Page 17 of Hired For His Royal Revenge

It didn’t matter. Because she would be begging him for more before all was said and done.

So he kissed her. Tasted her deep and allowed himself, in the world of this car, to forget everything else. For these brief moments, she was all that existed. And he lost himself in her.

She was dark and sweet, wild and fearless. An earthquake. A challenge to all his previously held beliefs, and yet he welcomed it. Weathered it. Absorbed it all. And created his own response. So that she was quaking in his arms.

He slid his hands up her legs. Slight, but strong. He pushed the fabric of her skirt up and away. In the dark of the back seat, she was but a shadow. A rustle. A whisper. She could have been a phantom.

Except she was warm and real, and he wanted more. All. He slid his hands beneath her underwear, found the center of her. Where she was wet and ready for him. He teased her with his fingers, the drugging scent of her arousal filling the car.

He wanted her more than he could remember wanting anything. Which was dangerous, because he’d only wanted revenge before. Too dangerous to feel this...under her spell. So he took what power he could. He stopped his ministrations.

“Thank me.” When she stilled and her eyes flew to his in the dim light, he smiled. “For saving your life.”

Her mouth opened, but it seemed to take her quite a bit of time to find her voice. Still, he held himself exactly where he was, his fingers within the tight heat of her, still.

He could see the war play out over her face. Which did she want more? Her pride? Or him. Eventually, lust won. “Th-thank you,” she whispered. And he didn’t know if she meant it.

He wasn’t sure he cared. He touched her, over and over again, until she was writhing once more. He watched what little of her face he could see change from wonder to desperation. Shock to ecstasy. He took his time, enjoying the swell of her climax, the sounds of her desire throbbing through him—pleasure and the torturous pain of holding himself back.

She came apart so beautifully, his name on her lips, there in the dim light of the limousine. What a surprise she was. What a glorious, delicious surprise.

“Lysias,” she said, ragged and weak. For him. Because of him.

He removed his hand from underneath her dress, kissed down the elegant curve of her neck. He tasted her there, just where he’d wanted to. Where she smelled of something secretive and uniquely her. “Yes?”

He drew back, studied her shadowed face. She seemed to be struggling with something.

He smiled at her. “If you want more, you will have to ask nicely.” But he pulled her dress back down over her legs because he realized the car had come to a stop.

“Ask...” She straightened herself as Giorgio opened the back door. Lysias slid out, quite pleased with himself, no matter how hard he was for her. How his body was tormented by all this unspent desire.

He held out his arm, watched expressions chase over her face before she finally placed her hand on it. She allowed him to lead her inside and she said nothing.

Darkly amused with her, and himself, Lysias walked her all the way upstairs. Up to her bedroom door. He even offered her a little bow, as if she really was a princess.

“Good evening, Alexandra.”

She blinked. Once. Then her eyes narrowed. “You’re really going to make me beg you?”

“Who said anything about begging? I only said you had to ask nicely. Though, I also appreciate begging. And reward it handsomely.”

“And what happened in the car wasn’t nice enough?”

“Nice foryou.” He shrugged lazily, then turned away from her. He walked down the hall toward his own bedroom door. Because surely, she would give in. Surely...

“Please,” she said, on a quiet mutter. Perhaps even through gritted teeth.

He turned to her, raised an eyebrow, with far too much distance between them. But she would always be the one to give in. Never him. “Please what?”

She hesitated, which surprised him. But it was only a moment’s worth, and then she was crossing the hall to him. All determination and fire.

“I want you. All of you.” She slid her arms around his neck, pressing that delicate body to his much larger one. Her dark eyes an enchantment all their own. “Show everything to me, Lysias.Please.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

ALDIDNOTbelieve in retreat. She also knew that good never lasted, so she had to grab what opportunities were within her reach without hesitation.

She didn’trelishasking, let alone nicely, when she was so used to taking. But something about the way Lysias looked at her when she said please—that golden gleam in his eyes leapt like a flame. And something hot and dangerous grew inside of her.

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