Page 98 of Kingmakers, Year Three

Ah. So he told her about that.

That’s fine—I own my actions. Even those that might have been driven by a sort of madness at the time.

“Yes, I tried to drown him,” I say, refusing to deny it.

“You must have been . . . very disappointed,” Cat says, looking at her feet. “About Anna.”

All the stiffness sweeps out of me in one breath, as I understand what Cat is actually asking me.

“I respect Anna Wilk,” I say very clearly. “But I don’t love her, Cat. I’m not sure I ever did. What I felt—I think it was just the feeling of admiring someone for the first time. It was new to me.”

“Isn’t that what loving someone is?” Cat says quietly.

“It might be part of it. But it’s not all of it.”

“Do I sound jealous?” she says, looking up at me at last, her face open and vulnerable.

“I’m jealous,” I say, seizing her arm and pulling her close. “Any time anyone looks at you, or speaks to you, I’m jealous. I want all your minutes, and all your words. I want all of you, all the time.”

I see that mischievous delight spread across her face. Cat likes me best when I’m wild for her, when I’ll tear anyone apart to get toher. She doesn’t want me restrained and behaved. And I could never be that way when I’m around her.

She brings out the beast in me. And she likes it.

I kiss her roughly, bruising those soft lips.

“I want to keep seeing you,” I tell her.

“What would you do if I told you no?”

“Tie you up in that tower and punish you,” I growl. “Don’t you ever tell me no.”

“I never have yet,” Cat whispers.

I throw her down beneath a bench loaded with tomato plants, and I rip her blouse open. We’re only half shielded by the trailing vines, but I don’t give a fuck who might come along. I have to have her, and I have to have her now.

I pull her skirt up, unzip my trousers, and yank her underwear to the side. I thrust into her without warning, without foreplay.

I fuck her there on the dirt, with the scent of everything living and growing all around us.

I fuck her hard and wild, as Cat sucks and bites on the side of my neck.

I’ve never felt more alive.

School startsup again on Wednesday, which suits me fine. I don’t like too much time off, and I’m especially itching to be back in the gym honing my skills with Snow.

So I feel as much irritation as confusion when one of the grounds crew interrupts my Extortion class.

“Dean Yenin is needed in the Chancellor’s office,” he tells Professor Owsinki.

“What for?” I demand.

The man looks at me impassively, refusing to answer whether he knows the reason or not.

“Bring your things,” he says.

I stuff my textbooks in my bag while Bram and Valon give me a questioning look.

I shrug impatiently, following the groundskeeper out of the classroom.

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