Page 81 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

“You hold your own. I’ll give you that. Fuck, that might have been the most attractive thing I’ve ever seen.

” His bright blue eyes flashed back to her.

“You’re a walking magnet, aren’t you, Santres?

” The mention of her fake name reminded her she was supposed to be pretending to be someone else. “You must hear that all the time.”

She gave him a humble smile. “I’ve been told once or twice.”

His mouth slipped into a large grin, letting her know he liked her fire. He pulled out a chair for her, all the while looking down at the oval black ring she was wearing. She knew he’d like that she kept it on.

“So, are all these men friends of yours, or do they work for you?” she asked.

“Both,” he answered. “Though the latter is what keeps them around.”

She gazed at him with empathy. “You really believe that, don’t you?”

“Yes. If you’d had an upbringing like mine, you’d say the same.”

Her father had believed the same thing. “I’m sorry, but that’s just too sad to believe.”

Moretti’s eye twitched with curiosity. “What is it you’d have me believe, Draya Santres?”

“I’d like to believe true wealth comes from something that cannot be bought.”

“Such as?”

She picked up her glass from the table. “Such as love, family, friendship. From the looks of it, you could use better ones.” She took a sip.

Moretti’s eyebrow lifted. “Is that so?”

“Yes. You should be able to trust friends with anything.”

“I trust them enough.”

“But not around me.”

“Oh, not a chance in hell, goddess—I don’t even trust myself around you.”

Blood rose to the surface of her cheeks. Her stomach rumbled not a moment later, reminding her of how hungry she was.

He gestured to the food spread on the table. “Come on, let’s eat before that stomach of yours shakes down my fine establishment.”

Dinner was exquisite, with no expense spared.

Every dish had the finest luxuries available.

Her plate was lined with gold, as was the silverware and the cup.

Even the chair cushion was filled with goose feathers.

The food was almost too beautiful to eat, and once she tasted it, it melted like butter in her mouth.

Time and time again, she waited for a chance to slip the powder into his drink, but the public setting made it impossible.

She needed to stay guarded around Moretti, and she was. But against her better judgment, she felt an unexpected sense of ease with him. Their conversations were effortless, and even his casual movements around her seemed as instinctive as breathing.

Once they were done eating, the servers came too quickly to take their plates—and, more importantly, their glasses. She cursed.

It was time to enact plan B.

She strategically shivered, putting her arms around herself as she rubbed her upper arm.

“Are you cold?” he asked, picking up the hint.

“A little,” Rose admitted.

“Well, we can’t have that.” He got to his feet, stretching his hand to her.

She took it, letting him lead her upstairs, back to the suite she had used to change. Once they entered, Moretti went over to the fireplace, his back facing her as he worked on lighting the fire.

With him distracted, she took her chance. She took out the small pouch of the lotus powder and emptied its contents into her mouth, tucking it into her cheek to delay its dissolving, then stuffed the small pouch back into her dress.

She gazed down at him and the embers he’d brought to life.

“Moretti?” she said above him in a smooth voice.

He stood to face her, unaware of the danger lurking past her lips.

Without warning, she slid her hands behind his neck, urging his lips down to meet hers.

And meet they did.

Within seconds, he brought her closer. To her pleasant surprise, he was an excellent kisser—better than Grant. His hand went up to her jaw, cupping it sweetly, lifting it to kiss her deeper.

Her tongue slid along his bottom lip, asking for entrance. His soft groan vibrated on her lips as he submissively granted it. Her tongue slid into his mouth as he opened up. They kissed for a long moment, Rose wanting to ensure he’d gotten enough of the powder’s effects.

She knew it was working as it began to make its way through her, overpowering her senses just as it had during the second challenge. She braced herself for it, letting it run its course instead of fighting the sensation.

He pulled away first, looking like he’d been swept away to heaven itself. His hot breath spread over her face.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized at once. “I just?—”

His lips silenced her apology, kissing her again, coaxing out her desire unconsciously.

“I want to ravish you until you can’t stand properly,” Moretti murmured, unaware his sudden urge for honesty was the powder’s effects working.

“But I don’t want you to think that’s all I want.

As much as I want to keep kissing you—” his eyes flickered to her lips then back up into her eyes, “—to take advantage of you in every single way, I’m not going to.

Because I want more from you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and let me assure you I’ve had my pick of the litter.

Women from all over Cathan have come to see me, each of them willing to hand over their bodies and souls to me.

I’ve never wanted anyone. None. Until the moment I saw you walking by today.

” He put his forehead against hers. “After the race, after I saw you gallop across the water like it was nothing and the smile that grew on your lips when you did… Gods.” He swallowed hard.

“It was at that moment I knew I was looking at an angel—and I just knew I had to have you.”

Her breaths grew uneven. She hadn’t expected him to be so genuine, but then again, she had just drugged him. “You saw that?” Of course, he had. The whole bloody arena had seen it.

“You think I’d send you into that race alone? I watched over you throughout the entire track. I had men posted at each point, thinking you’d need my help. But you didn’t.”

She hadn’t been expecting that either. She hadn’t been expecting any of it—well, perhaps the lusting part, but to care for her genuinely so quickly was astounding. She knew it to be true from the lotus.

Her heart cracked. She felt terrible for using him all of a sudden. She’d wanted him to be someone she disliked—someone she wouldn’t care about hurting. But now… now she could feel the powder make her face the truth.

“Say something,” he whispered, searching her eyes.

“I… I don’t want to hurt you.” She attempted to pull back but held firm.

“Hey,” Moretti whispered, still so close their noses were brushing. “You can’t kiss me like that and get shy now.”

She let a small smile escape her lips. “I like that about you—how you make conversation easy.”

He returned the smile. “Good. Because I want to know more about you.” He moved to sit on the large bed.

A knot formed in her chest. She didn’t want to answer questions about herself. She was supposed to be doing the questioning.

She sat down next to him anyway.

He wasn’t having that—he pulled her onto his lap as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. She leaned into him, smelling his expensive cologne as she did. “What if we take turns?” she suggested, thinking on her feet. “I ask something, then you.”

“Seems fair enough,” he said with a smile. “I’ll go first. Why’d you enter the race?”

“You were going to kill Onyx if I didn’t,” she stated, hiding the truth with another. “He and I… have a special connection.”

“I can’t believe I’m jealous of a sleipnir.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve heard you have a somewhat controversial reputation. Why is that?”

“Because I grew up with nothing. I wasn’t given a cent like so many others here. Much of what you see in Caleede is generational wealth. What I have now, I had to fight for. It wasn’t given to me. I had to take it. Many people disagree on how I did that.”

“Is that why you deny so many women? You think they’ll only choose you for your money?”

Moretti smirked. “Partly. What’s your family like?”

“I live with my mum. My dad died, and I have no siblings.”

He wouldn’t accept such a vague answer. “Come on, you have to give me more than that.”

She gnawed on the inside of her cheek, digging deeper, weaving her way through the effects of the powder. “My mother is what some might call overprotective of me. In my eyes, she’s a fighter because she had to be. She endured my father when he didn’t deserve it… He wasn’t kind.”

A twinge of sadness graced his handsome face. “You and I have that in common.”

“How is it you make your money?”

“Investments, trading, shipments, some rare black market items,” he blurted, looking surprised as he told her the last bit. “What’s a girl like you doing not married yet?”

She wanted to lie, but the powder wouldn’t let her.

She chose her words carefully. “Because my mother and I have no money. Another gift from my father. I was going to get married, but… I ended things. I’ve been looking to find a suitor ever since, but the man I was in love with is powerful.

He made sure no one would want to come within ten feet of me. ”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because I hurt him terribly,” she stated, her heart aching to think of Tristan. She cleared her throat. “Were you involved in the war?”

“No, but I played a small part, shipping weapons and supplies to the troops.”

At last, she was getting somewhere. “Were there any other provinces you sold supplies to during the time?” she probed, digging for more.

His eyes narrowed, fighting the effects. But he had no idea what was happening, so he had to respond. “Uh, yes. A few others.”

“Who?”

His brows grew together, suspicion lacing those blue orbs. “I sold them to a band of men willing to pay a lot of money for some supplies and information.”

“What kind of information?” she pressed.

He stood up off the bed, his eyes darkening. “Information about something they were looking for. Why do you ask?”

She stood, too. “Because I’m trying to find them. Do you know where they are?”

“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth, admitting it. “But what would a girl like you be doing looking for men like that?”

“They’re hurting people, and I want them to stop. Don’t you?”

“I don’t much care for what doesn’t concern me.”

“Can you tell me where they’re hiding?”

“Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t tell you. If those men even thought I betrayed them, I’d be a dead man.”

She stared at him in awe. “You’re scared of them.”

“You’d be a fool not to be. They’ve killed thousands of people. I made a deal with them to protect Caleede. They promised they wouldn’t touch me or the city if I gave them what they wanted.”

“What was it they wanted?”

He clenched his teeth. “I… I can’t tell you. I’m bound not to.”

His refusal to answer caught her off guard. She didn’t know anyone able to resist the lotus’s effects. How was that even possible? Unless… unless it was magic. She didn’t have time to dwell on it as he continued.

“You can’t just go off looking for these men on your own. It’s not safe.” His eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you doing? Is this the only reason you came here?”

“No,” she replied, surprising herself. She fought the clawing words coming out. “I… I was curious to see what you were like.”

He stepped forward boldly, closing the gap between their bodies, peering down at her with his dazzling blue eyes. “And have you liked what you’ve seen?” he asked in a dangerous whisper.

Her heart pounded into her rib cage. “I like you more than I thought I would… Do you like me?” she couldn’t help but ask.

Stupid.

His eyes grew softer, his voice submissive. “Yes,” he answered. He slid his hands around her, pulling her closer. “Even though a million red flags are going off in my head. You can understand why I’m having a hard time trusting you.”

A wise decision. “Perhaps you shouldn’t.”

“Oh, I know I shouldn’t,” he agreed, interlacing his fingers with her hair.

“But I’ve always been a risk taker, and I believe you are worth the risk.

” His eyes flickered down to her lips, begging for them.

She didn’t have to move as Felix’s lips molded with hers, opening and closing in controlled motions—he really did kiss well.

He panted for air as he said, “I need to know more.”

“More about what?”

“You.” His hands cupped her jaw. “This man you loved, do you still love him?”

She meant to say no, but instead, she said, “Yes, but he’s married to another.”

“So who was the hooded man who visited you in the tent? Is he someone you have feelings for?”

So he’d been watching.

“Yes.” She ignored how her pulse quickened at the confession.

“So I have competition. Of course I do. How could I not, with a girl like you?” The fact clearly only made him more determined. “How much do you like him?”

The powder’s effects tugged on her, but she simply said, “A lot.”

The fact darkened his eyes. “That won’t do.”

Her brow twitched. “What?”

“I couldn’t possibly share you… and what’s more is I know you feel something for me, too.” His ragged voice came closer, enough to feel his warm breath on her skin. “You wouldn’t have kissed me if you didn’t.”

Rose’s heart sank, knowing where this would lead but not wanting to hurt him. She pulled away. “It’s getting late. I should go. My aunt will wonder where I am.”

“Don’t be scared of me,” he pleaded, pulling her back into him.

“I’m not,” she replied with a sure voice. “It’s only back home they’ll worry about me. I should go before it gets late.”

“You’re more than welcome to come home with me.” Moretti stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Forever, if that’s what you wish.”

Her mouth parted, hanging open, dumbfounded, knowing he was completely serious. “You barely know me. How are you so sure you’d want me to stay?”

He remained close, hovering over her lips. “Because I’ve heard your voice, tasted your lips, and looked into those eyes. I know what I want. And I take what I want.”

She swallowed hard. “I can’t stay.”

“I want you to stay, but I don’t want to scare you. So please give me something to hold on to. Promise me you’ll come back.” Begging seemed foreign to him. “I can’t just let you disappear.”

She paused, allowing herself to think if she’d like to stay, to learn more about him and his life in the city.

It was clear he didn’t care she had no money.

He had enough of his own. And perhaps here would be better for her, far from the castle, from Tristan.

She and her mother would be well taken care of.

“I’ll come back,” she said, surprising herself.

“When?”

“Soon.”

His eyes were pained as he lowered his lips to hers again—slowly, this time, sweetly, like he had all the time in the world with her.

“I’ll be waiting,” he whispered against her lips.