Page 20 of The King’s Bodyguard (Catkin Trilogy #1)

“Doubt it? I have every right to doubt the unfortunate spawn of that weakling bitch—“

The words hit me straight in the gut.

“Queen. Larielle.”

Two words, spoken in a voice as cold and hard as flint.

“Her name. Was. Queen Larielle.”

Corrin. Corrin was stepping between us now. His shoulders were tense, and his green eyes flashed with rage.

“Landis,” Lord Morne said sharply. “This is the second time this oaf has not remained in his place. I expect you to deal with him instantly. I said it before, and I say it again, the best place for Munni is in the wasteland and not here with their boorish behavior.”

“The only boorish behavior I see is your own, Lord Morne. To speak with such disrespect does not befit a lord,” Corrin said softly. “I will pretend I did not hear such traitorous disrespect... if you leave now.”

The threat was real. Lord Morne stepped back, shutting his mouth with a click. He glared at Corrin, but the coiffed, oily lord could no more budge Corrin than he could a mountain of Velamere. Corrin kept staring at him with lethal intensity. I shook my head slowly.

“Corrin stays, Lord Morne.”

I tried to think of something else to say, but words failed me.

“I recommend you apologize,” Corrin suggested, “and then leave.”

“My apologies.”

Lord Morne offered me the barest bow and made straight for the exit to the parlor. There was no way I could go back there. I could scarcely breathe. Spawn of that bitch. Spawn...

I could barely hear Corrin over the roar of my thoughts.

He was saying something to another guard.

Then, with his hand around my shoulders, he led me away.

My feet felt like lead, but somehow I began to move, guided through corridors until I arrived at my rooms. A servant making up a fire scurried away, leaving me alone with Corrin.

Corrin helped me out of my dinner robes, unbelted my tunic, and stripped me down to my breeches and undershirt. I shivered before the fire, struggling to come to terms with the cruelty of my cousin’s words. The vitriol and the hate that had laced his tone like dripping poison.

I have known , I reminded myself as I battled the fear that swamped me.

Deep down, I have always known. But… now, it seemed more real than ever.

More likely than ever the bandit in those woods was sent there at the behest of my cousin.

Somehow, I have to survive this. Not just for my sake, but also for Rilla’s.

Just as I thought I was about to fall apart, Corrin’s arms surrounded me. Instinctively, I leaned into his touch, clutching his shirt and inhaling in time with each of his breaths. My heart slowed a little, and I found myself slowly becoming more grounded in the moment.

The crackle of the cheerful fire, the gentle patter of rain against my room’s windows, and the feel of the large fur rug before the hearth slowly filled my senses.

Corrin’s scent enveloped me as well. Horses, sun-drenched hay, and pine.

My hands rose over the hard muscle of his chest beneath his jerkin.

They tugged on his neck and lingered on the sharp line of his jaw.

Without a word, I drew him into a long kiss, opening my lips and begging him to enter.

I sighed with contentment as Corrin responded instantly, pinning me to him and allowing me to grind my slowly rising cock into his thigh.

Clinging to his tunic, I plastered myself against his body and submitted to the hard press of his lips against mine.

Desire now raged through my body. Moaning softly, I couldn’t help but thrust against him. Corrin growled in response, biting me hard on my neck. A breathy gasp left my lips.

No doubt recognizing how far I was gone, Corrin carried me to my bed. He would ordinarily have laid me down, but I clung to him desperately. I didn’t want to let go. I wanted more. All I could smell was him, all I could hear was his harsh pants against my cheek, and all I could feel were his hands.

Corrin’s hands were moving all over my body, exploring under my shirt, teasing my nipples, and palming my erection through my doeskin breeches. My small clothes were already stained with pre-cum. The pressure on my arousal drove me wild. My hips bucked as I arched against him.

Freeing my hands from around his neck, Corrin pinned me down and watched me squirm. On either side of my hips, he knelt. I could see the bulge of erection through the tight stretch of his breeches. I gasped and tried to inch forward so that I could somehow leverage myself.

Corrin chuckled. He leaned down and kissed me again. I attacked his lips in return, thrusting my tongue into his mouth. Corrin’s tongue battled with mine. Of course, his experience won out, but that only stoked the fire of the heat in my cock. I groaned as Corrin drew away.

“Pillow.”

Corrin slid a hand underneath my pillows and, after a moment, withdrew his hand.

He’d found the oils I’d stashed under there in hopes of getting him to my bed one night.

Raising a dark eyebrow, Corrin smirked. I was blushing deeply, but I didn’t care much.

Instead, I finished stripping my shirt off.

Corrin helped me tug my breeches and small clothes off.

With that done, I was more than ready. I began to kiss Corrin again.

He chuckled once more.

“Might I remind you that this might go a lot better if I were unclothed as well?” He suggested lightly.

Instantly, my hands flew to the pin on his overcoat.

I scrambled to tear off his clothes. I wanted his arms around me.

After the day of difficult truths, I wanted Corrin more than ever.

Within the week, I was to be a married tom.

A faithful husband. Until then, I could have this. I could have Corrin.