Page 52 of Court of Rivals
He lifts a brow as he stares down at me. “You know, you’re much prettier when you smile.”
“I’d need to be in the company of someone far better than you to be smiling.”
There’s a tick in his jaw. “Don’t you think it’s time you stop this game of yours and leave the academy? You’re never going to be one of us. All you’re going to do is keep embarrassing yourself.”
“Like when you undid my top?”
He has the decency to look bothered for half a second. “All’s fair in love and war, Cock Sucker.”
I glare at him. “Let’s get a few things straight. You are never, ever going to intimidate me into leaving, so you can stop wasting your time. What you will end up doing is showing to me, to yourself, and to the world, that you’re an insecure little manchild with such a tiny dick that you are threatened by a singular woman being in your ‘man’ world.”
His gaze jerks to me, and he stares back at me in shock for a brief moment before launching into action. Spinning me away from him, as if we’re still dancing, instead of arguing, he then pulls me back toward him, so I’m suddenly in his strong arms. For a second, we’re just standing, pressed against each other, and the room becomes several degrees too hot. Or maybe it’s just his body. Then, I pull away, creating more distance between us.
“You know,” he begins slowly. “When I was six years old, I followed Prince Gareth to the obstacle course, where he liked to train with the dragon riders. He told me to go back to my room. That I was too little to handle the obstacle course. I didn’t listen though. I thought I could handle the big boys. The result?” He takes the hand on my waist off and points to the slight bump on his nose. “Broken. Bled everywhere and hurt like a bitch. I couldn’t even say I wasn’t warned. I tried to swim with the big boys, and I got my ass kicked because I wasn’t ready.”
His message isn’t lost on me. “Except in my case the only difference between you and me is that I happen to have breasts and better manners. You can hardly compare me to a small child doing something meant only for adults.”
To my surprise, he sighs, “Harper, I can’t say I don’t like you– admire you, and maybe in a different world we’d be something to each other. But, here and now? Here and now I simply think you’re the most stubborn, irritating woman I’ve ever encountered.”
“I hear only compliments,” I tell him, flashing a smile.
His lips curve up for half a second before acceptance seems to come over his face. “We’re going to destroy you, Harper. We’re going to ruin you in every way possible, and you’re going to end up regretting ever stepping foot in the academy.”
I lean up, so our lips nearly touch. “Bring it on, Asshole.”
He blinks several times, groans, and spins me away from him, before pulling me back into his arms. I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but he keeps trying to bring me closer, and I keep putting distance between us. The last thing I need is for anyone in this room, including the king himself, to think there’s something going on between us.
The song ends, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I pull away from him. “I guess my dancing days are over–”
Turning, I run straight into a hard chest. Before I can even process what’s happening, there’s a hand around mine, and another at my waist. My gaze jerks up to meet the soft brown eyes of Prince Alaric’s. A string of curses rolls through my mind.Can’t these princes ever leave me alone?
“Prince Alaric,” Prince Lucien says coldly behind me. “I didn’t think you were the dancing type.”
“If the woman is beautiful enough…” Prince Alaric tells me, his deep voice seeming to rumble through me.
Prince Lucien takes a step forward, grabbing my waist. “Maybe I wasn’t done with her.”
“You’re done with her now,” Prince Alaric says, a threat in his voice.
“Or maybe I don’t want to dance with either of you. Did that happen to cross either of your muscle-filled brains?”
Prince Alaric scoffs and drags me away from Prince Lucien, sending us spinning around the dance floor. He’s a little shorter than Prince Lucien, but he’s thicker in all ways. Dancing with him is like dancing with a brick wall, and a brick wall isn’t nearly as graceful as Prince Lucien. It’s strange to be close to someone this strong. Nice, kind of, to feel delicate, for once, as a well-built woman. But I haven’t forgotten how he’d punched me, or the bruises still fading from my face.
“You planning on threatening me too?” I ask, eyes narrowed, breathing hard for some reason.
Prince Alaric glances down, a question in his eyes. “Threatening?”
I do my best to mock their voices. “We big men don’t allow women to ride dragons. You have to have a cock to ride a dragon. It’s a requirement, because our big balls are needed to cushion our seats.”
To my surprise, he laughs. “Is that what we sound like?”
“Very much so,” I tell him, suspicious of his reaction.
He shakes his head. “Well, that’s not why I’m dancing with you.”
“Then why are you?”
It takes him a long minute to answer. “Because I wanted to.”
