Page 30 of The Princess's Chosen

Daniel scoffed, his eyes falling to the side and his hand cupping his jaw. He had big hands, and I held my breath as my mind conjured an image of those hands spreading my thighs open. The Hunger cramped, and I froze in my seat.

This wasn't me. I didn'tlikeDaniel.

"Princess, don't you find it convenient that your sister, your competition to the kingdom's crown, has left her…least mentally stable Chosen dropped in a heap at your feet?" Daniel asked, words rumbling lowly as if he didn't want to be overheard. Not that anyone was likely to overhear. The guard was at the other end of the hall and would only hear if I shouted.

"No more than I find it convenient that the council tried to replace Sir Hubert withyou," I said, arching an eyebrow at Daniel across his desk.

Those sparks of fire in Daniel ignited at once, his body straightening and those hands I'd been so fascinated with a moment ago splaying across the top of the desk. "Oh, really? Do you want to know what the council wants of me? Tofuckyou. That's it. I report nothing to them, they ask almost nothing of me, they just want one man in your ear and your bed who—"

"Who can try to convince me to be exactly like Camellia! With a mind for nothing but cock and cunt!" I shouted back, rising from my seat. I startled both of us with my language, but of the two of us, it was Daniel who blushed and lowered his gaze.

"Forgive my language—"

"Oh, don't you dare put that gentleman's mask you wear back up," I growled at him, watching him bristle. "I would rather you were rude and honest, than appearing so content to play everyone's pawn. What do youwant, Daniel?"

He snarled, and the ferocious expression seemed to fit him better than the cool stoicism. "I want to pin your wrists over your head and fuck you until you can't think of what poorSamhas to do with himself all day."

"Yes, so you can be the council's mouth in my ear!"

"No!" Daniel roared, rising up and leaning forward, eyes flashing and face just a foot away as we glowered at one another. "Because I can't get the sound of your whines and pleas out of my ears! Because my cock throbs every time you walk into a room until I can't focus on anything but your movements, hoping they turn in my direction. Because I've seen you come on another man's cock, and I know I could make you do the same!"

Oh, dear, whispered some small, shy part of myself at the back of my mind, finally realizing the precarious position I'd placed myself in.

But the Hungerroared.

It was as if I wore unseen wings that insisted on taking flight in that moment. I surged across the table, my nails clawing at Daniel's shoulders as I dragged myself to him, my heart already aching for us both. My pulse was one enormous drum beat, slamming steadily from my aching head to my desperate cunt. My teeth claimed his overfull lips, pulling them between my own to suck and worry at the swollen flesh. His breath snagged against my mouth, the shock of my attack leading to a small pause between us.

The Hunger was rising, filling me up in a way that left me a puppet. Or perhaps that was what I would tell myself later when I tried to make sense of the moment and place blame elsewhere.

Daniel took the opportunity presented with both hands, fastening a tight grip around my waist and dragging me across the desk, papers and an inkwell scattering to the floor as he pulled me to him. One arm banded our hips together, the other bracing my back, forcing me into a bow as he arched over me, returning the kiss with a soft snarl.

Magic thrummed and spun like wild vines through me, wrapping itself around my limbs and taking almost total control of my own movements. My head fell back and my lips parted, groaning as Daniel's tongue stroked against mine. He tasted of coffee and salt, and he was solid and warm andaliveagainst me. My fingers drove through his hair, holding him to me. We wavered in place, both of us fighting for control, but in the moment, Daniel let me win as I pushed roughly on his shoulder.

The chair clattered backward, and Daniel landed on the floor with a grunt, but I was on him before he could move us, planting myself over his lap and dragging him back to me by his collar. I rocked on top of him, grinding down, feeding the Hunger.

Feeding my own frustrated impulses that I'd ignored. Feeding a petty, private anger with Aric for making me doubt myself, for resisting me.

Daniel was growing hard beneath me, and I pulled away from the battling kiss to gasp for breath, my eyes falling shut and soft whimpers rising as the friction of my movements both satisfied and irritated the itch under my skin.

"You taste sweet. I thought you would," Daniel rasped, one hand encouraging my pace on his lap, the other rising to turn my head so he could suck on my pulse.

"Shut up," I hissed, and I shoved him roughly down, surprised by his laugh and his toothy grin. I glared at him, and he sobered slightly, staring up at me with his hair at odd angles and his collar askew.

"It's all right," he said, grinning again, a surprisingly warm smile. "Take what you need, Your Highness."

I paused, my movements halting as I slid my hand up his throat, fingertips resting on his chin as I stared down at him.

Turn away, Bryony, I pleaded with myself.

To Daniel's credit, he made no attempt to influence me in that moment, holding perfectly still beneath me, gaze growing curious.

I rose up on my knees, and Daniel's gaze shuttered, his smile faltering. My hand lifted from his chin and disappeared beneath my skirt. His eyes widened and then fell shut as his head dropped to the floor with a long groan as I reached for him, cupping his stiff length through the fabric.

Is that an eleven?My breath caught in my throat, and I surrendered to the magic and demand of the Hunger, tearing at the front of Daniel's trousers, reaching inside and taking him clumsily in hand. He bucked beneath me, that beautiful low voice of his broken with moans, hips rising and arm trying to guide me over him. The Hunger was fire in my veins, pinching at my breasts and cunt, squeezing around my throat, and making even the roots of my hair feel sensitive, the weight of the strands pulling at my own scalp.

I closed my own eyes as if I could block out the truth of the scene—what would I tell the others?—and guided the head of him to my opening.

I whimpered as I tried to sink onto him. The Hunger might've been in control, but I was still me and I wasn't reallyready, wasn't as wholly committed to the moment as I was with my Chosen. Daniel hissed and sat up, arms wrapping around me and mouth latching to my throat, his beard tickling my skin as he sucked and licked and nibbled on the muscle of my throat and shoulder while I bounced on his cock. He was big, thick, and it took me a frustrated moment before I was moving easily on top of him.

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