Page 51 of Their Princess

“No wonder the tunes turned sappy,” said Sas, almost laughing. “Bet our little girl here likes Hallmark movies and all that shit too.” He reached his hand out as though he would run the back of it down my face, but paused.

I raised one brow, daring him. “You two know nothing about music.”

“Should we be listening to opera? Classical?” asked Sas, still smirking and now stalking closer like a lion playing with a lamb. His hand shifted, ghosting just in front of my face like he could feel the shape without touch.

“While I’m surprised you can name those two music genres, no,” I said. “But not that screechy and growly shit outside either.”

“Graff, do you hear what she’s calling your music?” asked Sas.

“It’s not my music,” said Graff.

“Your music taste,” clarified Sas.

“Seems to me you all have the same musical taste,” I said. “And itisshit.”

Sas narrowed his gaze on me. “Are you trying to piss me off?”

Oh yes. Absolutely. Why not? It might spice things up, Because I’m getting bored.

“You’re angry about music?” I planted my hands on my hips. “No wonder my uncle kicked your ass in a fight if you’re so?—”

Sas grabbed me by the upper arm again, his other hand at my throat. I jerked away just before he latched his long fingers around my neck. Our height difference turned into my advantage... and my downfall. When I slipped through his fingers, he grabbed my hair, yanking it backward to turn my face upward. I let out a hiss and then kicked him in the shins, unable to reach his crotch.

“Let me go,” I hissed as he tightened his hand in my hair.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” His smirk erased the anger lines between his brows now that he had overpowered me, but something dark and deadly lurked in his gaze. “Why else would you keep running your mouth?”

“Maybe I like to hear myself talk. Like you.”

“I don’t. But...” He took his hand off my arm and dragged his thumb across my lips.

Sas’s gaze, with one eye near swollen shut, lingered there as though he saw something new, different, and enthralling.

I tried to bite him, but the action only distracted his musing and spurred him on. He spun me around and threw me against the wall, holding me with my cheek pressed against the smooth surface. “Such pretty lips you have there. Too bad you don’t put them to better use.”

A thrum of something wild and wicked kicked to life inside, the heat spreading down my body.No, Adelina, I told myself. I wouldn’t be caught up in this dangerous mess. Perhaps I should be docile, like I’ve pretended so many times with my father to deflect his ire.

Sas purred. “Just the thought of them painted candy-apple red and parted?—”

“Like teeth?” I jerked and wriggled in his grip.

He growled, baring his own teeth.

“Better to eat you with.” I really should be trying to figure out hownotto provoke this man, because he could easily hurt me worse than I could likely imagine.

He pushed me harder against the wall, tightening his grip on my hair. It hurt, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of voicing that pain. Plus, my taunting him was doing something unexpected. Breaking a shell inside me and showing me what could be.

“Nice offer, princess,” he said, then leaned closer, his breath right next to my ear and hot on my skin. “You can start with wrapping them—your lips, that is—around my cock.”

“Sas, don’t,” warned Graff, now standing three feet away, his tatted arms crossed over his broad chest. He moved closer, like he was trying to wedge himself between us.

He was just about the perfect size. Still massive in bulk, but the median in height between the two of us. But where had his sketchbook gone?

“Back the fuck off,” Sas snapped at Graff. “Unless you want to sharehertoo.”

Share me...? I peeked at Graff from the corner of my eye.

“Too?” I finished my thoughts aloud.

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