Page 18 of The Dragon King's Assassin

“I got tied up with the investigation.” I remained in my half-crouch, staring at him, trying to process the fact that the King of Racul had come out of his palace to hunt me down for being half an hour late. “It's only thirty minutes.”

“You would have been even later by the time you arrived.”

“Yes, but at this moment, I'm still only half an hour late.”

“Are you going to get out of the carriage or crouch there arguing with me?”

“Uh.” I looked at the knights, then at myself. “Right. Yes.”

I got up and jumped out. The Dragon King didn't back up for me which meant that when I straightened, he was mere inches away. I stared up the length and breadth of him, swallowing past the dryness in my throat his nearness brought on. He looked even larger out there, on the street, where I could see him around normal people. And those normal people were frozen, watching their king as warily as I was.

“I'm sorry for my tardiness, Your Majesty,” I said.

He lowered his face to mine and snarled, “Get in the fucking carriage, Lock.”

I was confused for a second and glanced back at the carriage I'd just exited.

“Not that one! My carriage!” The King's arm shot out, one imperious finger pointing at the royal carriage a few feet away.

“Yes, Sire!” I ran for the carriage and leapt inside.

The King followed more slowly, first paying the driver of my carriage before waving his knights back to their mounts, then striding to his carriage. He had to practically bend in half to get through the doorway, then sat in the center of the bench opposite mine. Someone shut the carriage door, and we started moving.

“I was trying to do my job,” I said. “I had to go to the Broken to find—”

“When I tell you to do something, you do it,” the King cut me off. “And you do it within the time limits I give you. Now, shut the curtains.”

“What?” I squeaked.

“The curtains over the windows.” The King jerked his head toward the left. “Close them, Assassin.”

Oh fuck. This didn't bode well.

The windows to either side of the King were already covered, and the door was solid. That left the little windows to either side of my bench. I stretched to one side and then the other, drawing them shut. The filtered light shadowed the Dragon King, making his expression even more menacing.

King Tarocvar spread his legs. “Kneel.”

I looked at the floor between the King's feet.

“Yes, there. Kneel, Assassin!”

I lurched forward and fell to my knees between his. My whole body trembled, and I couldn't figure out if it was in excitement or fear. My stare lowered, focusing on the edge of his seat, noting the pale stitching on the dark leather cushion. But then movement caught my eye and brought my gaze up another inch. He was hardening, his pants tightening around the bulge. My breath lodged in my throat.

“Undo my pants and suck my cock,” he said.

I wanted to. Damn all the Gods of Serai, but I wanted to suck him and taste his release. I wanted to know if it would tingle on my tongue as it had on my skin. But not like that.

Stomach clenching, I met his stare. “No.”

“What?” The Dragon King's jaw dropped.

“I won't let you ruin this for me. Later tonight, if you want me in your bed, I'll suck your cock magnificently. I'll wrap my lips around it and deep throat you until your eyes roll back in your head. But I'm not doing it when you order me to.”

He grabbed my throat, nails extending into claws that dented my skin but didn't draw blood. Not yet. “You have disobeyed a royal order! I was being kind to punish you thus. Any other man would be whipped!”

“Then whip me.”

“What?” He released my throat, his hand falling away as if his muscles had suddenly stopped working.

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