Page 113 of Beyond the Temptation: Vol 2

In the corner was an exquisite marble statue of Aphrodite that sat on a matching marble pedestal. I couldn’t help it; I enjoyed being surrounded by the best of all things. Probably why I was so drawn to her. She’d been blessed with such beauty that she was absolutely breathtaking.

“This is my home. You will stay here. You do not leave unless it is with me or someone I appoint as your guard.” The thought of her leaving and any other man touching her or even laying their eyes on her made me want to destroy something. She made me covetous and greedy, and I’d only just met her.

I wanted to own her.

I wanted to consume her.

I wanted to possess her soul.

“So I’m your prisoner? You can’t just take me from the palace without the permission of the emperor. And Albanus… I belong to him. The emperor gifted me to him. My family owed the emperor a debt they could not repay, and I was what he was given in exchange,” she cried out as she tried to pull away from me. Her panic flooded my senses.

“You belong to me now,” I bit out, my irritation growing that she dare defy me.

“No, I do not!” Her face pinched in anger and distress. She twisted as she tried to extricate herself from my hold, but I refused to let her loose.

“You would rather be a slave that is forced to fuck the emperor or the emperor’s general at their whim?” I demanded, affronted that she wasn’t happy to be free from the grip of the emperor and whoever he shared her with.

“You don’t understand at all. My family will suffer!” Working herself into a panic, she began to struggle, and I reluctantly let her get to her feet. It wasn’t like there was anywhere she could go. Sandals padding on the white marble floors, she rushed to the door, trying to open it, but it was locked.

With a cry of frustration, she slammed her hands to the wood and rested her forehead on it. After a moment, she turned to face me, and her shoulders fell in defeat. Despite her apparent misery, she was stunning.

I couldn’t help but appreciate the way the gauzy gown clung to every curve as her chest heaved with each ragged breath. It was probably indecent by most standards, but I loved the fucking thing. Especially the way the dusky shadows of her puckered nipples were hinted at through the gathered fabric.

“Take me back,” she finally demanded. Her defiant, honey-colored eyes blazed at me.

I shot to my feet and stalked toward her. Though she tried to appear brave, with each step I took, her eyes grew wider. Finally, when I was nearly toe to toe with her, she swallowed hard. Her neck craned to look up at me, and I dropped my head until our noses practically touched.

“Everyone will think you are dead. There will be no reason to punish your family. You are now mine,” I explained with deadly calm.

“Then you’re just as bad as they are,” she spat. And insanely, I actually appreciated her fire.

Laughter burst from my lips before I reached out to play with a stray curl of her hair. She jerked her head to the side to remove it from my grasp. “Oh, sweet Aurora… I’m far, far worse. But the benefit of belonging to me is that you will live like a queen, and no one will fuck you but me.”

Though I knew she wanted to fight me, she was turned on by my proximity. Even if I hadn’t been able to sense and smell her arousal, her body gave her away. The way it arched closer to mine and her rock-hard nipples pushed against my chest with each ragged inhale she took was enough.

“W-W-Why did want to save me?” she finally whispered as she stared up at me. Her full, lush lips were parted, and her eyes had darkened to a deep amber.

I brushed my thumb over her cheeks that had flushed a divine shade of pink.

“Aurora… I’m both your worst nightmare and your wildest dream. I didn’t save you. I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk and you’re going to love every second of it. Then I’m going to do it again and again and again. I’m going to ruin that sweet little cunt for any other man, because no one will satisfy you like I will. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be ready to sell your soul for one more night with me.” By the time I finished talking, my lips were brushing against hers. Maybe I used the tiniest bit of coercion as I stared into her angry eyes.

“You have to swear my family will be safe,” she softly demanded, her warm breath teasing my lips as I inhaled her words.

“You’re in no position to make demands,” I scoffed.

“I will kill myself before I willingly give my body to you if you don’t.”

My gaze narrowed on hers. The little minx probably would too. Deciding we could revisit this at a later time if needed, I gave her a dark smile. “Then I expect your willing acceptance to be my guest until I release you from our agreement.”

She snorted in a very unladylike manner at my emphasis on ‘guest,’ then arched a brow. “How do I know you will uphold your end of this bargain?”

“You have my word,” I promised. Though I wasn’t above lying because I felt like it, but with her, I meant it. I would keep them safe—at least until I tired of her.

“And how do I know your word is worth anything?”

The audacity of this woman. Cocking a brow, I waved my hand toward the small writing desk. A smooth piece of parchment suddenly awaited. “Go ahead.”

Cautiously, she made her way over to it, casting surreptitious glances at me as she went.

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