another man in front of Alisdair? He tried to kill Bradach for saving my life. He’d tear that poor soul to shreds.”