Page 87 of The Demon Court

The woman was never in anything but dark and dreary fabric. He refused to bring her around his people while they wondered if she was mourning the loss of someone important. She wasn’t. He was the most important person in her life and he was very much still here.

Tsking, he looked her up and down with obvious disdain. “Now, what are you wearing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen this particular monstrosity.”

Selene frowned at him, then joined him staring at her gown. It was perhaps a little less stuffy than the others. Though this dress still had a neckline that almost reached her chin, it at least parted in the middle and reached her collarbone, exposing lovely pale flesh. The sleeves were a little thinner than the others, and he watched the fabric stretch as she moved to reveal a hint of skin underneath. But the entire dress was still black as night, without a single embroidered decoration.

“This is my best gown,” she said, staring back at him with anger in those dark eyes. “You said we were going to be walking through the town around the castle. You said to dress like a queen.”

“You’re dressed like you’re going to a funeral.”

“I’m dressed formally!”

He stared up at the ceiling as though there was something up there that could help him. “I thought I’d made it very clear by now that the Tower’s idea of dressing is drab, sad, and covers far too much of your body.”

“It’s appropriate to cover your body when you are going to a political event.” She threw her hands up at her sides. “Do you want me to parade around in front of your people completely naked? How serious would they take me?”

Lust tilted his head to the side. “Well, very. I’ve seen you naked now and I can attest that you are quite beautiful and they would be lucky to see you without a stitch of clothing.”

“And that doesn’t make you jealous?”

“Why should it?” A burn bloomed in his chest, eating its way up his throat and nearly pouring out of the feral grin that spread across his face. “They all know not to touch what is mine. If even one of them laid a hand on that lovely, lily white skin, I would pull their skeleton out of their body while they were still alive.”

A small smile sparked on her face, but she shook her head and pretended to be disappointed with him. “That’s not possible to do. You’ll need to be much more creative in your threats if you want to actually scare them.”

“Oh?” He stalked over to her, hands flexing at his sides. He didn’t want to startle her, but he also wanted his hands on her. “And what do you know of what is possible and what is not?”

“I’d like to think I know a lot about that.”

“You didn’t know I could jump down a mere two stories. It wasn’t that far, and yet I remember you pressing your hands to your mouth in shock.”

“Anyone would have done that.”

“No one questions me but you.” He couldn’t stop himself. Lust palmed each side of her hips and drew her against him. “I wonder why that is.”

“Oh, probably because no one would dare argue with you. They think all the things I say. I am but the fool who gives the thoughts flight.” Selene rolled her eyes, but then laid her hands flat on his chest.

He marked all the first moments in their relationship. And this one? She touched him willingly. Not while in the throes of passion, but just to touch him. He’d never felt more powerful or more like a god than he did in this moment with her tiny fingers pressed against him.

“What would you prefer me to wear?” she asked. “I imagine naked is not your first choice, either.”

It was. He’d love to see her ride through town in nothing but her skin, with that long hair parted over her chest and pooling in her lap. He wanted to ride behind her. He’d thread his arm around her tiny waist, pull her against his hard cock and let the rocking of their ride do most of the work.

Of course, they would not do that. It would be rude to the poor horse.

Sighing, he released her to disappear inside his sizable closet. “Did a servant not help you?”

“She said I could wear whatever I wanted, so I chose what I wanted.”

There were plenty of gowns in here that were far more suitable for a queen. And while she would not be announced as that yet, he wanted people to see her as his... consort.

He settled on the term at the same time he found the perfect dress.

“Your mother wanted you to be my queen,” he said while walking out. A crimson gown draped over his forearm. “I do not believe that you have earned that title yet, nor do I trust you to choose me over your family.”

Her mouth dropped open, cheeks reddening with an argument he could already hear.

Lust held up his hand for silence. “You have come a long way from that little puppet that I met all that time ago, Selene. But that does not mean I trust you with an entire kingdom. I will call you my consort to anyone who asks, and you will do the same. Do you understand me?”

Her jaw snapped shut, and she gave him a firm little nod.

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