Page 117 of Savage Empire

Stood just down the hall, Apollo’s gaze is on me, waiting for me to join him in the area between the living room and kitchen. His suit jacket is already off, slung over the back of the couchlazily. As I take a step toward him, he begins to work on his cuffs. Never moving his gaze off me, he unbuttons them like second nature.

I gulp, attempting to muster up my bravery.

But…holy shit.

He’s here, and he looksready. There isn’t a hint of doubt lacing his expression. Gone is his usually guarded and grumpy demeanor, the only vibe he’s putting out is one of pure hunger.

I almost expected him to back out of this, to have woken up this morning and decided marrying me was a ridiculous idea. But here he is, looking at me with desire in his captivating, icy blue eyes. My hands feel clammy as I stop in front of him, biting my lip in contemplation.

“Don’t look so scared,micina.This was your idea, after all.”

“I’m not scared,” I fib, swallowing hard. “I just didn’t expect you to be so, um, ready.”

“Did you want a foreplay trial as well, then? Should I have taken you to dinner first?” He arches a brow. “I was under the impression that I was here to prove I could make you come, not romance you into bed. Was I wrong?”

“No,” I bite out, fingers flexing. “There’s no need for that. There will be nothing truly romantic about our union—if it even happens.”

“Whatever you say, love.”

My eyes narrow, catching a hint of a patronizing tone. “Get used to saying that,darling.”

“My, my, Rayna.” He chuckles. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’d just implied that I’ll be your doting husband soon. I thought you were confident I couldn’t please you? Are you sure you didn’t ask for this trial simply to engage in premarital debauchery? You only needed to ask,darling.”

My hackles rise, irritated with the smug grin he’s sporting. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“You’reabout to be full of me, too, sweetheart,” he drawls. “So, I guess we have that in common.”

“And it will be a lot more enjoyable if you stopped fucking talking,” I snap.

Despite how easily he pisses me off, he’s also working me up. If I couldn’t feel the heat coiling in my belly so evidently, I would never believe it. I’ve argued with Apollo countless times before, and never did he ever make me feel this way. Maybe it’s the way he’s looking at me, or the way his collar is looser than normal.

Or maybe, he’s always got you going and you’ve been too stubborn to admit it.

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I think you’ll find you like my voice in your ear when I’m driving you to the brink of madness with my?—”

“If you’re going to keep undressing, we should go upstairs. I don’t want Yordan to come home and find a cufflink under the couch.”

His lips twitch, finding my interruption amusing.

“As you wish.”

The tension is palpable as we ascend to the second floor. Not a word goes exchanged for the entire journey, not even as Apollo lets my bedroom door fall shut.

“Your room is more pink than I would have imagined,” he finally comments, breaking the silence.

“Spend a lot of time imagining my bedroom, do you?”

“Only when I’m in my own, fist wrapped around my?—”

“You’re lying.”

“—cock,” he finishes, smirking. “Do you have a problem with that word,micina? That’s the second time you tried to stop me from saying it. And I assure you, there’s no need to lie. I’ve fucked my hand thinking about you more than once. Especially after our dalliance in the hospital.”

“I don’t have a problem with the word, you’re just talking too much.” I sigh, feigning boredom. As if the information he just shared hasn’t knocked me off my axis.

Apollo Moretti has jerked off while thinking of me.Jesus Christ, what kind of fever dream am I having?

There’s no way I would admit to him that I’d done the same. Shamefully getting myself off under my covers at night, fingers drenched inside of my panties while I wished my hand was his.