Raluca’s eyes widened in amazement. She was too shocked to even be offended. She knew the word, of course. No one would say it in front of a princess, but she’d been incognito ever since the first balcony leap, so she’d occasionally overheard it from passersby. But whoever this foul-mouthed person was, he’d just said that word more times in a few seconds than she’d heard it in her entire previous life.
The heavy footsteps seemed to go in a different direction, getting softer and fading away. But the other set got louder, coming closer.
The door was flung open, and a man stormed in. He went straight to Hal, turning his back on her without even looking at her first. How rude!
It is a very nice back, her dragon remarked.
Who cares? Raluca retorted silently. He’s a mannerless lout. I’m certain he was the one who was using... She couldn’t bring herself to repeat it, even in thought. ...that word.
But she couldn’t help agreeing with her dragon. The view from behind was excellent. The rude man was black-haired, tall, and broad-shouldered, wearing a black leather jacket which concealed his literal back. His backside, however, was showcased by a pair of tight black jeans. Raluca was not in the habit of staring at men’s behinds, but since it was turned to her anyway, she had to look at it. Like his legs, it was firm and muscular, nicely curved, making her want to touch it.
In theory. If it belonged to a different man. One with manners, money, a high-class family, and —
The man with the good body and bad manners jerked his thumb over his shoulder, toward the door. “Hal, if you catch Rafa at the gym, you tell your fucking buddy to mind his own fucking business.”
Hal’s deep laugh rumbled through the air.
“What’s so fucking funny?” the man demanded.
“You are,” Hal said. “And next time, keep in mind that clients sometimes walk in without an appointment, so don’t start swearing until you see who’s in the lobby. I’m talking to a prospective client and a friend of Lucas’s. Meet Raluca.”
“The fucking foreign princess!?” The man swung around.
Their eyes met.
It was the man from the photograph. Nick, the one with the exquisite tattoos. She could see them now that his hands were in view, the ivy leaves and curling vine even more beautiful in real life. Her gaze lifted from them to the hard masculine planes of his face, his stubborn-looking chin, the rough-looking stubble around lips that might be soft if you touched them with your own, and his tousled black hair with a stray lock falling over his forehead.
But more than anything else, his eyes captured her attention. They were even more startlingly green in person than in the photograph, bright as emeralds and deep as the ocean. On the surface, they were angry, narrowed with what she interpreted as a habitual intensity and willingness to fight to defend himself or others. But like the eyes of the wolf that she guessed was his shift form, they seemed to hold some terrible sorrow beneath the surface, a loneliness that made Raluca want to reach out and draw him close to her, holding him like a treasure. If she did — if he allowed her to — perhaps she’d ease not only his pain, but her own...
Mine, hissed her dragon.
What do you mean? Raluca asked silently. But she had a horrible feeling that she already knew.
He’s the one, her dragon replied. Our mate.
“No!” Raluca said aloud.
Nick was shaking his head and backing away, as if he too had heard some inner voice and didn’t like what it had to say. “No fucking way!”
Raluca straightened her spine. “I am a princess — a former princess —I am a lady, and I don’t like that word. Please do not use it in my presence again.”
“No one fucking tells me how to talk!” Nick instantly retorted.
Hal banged a huge fist down on the desk, making the papers jump. “Nick, she is a client! Raluca, shall I call Destiny now?”
A long silence fell. Nick and Raluca stared at each other.
Mine, repeated her dragon with deep satisfaction. Then she corrected herself, Ours. Our greatest treasure. At last we’ve found him.
Raluca was so torn between horror and shock — and an unwanted rush of desire so intense t
hat it left her wet between the legs — that she could reply to neither her dragon nor Hal. She’d abandoned her entire life to escape an unwanted marriage. She was not going to throw herself away on some cursing commoner who didn’t even like her!
Nick’s eyes raked over her body, hot and angry... and hungry. She could almost feel him taking in every inch of her, as if he was caressing her body with his gaze alone. Her nipples hardened, pulling at the sheer fabric of her nightgown. Raluca dropped the photo like a burning coal and folded her arms over her breasts.
But she wasn’t the only one to physically react to the other’s presence. A bulge appeared between Nick’s legs. With equal haste, he yanked down his leather jacket, concealing the evidence of his arousal. But Raluca knew it was still there. Maybe even growing, if that was possible, pushing hard at his tight jeans. She hoped it was uncomfortable.
She wanted it buried deep inside her.