Page 47 of Betrothed to the Emperor

“Do you want me to stop?” I asked. I looked up to see if he’d take the excuse, but he didn’t move, still hovering above me, his hand so tight on my wrist that I could feel the bruise I’d have tomorrow.

This was just part of the job, I told myself. This was just one more part of my mission. My heart hammered in my chest, and my palm felt so hot touching his naked skin.

A brutal scar crossed his chest, and I ran the pad of my finger along it, wondering what could have caused it, what weapon would be turned against a prince. It was old, healed over and puckered, shining silver against Tallu’s dark skin. His chest stilled, and if he was breathing, it was just barely a rise and fall, almost no movement. I looked away from his chest, letting my eyes fall down to the dip of cloth where his waistband was loose, the ties hanging open.

I could flip us over, pull down his pants, suck him into my mouth. It had been in the back of my head ever since Tallu had looked so cold and so perfect up on his throne, his voice clear when he said, “You will be my consort.”

And seducing this man, making him give in to me, that was power. Because then our fates would be my decision, in a way no other decision had been since I was born, one of a matched pair intended for destruction.

I moved my thumb, tracing between the muscled planes of his chest, feeling his smooth skin, broken only by scars and a scattering of hair that trailed down, leading to the tempting waistband of his pants.

His mouth was open, eyes wide, breath coming fast. His eyes fixed on me, terrifyingly open. It was my turn to look away and focus on the gorgeous expanse of his body.

I pressed forward, raising my other hand and cupping his cheek, kissing him. His lips opened, giving in to me, and it was a relief. I had been tense for days, my body existing in the impossible state of endless anxiety.

Had it only been a few days since I’d found out that I would be his husband? Even now, I didn’t understand why, didn’t understand him. But my body did. Whatever we did, both of us would enjoy it. And maybe that was enough. Maybe that was all I needed for now.

I could worry afterward.

He moaned into my mouth, grabbing hold of my face. It was his turn to press forward, his tongue plundering my mouth, forcing me back until my spine curved, my mouth open to his assault.

He was everything, and I was desperate for more.

I moaned, the sound small and almost inaudible over the thundering of my heart. Tallu answered it, groaning and pushing forward, impossible to placate, impossible to satisfy.

He wanted everything that I was, and if I didn’t give in, he was going to take it from me.

He reached behind me, tugging at the tie in my hair, then threading his fingers through the strands, gripping tight, yanking my head back further so that he had full access to my mouth.

I wanted to yield, give in. Was this what my sister’s wedding night would have been?

No. It was impossible because some deep part of mewantedTallu. I needed to know what happened for both of us when he came undone. I melted against him, and he drew me even closer, one hand in my hair, the other gripping my waist.

“I can’t,” he murmured against my lips, but then he plunged forward again, the kiss even more intense. “I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t. I don’t deserve this.”

The confession left me wretchedly curious, and I opened my mouth to ask why, why the Emperor of the Imperium thought he didn’t deserve the smallest moment of intimacy. But Tallu took it as an invitation, his tongue sweeping inside, desperately seeking something.

I answered in kind, stroking my tongue against his, letting him pull me even closer, as though he could pull me inside himself.

“It doesn’t have to mean anything,” I promised him, even though what was the point if it didn’t mean anything? I hadto be doing this in order to manipulate him. I had to be doing this so that he would give me what I wanted—information and access when it was time to… time to do my duty for the Northern Kingdom.

Thathadto be the reason.

I whimpered, flipping us over, landing on top of him.

My legs bracketed his thighs, and I felt myself desperately hard underneath the layers of imperial clothing. He pushed up, almost unseating me, but I had ridden northern wolves, and I could hang on. Both of his hands came down, closing around my waist.

“Do you trust me?” Tallu asked, pulling back and gazing up at me.

I stared at him, mouth open.No. No I didn’ttrusthim. He was the man I was sent tokill. I only needed him until I had killed his successor, Rute, and then I would kill him.

How could I trust a man who threatened the Silver City and everything I held dear?

Instead of answering, I pressed back, my mouth desperate as I kissed my way down his throat, and soon enough, he had closed his eyes. He whimpered, and now he was bare-chested and I was the one clothed, creating an odd power imbalance that made me rock my hips against him, so hard and desperate for… something.

I pushed off my shirt, the thin material getting tangled on my arms. My wrists were caught by the ties at the wrists, and Tallu tightened his hand on the loose fabric. The sleeves acted almost like handcuffs, and for a moment, I wondered how similar he and his father were in their preferences.

But he was staring up into my face, almost as though he had forgotten what we were doing.