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“Makes no difference to me if you do or not. It’s the truth. You want me, Princess. You want to fuck your stepbrother, and you hate it so much that it’s safer for you to blame me.”

26

RUAROK

“That’s not true,”she insists.

I can’t see her expression in the dark, but I can picture it perfectly. Her lips will be parted in disbelief, her eyes wide in shock. Her feigned innocence is starting to piss me off. She’s acting as though this is all my fault, but she’s the one who was grinding up against my cock like a cat in heat. That she then blames me for my reaction is a little much.

But instead of throwing a temper tantrum and storming out of there, I decide to play with her.

“You’re only lying to yourself. You want to fuck your big brother, and you can’t get your head around that. You act like a princess, but deep inside is a dirty whore desperate to get out.”

She draws another sharp intake of breath. “You can’t speak to me like that.”

I lean in closer, press my lips to her ear. “You’re a filthy slut, Princess. You want my cock in your throat, and my fingers inside you. You want my mouth on your pussy. Ormaybe you’d like me to play with your ass. To tongue your hole, then push it into you.”

She jerks away, yanking the blankets from my body. “Stop! I won’t hear such talk.”

But her breathing is rapid, her chest rising and falling. I can’t see it, but I bet there’s a flush to her cheeks. And I can smell her arousal on my fingers.

“I know you’re wet for me. I felt that for myself.”

“I should have you locked back in that cage for speaking to me like that.”

I’m not done. “Put your hand between your thighs, Princess. Touch yourself and then show me your fingers. If they’re not glistening, I’ll put myself back in that cage and lock the gate and throw away the key.”

“You wouldn’t do that.”

“Try me.”

She’s actually entertaining the thought, but she knows she’ll never win, because sheiswet. She’s sopping down there, her pussy perfectly ready to entertain me.

“You need to leave,” she says instead. “Now.”

I mock pout. “But then you’ll get cold again.”

“I’d rather be cold than have someone disrespect me in such a way.”

“You didn’t think you were disrespecting me when you were grinding up on my cock?”

She’s so much fun to play with. How long will she continue to lie to herself? While it would have been better if she’d let me fuck her in this tent, so everyone around could hear, and rumors would fly faster than the dragonflies that are the kingdom’s emblem, I can’t pretend I’m not enjoying this.

“I did no such thing. It’s not my fault it was just rightthere. I was trying to make space. You’re the one who took things further.”

I give a low chuckle. “Sure, you keep telling yourself that, Princess. Let’s see how long you last before you’re begging to ride me.”

I throw back the blankets and get to my feet. She gathers them around her again. I can sense her glaring at me in the dark, and a smile plays on my lips. I will have her, eventually. Then I will ruin her.

Going to the front of the tent, I push back the flap and climb out into the open. The vast expanse of dark sky has begun to lighten, the stars blinking out, one by one. I stretch my muscles and roll my shoulders. After so long in the cage, even being out here feels like a luxury to me.

I understand why my father didn’t banish me to the wildlands, the way he had so many of the criminals who came before me. He’d worried that instead of wasting away out here, I’d have thrived. He’d have thought that I would gather up all those men he’d banished—hard men, criminals—and returned to the castle with an army behind me.

He’d have been right, too.

I take a seat on the cold ground and wait for morning to arrive. In the tents around us, the guards snore and mutter in their sleep. The horses sense morning approaching and snort hot breath in the freezing cold air and paw at the ground, restless.

We’ve been lucky not to have to deal with any interruptions in the night. Huge, black, wolf-like beasts prowl these lands and are most likely hungry for their next meal. Gangs of outcasts also roam the moorland. I assume word of our journey hasn’t gotten out yet, or we’d have beenjumped upon overnight. I touch the dagger that’s placed at the base of my spine, and the other one in my boot, reassuring myself of their presence. While I might not have the sword training of the guards, or damned Balthorne, who is probably the best swordsman in the land, I can still handle myself.