Page 24 of The Accidental Prince (Accidentally in Love #3)

Karl reached out to touch the curve of her cheek. He let his hand rest upon her face, staring into her green eyes. “When I decide I want something, I don’t stop until it’s mine.”

Her lips parted and she moved her hand on top of his. “I can’t be yours,” she whispered.

“Can’t you?” He lowered her hand and dipped his cloth in the water again. Her wrist was abraded from the ropes, and he washed it gently. “Or are you too afraid of the way I make you feel?”

“I don’t feel anything,” she insisted.

“Liar,” He drew his hands to her shoulders, sliding them over her sensitive arms. In the faded light, she allured him with her emerald eyes and her soft lips. “You weren’t pushing me away when I kissed you last night.”

She lowered her gaze, guilt flushing her cheeks. As a distraction, she poured wine into the cup and passed it to him. “You didn’t eat or drink tonight either, did you?”

“Between finding Father Durin, hiring men, and rescuing you?” He lifted the cup and drank from it. “No.”

She tore off a piece of bread and handed it to him. He ate, studying her in the light. Her blonde hair had fallen around her cheeks, the tousled locks making her look as if she’d just awakened from sleep.

“I caused a lot of trouble by leaving the palace, didn’t I?” She stared into the fire, her face disconsolate.

“Marry me, and I’ll take you home,” he said. “I imagine your father would be grateful to see you safe again.”

Immediately, she shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Why? Surely your family would be glad to have you home safely.”

She stared at him for a long moment. “The night you helped me unlace my corset,” she whispered, “I know you saw the bruises.”

He gave a slight nod. “And you wouldn’t tell me who was responsible.”

Her gaze grew distant. “Just after Christmas, he broke my ribs. Because I dared to give him a chess set made of silver instead of gold. Though he thanked me in front of my mother and sister, he punished me later. I never told them.”

A sickening suspicion made the room seem colder. “Who punished you, Serena?”

She stared into the flames. “The king.”

He didn’t move, didn’t speak. The hurt and betrayal on her face made it clear she was telling the truth. Knowing that her father had done this made him want to kill the man. What sort of a monster would inflict beatings upon his own child?

But then, he knew what it was to be hated by the woman who should have loved him, never understanding why he hadn’t belonged with the family who had raised him. He understood her pain, for it echoed his own.

“Has it always been this way?” he asked. She shook her head. “It started just after our betrothal. When I was little, he hardly paid attention to me. But since then, it doesn’t matter what I do or say. It’s never proper enough. Sometimes I think he enjoys punishing me.”

“And what of the queen? Does she stand by and allow it to happen?”

“My mother is very ill,” she whispered. “I didn’t tell her at first, because I didn’t want to upset her.” Her gaze lowered to her skirt. “She found out, just before I left. And she agreed that it was right for me to go.”

“What about your sister?”

Serena shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve tried to keep it from her, but I suspect she might have found out, since she sent you that letter. Thank goodness, she’s been away at boarding school most of the time and he hasn’t touched her, so far as I know.”

Karl studied her. “Are you afraid the king will come after you here?”

“I know he will.” Dread lined her voice, mingled with resignation. “That’s why I was taken tonight. I believe someone from the palace hired men to bring me back.”

He stood up, his mind circling with the consequences of her actions.

A man who would beat his daughter for no reason at all would find many reasons to justify hurting her.

If she returned to the king, she would only suffer more.

A seething anger took hold beneath his skin, a cold rage at the thought of anyone harming Serena.

“What do you want to do now?” Karl asked.

“I won’t go back,” she repeated, her voice growing resolute. “I’m tired of being his victim.”

“You’re right,” he said softly. “You won’t go back without me.” He had no qualms about standing up to the king, nor was he afraid of the man.

Serena shook her head. “After all the time we’ve spent alone together, he will assume the worst. Nothing good would come of it.”

“Nothing?” he ventured, reaching out to cup her cheek. His thumb edged her mouth, and she caught his meaning.

Her face flushed and she looked away. “He’s the king of Badenstein. No one can touch him or stop him from doing as he wishes.”

It was clear that she believed herself utterly alone, that she had no faith in anyone protecting her. “So you’ll keep running away from him for the rest of your life?”

“I can live a quiet life. It hasn’t been so bad these past few days.”

“Is that what you want?”

She stood up in the oversized shoes and walked toward him. “I want my freedom, above all else.”

“And you think a man as proud as the king of Badenstein will let you go without sending an army to search for you?”

“Oh, he’ll search,” she said, “but not because he wants me home safely. By running away, I’ve defied his orders. He’ll want me back to punish me.”

Karl sent her a hard stare. “Let him try.” She started to shake her head, but he caught her hand. “Face him, Serena. Only then will you have your freedom.”

Her fingers curled in his, as if she sought courage from him. “I wish I could.”

“How badly do you want to leave?”

“Very. But I don’t know if there’s any way he’ll let me alone. He won’t forgive my disobedience.” She raised her eyes to his, and in them, he saw the shadow of her fear. “There’s nothing I can do.”

She wasn’t even considering him as a protector. Karl let go of her hand, suddenly seeing the truth. “You were never going to agree to a wedding, were you? The wager meant nothing.”

She shook her head, and a flush bloomed in her cheeks. “I couldn’t involve you in a war with my father. That wouldn’t be fair to you.” Her voice softened and she ventured a sad smile, “I believe you’ll make another princess a perfectly good husband.”

He couldn’t listen to her extolling praises that weren’t true. “No. I’m a selfish bastard, and I wanted to wed you for the good of our kingdoms. Nothing more.”

Her expression faltered. “If you were so selfish, why did you rescue me?”

He ignored the question. “Everything I did was for my own purposes. I intended to use you.”

In her eyes, he saw the disappointment, the maidenly hope that perhaps there might have been something between them. But he couldn’t lie to her anymore. She deserved the freedom she wanted, and he deserved whatever misfortune happened to him now.

He started to leave her room when she blocked his path. “Why did you kiss me, then?” she whispered. “If you felt nothing at all.”

The softness in her face, and the way she looked at him made him stiffen.

If he had to destroy all of her illusions, so be it.

“It was part of my plan to seduce you. If you were expecting my child, your father could do nothing to prevent a marriage between us.” He laid everything bare, knowing that he was only fueling her hatred.

It didn’t matter. Better that she should go, well rid of him.

The door closed behind him, and Serena stared at the wood for a long time. So much of what he’d said was brutal and callous. She felt as if she’d taken an imaginary blow to her stomach, for he’d done everything in his power to make her hate him.

Instead, she sat down near the fire, thinking to herself. Karl hadn’t slept at all last night but had gone for help. He’d disguised himself among Jürgen’s men and had brought her here safely. Then he’d given up his bed, brought her food and even another pair of shoes.

For a man who claimed to be a selfish bastard, it didn’t add up.

He’d said that there’d been a falling out between him and his father.

Everything he’d done had been meant to force her into marriage, likely to regain his father’s approval.

She didn’t understand it. Nor did she understand the words he’d thrown at her, behaving as if he were a villain instead of the man who’d saved her.

Without knowing what she was doing, Serena adjusted the oversized shoes and left her chamber.

She walked down the hall, but Karl was not in her old room.

She held on to the stone walls as she walked down the winding spiral stairs, and there she saw him sitting near the large fireplace.

Outside the windows, she saw the flicker of torches.

Karl heard her footsteps and saw the direction of her gaze. “It’s only the men we hired. They’ve returned to guard us tonight.”

“Good,” she murmured, crossing the room. Karl was hunched over near the fire, looking haggard and exhausted. She didn’t know what drew her near, but she sensed that everything he’d said was meant to push her away. And she wanted to know why.

She stood in front of him, and he raised his gaze to her with wariness. “What do you want?”

“I never thanked you for rescuing me.” She took a breath, her heart pounding faster. As she stared at him, he looked angry with her. Even so, she held her ground.

“You’ve done so. Now go back to your room.” The order had an unexpected sharpness, as if he couldn’t bear the sight of her. Her first instinct was to obey, but something rooted her feet in place.

She said nothing, not understanding the tremble of the pulse inside of her. She’d seen a side to Karl that was ruthless and bold. He’d risked his own life for hers, and he’d kept his word to protect her.

Was it possible…that she could face her father’s temper and gain her true freedom?

Karl was right. The king would never stop searching for her, for any successful escape was a blow to his pride.

He’d forbidden her to leave, and once her father got word of her whereabouts, nothing would stop him from forcing her back.

Face him, Serena. Only then will you have your freedom.

The Fürst was right; she knew it. But she needed a way of protecting herself from her father’s wrath. The king held all the power over her, at no risk to himself. She didn’t know what to do.

“Serena, go.” The prince’s voice was soft, but within it, she heard the nuance of desire, the magnetic quality that drew her closer. Over the past few days, she’d seen another side to Karl. He was rough and callous on the outside…but he’d been hurt by his family, just as she had.

She didn’t want to leave. Not yet. And though her footsteps took her straight into the path of a frustrated man, she no longer cared.

Karl stood up from the chair, and without warning, seized her around the waist. “You were warned.”

Serena lost her breath when he cut her off with a fierce kiss. There was nothing polite or calm about it. In his kiss, she tasted hurt and bitterness. He was doing everything in his power to push her away, to give her a reason to run away and hide from him.

She let him unleash the anger upon her mouth, answering it by winding her arms around his neck.

At her sudden embrace, he softened the onslaught, sliding his tongue against the seam of her mouth until she opened to him.

She surrendered, letting him enter her mouth, and the sensation sent a wave of drowning desire rippling through her.

His hands moved down her spine, resting upon her hips.

When he pulled her near, she felt his arousal pressing against her.

She reached up to cup his face, and at her touch, he drew back. Hungry eyes stared into hers as if he’d never expected her to respond to him. As if she’d touched him in a place that went deeper than his skin.

His hands moved up her ribs, resting beneath her breasts. She was starting to lose her awareness, unable to grasp all the reasons why this was wrong. His arms came around her, and for a moment, he rested his mouth within her hair. She heard his unsteady breathing, but he didn’t let go.

“I’m no good for you, Serena, and you know it,” he murmured, drawing back. His hazel eyes were darkened with need, and her thoughts were in disarray.

“Is it so wrong, wanting this?” she answered. “It’s just a kiss.” Within it, she’d found the answer she was looking for. He did want her. Everything he’d said about using her seemed impossible to believe.

His hands moved to rest upon her shoulders. “Go back before I do something we both regret.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me,” she whispered. She’d stake her life on it. A part of her craved the affection he offered, for she’d never been treated this way before. He’d claimed her mouth as if she were everything he needed.

His mouth moved to her throat, dropping a kiss the curve between her neck and shoulder. In a husky voice, he whispered, “Right now I want to unfasten those buttons, one by one. I want to move my hands over your skin and slide the chemise from your body.”

Her body went soft at his tantalizing words, her skin prickling. She felt the touch of his hands upon her bodice, and her nipples went rigid.

Then what? her traitorous body demanded.

Karl moved his thumb to the first button, playing with it slightly. “I’d bare you to the waist and touch your breasts with my hands.”

Serena’s arms came up to cover her chest, and his hands caught hers. Her breathing had quickened, and with his words, she grew more aroused. “Karl—”

“Then I’d kiss you again,” he interrupted.

She wanted that, to feel the firm caress of his mouth upon hers. Without even realizing it, her fingers had gone to touch her lips.

Karl took her hand back. “Not there, sweet.”

He lowered her fingers, bringing them to touch her own breasts. Serena felt the sudden clench of need, tightening her nipples, sending a hidden ache within.

“There,” he corrected, leaving her with the image of his ravenous mouth upon her breasts, arousing her with his tongue.

Before she could say another word, he left her standing in the hall alone.