Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Her cheeks, which had been pale up to this point, suddenly turned pink and I smelled a new scent coming from her—a feminine heat that let me know her body wanted exactly what mine did. Even if her mind still didn’t quite agree.
“You…you should not speak to me in this way, Sir!” she exclaimed in breathless voice, pulling her hand out of mine. “It is most improper!”
“I just want you to know I won’t hurt you. Though I will pleasure you until you moan for me.” I let her see some of the lust I felt for her in my eyes, giving her sweet, curvy body a slow, once over that made her cheeks go even pinker.
“I have heard…” she began haltingly. “Of artificial methods of conceiving a child without actual, um, physical contact. If you just wanted me to carry your baby and you were willing to—”
“No,” I growled, cutting her off. “No, I want you under me every night. Don’t think I’m just looking for an heir—I want the pleasure of your sweet, curvy body too, Princess.” I cupped her flushed cheek in my palm and looked down at her, letting her see the full extent of my lust for her. “I want to fill you with my shaft and plant my seed deep inside you while you moan for me. I want to breed you and get you pregnant.”
Her face went pale again and I knew then that she must be a virgin. It made sense if she wasn’t allowed to wed. I had always wondered why she had never married a human male—now I knew. It was her kingdom’s antiquated laws that forced her into celibacy.
It was fucking ridiculous but I couldn’t help feeling grateful. If another male had tried to claim her, I would have had to kill him and take her and break all the Clan Laws—it would have been a fucking mess.
“Well, Princess? What do you think?” I asked, because she still hadn’t answered me.
“What if I say no?” she asked.
I frowned and dropped my hand.
“Then your people are off to the mines, I’m afraid. Or maybe I’ll just take your brother and cut him up for cloning.” I gave the new King, who was still shrinking back in his throne, a contemptuous look. “His clones won’t be much use in the brothels, but I’m sure we could make use of them somehow. Maybe as slave labor in the mines or the pain-nettle fields.”
“No, please!” her brother mewled. He was nearly curled into a ball by now and was shaking with fear. “Please, Aurora—don’t let him take me! You told Father and Mother you’d look after me—please!”
His cowardice made me fucking sick but I could see that it was melting Aurora’s tender heart.
“Very well,” she said. Her cheeks grew pink again as she looked me in the eye. “I accept your offer, Enforcer.”
“Call me ‘Slade,’” I told her and then gave her a wicked grin. “Or better yet, ‘husband’—since that’s what I’m about to be.”
I thought she would protest, but after a moment, she nodded.
“You must give me time to prepare—time to pack,” she said at last.
I raised a finger.
“You have one hour.”
Her eyes went wide.
“What? Only an hour? I thought at least a week…even a day—”
“One hour,” I repeated. I gave her a slow smile. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long fucking time, Princess. I’m not going to wait any longer.”
She gave me another wide-eyed look and then turned and left the Throne Room. I left as well—but I didn’t go far. I pulled out my communicator and called my First Lieutenant, Rize.
“It’s time,’ I told him. “Have everything ready. We’ll be there soon.”
“So she said ‘yes?’” Rize asked eagerly. Aside from my cross-Clan crew—Rath and Drake and Turk—he was my closest friend and confidant.
“She said ‘yes,’” I confirmed. “And I want to have the ceremony over and finished in time for my honeymoon.”
“You got it, Boss,” was his reply. He ended the call and there was nothing for me to do but pace and look at my chronometer…and imagine how I would spend the night holding my new bride in my arms.
5
AURORA
“I can’t believe this. It must be a nightmare. It must.”
I shoved my hair back from my forehead as I paced back and forth in my bedroom, trying to think what to do—how to get out of this disastrous marriage I was soon to be thrust into.
“Oh, my Lady Aurora!” My maid, Pansy, stood in the doorway wringing her hands. “Surely it can’t be so,” she protested, looking up at me with disbelief. “Surely you can’t really be expected to marry that…that Brute!”
“I am—I have no choice.” I said grimly. “Goddess of Mercy, I can’t believe it’s come to this! Marrying the enemy.”
I came to a stop in front of the antique oval mirror that used to be my mother’s. It was one of the few things I had left of her and I cherished it deeply. I had been only sixteen when she died. Well, at least she hadn’t lived to see me sell myself to a Brutal Enforcer.