Page 127 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

“Which. One?”

“Left?”

He nods.

Grabbing my left hand, he brings it to his lips. He blows hot air on my knuckles before he asks, “Which fingers did he touch?”

“Now you’re just making fun of me,” I add under my breath as I attempt to pull my hand back. But his grip is too strong. And considering my position between him and the wall, my movements are rather limited.

“Doesn’t matter,” he mentions right before he places his lips on my big finger. He kisses the entire length of it, slow, languid kisses that make me break out in goose bumps. When he’s done with that finger, he moves on to the next. He does this until he’s kissed every single inch of my hand.

“W-what’s gotten into you? Why are you behaving like this?”

He stares at me for what seems like forever before he releases a long, tired sigh.

“I am courting you, therefore you aremine, Minnie.”

“But—”

“No buts. This is the way of my world and you are now in my world. If I am courting you, it means I am laying claim on you. You will not look at other males. You will not touch other males. Hell, you will not eventhinkof other males.”

I blink in shock.

“Did you just say I cannotthinkof other males?” I repeat in outrage.

“Damn right. And your nursing duties will be reserved only for me. You will not attempt to treat any male who is not me. Is that clear?”

I am waiting for him to laugh and say it’s a joke. Because how can it be anythingbuta joke?

But as the seconds pass, his gaze only intensifies, his breathing even more so. His nostrils flare—in and out—almostas if he’s doing his hardest to control himself. But control himself forwhat?

I don’t understand this, or him, or the customs of this world. I agree that I should have told him about my clown of a fiancé, though I don’t even claim him as such, but other than that, I’m stumped as to what he’d have me do or how to behave.

“Surely you realize how absurd this is, no?” I ask when he doesn’t show any hints of amusement.

He merely shrugs.

“There is nothing absurd about this, Minnie.”

“You’re telling me I cannot eventhinkof another male? Do you realize how absurd that is? You cannot control my thoughts?—”

“Oh, but I can,” he cuts me off.

I stare at him. “What?”

Slowly, his lips tip up. But it’s not the usual carefree smile I’ve come to expect from him. No, it’s something more menacing, something almost sinister.

“I can occupy every second of your day so that you have absolutely no time to even think of another male.”

“Are you…serious?”

“Why would I not be serious?”

“Because I’ve never heard of anything as outrageous as this before.”

He shrugs again.

“It’s because you are not familiar with my world. But rest assured, Minnie, that I am here to teach you everything about it. Including the fact that once a male claims a female, there can never be anyone else for him.”

---