Page 30 of The Empress
I let out a chuckle, which has her eyes snapping to my face. “When I’m home, I’ll make the food. I just don’t want you to starve when I’m busy or away for work.”
She sits up a bit straighter. “Are you away often?”
“Yes.”
When there’s a flicker of relief on her face, I wonder if I should give her space to adjust to everything.
“Are you an introvert or extrovert?” I ask.
Haven goes back to looking uncomfortable with all the questions I’m asking. “I’m a little of both.”
For a moment, silence fills the air while I just stare at her, taking in how fucking exquisite she is.
Wanting to know more about the fucker who cheated on her, I ask, “So you dated an idiot for four years? What was the relationship like?”
A frown forms on her forehead, and I can see she doesn’t want to answer me, but when I continue to stare at her, she gives in. “It was like any other relationship.”
“How did you meet?”
She lets out another huff. “We met at school. He was busy with his second year studying business. Once he graduated and started working, he met someone else and they hit it off.”
Haven wraps her arms around her, giving me the impression she’s cold.
“Is the aircon too cold for you?”
Her eyes flit to me. “Your house feels like a freezer.”
I get up and walk to the panel that’s situated on the wall behind Haven. While I adjust the temperature, I ask, “And before the idiot? Do you have other exes in your past?”
When I turn around, it’s to find her eyes locked on me, the guarded and fearful expression back on her face. “One, but we only dated for a few months my senior year.”
Instead of heading to the couch I was sitting on, I move around the side of hers and take a seat, leaving a few inches between us.
Haven scoots as close to the armrest on her side as she can, her body wound tense.
The corner of my mouth lifts. “I don’t bite,principessa.”
Her gaze lowers to my lips, and even though she’s shit scared, desire makes the brown of her irises look like melted caramel.
The slight smile on my face turns into a smirk, and I tilt my head. “Like what you see,principessa?”
Her gaze widens, and she jumps to her feet. Before she can dart away, I grab hold of her wrist and tug her back down onto the couch. She ends up right beside me, her lips parted with breaths rushing over them.
When I lift my other hand to her face, and my fingers skim over her cheek where I saw the dimple the night of the party, she freezes and holds her breath.
I lean closer, and it has her squeezing her eyes shut. My hand lowers to her neck, and positioning my fingers over her pulse, I feel how fast her heart is beating.
She’s fucking terrified of me.
I let go of her wrist, and placing my arm around her shoulders, I gently pull her against my chest. “Calm down, Haven. I said I won’t hurt you, and I meant it.”
I brush my other hand over her hair, realizing it’s as soft as it looks.
Cazzo, she smells sweet like a dessert, making my mouth water for a taste of her.
When I press a kiss to the top of her head, a sob sputters from her, and she actually leans into me.
“Today was a rough day for you,” I murmur, my tone gentle. “I promise it will get better. I’ll protect you from the violence in my world, and I never bring work home. The mansion will be a safe space for you.”
