Page 92 of Vicious Princess
A corner of his mouth lifts, and he shakes his head.
“What a bummer,” I say with a sigh. “Here I was, daydreaming of my future in an estate like this one, and you ruined it all.”
Daegel’s laugh fills the space around us. It’s rich, deep, and dark. Like the smoothest aged whiskey. It tickles something deep in my belly. I want to make him laugh again just so I can hear that sound again.
Mischief and dark desire dance in his eyes. My legs feel weak all of a sudden.
“I’m sorry. Didn’t meant to burst your bubble.” He leans forwards in his seat. The muscles under his white shirt shift, straining against the fabric. It’s hard to look away. “While not every Ezkai has an estate like this one, it doesn’t mean you can’t have one. You have great potential within you, Phoenix. And if things don’t pan out the way you want them to, you can always visit mine and pretend it’s yours.”
I scoff lightly. He winks.
When I don’t say anything else for a long moment, he says, “I heard about the incident with Nightingale during Ezkai Gavriel’s lecture. He shouldn’t have administered such a harsh punishment to cadets. Solitary confinement can be tough on the mind and the soul. How are you holding up?”
I bite the inside of my cheek and shake my head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
The understanding that shines in his gaze twists something in my chest. “Come here, Phoenix.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
His voice is smooth like the most luxurious velvet, and it licks a path all the way down my spine. Slowly, I pad over to Daegel. I stop right in front of him, between his legs. Without breaking eye contact, I run a hand over his lush dark hair. It’s soft as silk between my fingers. The shadows in the hollows of his chiseled cheeks deepen, giving him a delightfully sinister look.
Daegel inhales a deep breath and rests his palms on each side of my hips. His hands are scorching hot even through the layers of clothing between us. I gasp when he lifts me, and once again, I’m in his lap. This time, I’m straddling him.
The first contact of his lips on mine is hesitant. As if he’s testing out the waters to see the temperature. I catch his bottom lip between my teeth and run the tip of my tongue over it. A low growl rises from the depths of his chest, and it makes me feral.
The tentative kiss turns into a sloppy and passionate one within moments. It’s as if we’re both starving for each other and can’t get enough. I moan into his mouth when his hands slide around me to cup my ass. The squeeze he gives it sends a wave of pleasure through me.
I can feel just how excited he is underneath me. Teasingly, I roll my hips over his hard-on once. Twice. The third time I make sure to go extra slow and hard. He moans against my throat.
“Fuck, princess.” His voice is husky. “You drive me absolutely wild.”
I throw my head back and chuckle, enjoying just how much he wants me. His lips explore the sensitive skin on my neck, down to my shoulder. When his hands reach for the buttons of my leather jacket at the front, I freeze.
Immediately, he pauses and looks up at me. “What’s the matter? If you want me to stop, just say the word.”
I clear my throat and blink rapidly. I don’t know how to say what I want to say. We’ve only ever been intimate in the complete darkness, where he couldn’t see all of me. The scars from the fire that lay ruin to my skin.
Daegel patiently waits for me to gather my thoughts. I glance behind me at the fireplace, the only source of light, and then back at him.
“It’s not that I don’t want to. Because I do. But—you’ve never seen me naked before. I have…scars. Too many of them. Some of them are from my Decarios training back in Wetra, and I’m proud to wear them on my body. You’ve seen some.” He nods, patiently waiting for me to finish my train of thought. “But others are… Other scars are from the fire I barely survived, the fire that took my family from me. And those scars… I don’t— They’re ugly, and I hate them.” I flex my gloved hands. “It’s why I always wear the gloves and conservative leathers. I don’t want any eyes on those scars.”
But I don’t voice my other concern: What if he sees the scars on my naked skin and feels repulsed by them?
The words spill from my lips rapidly, and by the time I finish, I don’t know why I told him any of it at all. I could’ve justextinguished the flames in the fireplace and enjoyed the feel of him in the dark, like with V.
Daegel listens carefully and patiently. When I’m done, shame and embarrassment burn my cheeks. He doesn’t answer immediately.
I’m certain I ruined the mood and it’s time for me to go, but he gently cups my cheek in his palm.
“Phoenix, you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met. One of the strongest and definitely the bravest. Those scars are a part, an extension of you. They’re the testimonial of your past and everything you’ve been through. The good and the bad. Your training, the fights you’ve won and survived. You should wear them proudly, because they tell a story of how you came to be the exceptional woman you are today. They’re your badges of honor. They’re the mark of your past, so that you always remember where you came from and where you’re headed. Those scars are just as beautiful as the rest of you. Don’t let anyone ever convince you otherwise.”
I’m stunned for a moment.
My eyes burn, and I blink rapidly to keep the tears at bay. I never had dreams of wanting someone to save me, to show me my worth and love the parts of me I hate.
I never needed it. Not until I had a taste of it.
I trail a finger over Daegel’s lips. “You have a sweet tongue.”
