Page 16 of Wicked Games (Fallen Royals 2)

Caleb doesn’t tear his eyes away from me—and I can’t look away from him, either.

“What are you doing?” My voice is breathless. I don’t mean it to be. I want to come off strong, even though my body is thrumming with electricity.

One day isn’t enough to turn off all the emotions I feel toward him. And while I hate him, I think…

I blink. Nope. Not going there.

I wrap my hands around his. I can’t tell if I’m holding his hand to my throat or trying to get him to remove it.

“Party’s over. Leave,” he demands. He isn’t talking to me. He’s talking to… everyone else. He’s ending the party. Trying, anyway.

No one moves.

“Now!” he roars. He so rarely has to raise his voice.

Several people flinch, and it breaks the spell. It’s a mass exodus, everyone just… stops what they’re doing and rushes away. He really is royalty.

After a moment, I realize his thumb is moving along the underside of my jaw. Small movements that he might not even be aware of. His touch brings out goosebumps.

I close my eyes until everyone is gone, and we’re entombed in silence. He’s everywhere. In my past, my present. His scent in my nose. His voice in my ear. His hand at my throat, capturing every beat of my heart.

“You will break for me, little wolf,” he whispers in my ear. “This is just the beginning.”

I shudder. “Why?”

“You and I…”

I open my eyes. His gaze sears into me.

And his thumb still traces a pattern, back and forth on my jaw.

“We were happy,” I accuse him. “Until you blew it up.”

He grimaces. “Happy? No.”

Games and more games. My head hurts. My lungs ache.

“You’re mine, Margo. Forever. And you’ll break for me—don’t think that you won’t.”

This is just the beginning.

“I won’t.”

He leans down to kiss me. I press my lips together and turn my head to the side, exhaling through my nose when his lips land on my cheek. But he doesn’t stop. His lips travel over my cheekbones, touching my eyelid, then my forehead.

And his hand tightens on my throat. White spots explode in front of my eyes.

A soft whimper escapes me.

“Kiss me.”

I keep my head turned away.

“You bastard,” I choke out. I can barely breathe. Fear winds through my chest. It’ll make me do anything—including give in to Caleb. And that’s just… not an option.

“What do I have to do to prove that you’re mine?” he asks.

He tugs my pants down in one swift motion. He spreads my legs with his knee, and then he thrusts his finger into me.

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