“Of course, you are. I just find your interest in them curious.”
“From what I’ve overheard, my curiosity is a mere necessity. You yourself guard the border. Do you not?”
“I do.” He was watching me so closely, and I hated the way it made me feel. I shifted in my seat and pressed my thighs together to stop the small ache that started there at the sight of him. His gaze immediately tracked the movement.
“You lied to me.”
I expected him to look back up at me defensively, but he didn’t. Instead, he did a slow perusal of my body before his eyes finally met mine again. “When did I lie?”
My fingers tightened around the book, and I stood angrily. “When you told me that you were one of the royal guards.”
I walked back to the shelf and gently placed the book back into its place.
“I am a royal guard.”
His words made me press my eyes closed before I turned back to face him. “You are a prince.”
“And what?” He cocked his head to the side as he pushed off the wall. “If you had known, you would have kneeled before me to show your loyalty?”
My chest heaved as he closed the space between us. “No.” I shook my head and tried to remind myself of who he was. “I will never get on my knees for you.”
“Ah, princess.” He stepped into my space, closer than was proper. He reached forward, slipping a piece of my hair between his fingers before he slowly twisted it in his hold. “I would give just about anything to see you on your knees.”
“That will never happen.” I sounded breathless, and Evren knew. His mouth lifted in a wicked smile as he stared down at my mouth.
“I wouldn’t dare insinuate that the future queen of Citlali would ever do such a thing.” He pushed forward again, and his hands moved to the bookshelves on either side of my head. He leaned down until I had no option but to look at him. “But gods, I can imagine it. The way you would look staring up at me, the way I would make you beg.”
My breath rushed out of me as my stomach tightened with his depraved words, and I knew he could feel it against his lips.
“My brother’s betrothed on her knees before me, ready to pledge her allegiance with her perfect mouth.”
I jolted away from him, and my back hit the bookcase. That only made him smile harder.
“I would…”
“You would what, princess?” His gaze darkened as he leaned forward and ran his nose along the shell of my ear. I shuddered against him, my mark sparking to life in a way that consumed me. “You would beg the brother of the future king to give you exactly what you crave? The things he couldn’t dare give you.”
“Evren.” I said his name in warning, but it came out as a plea.
He breathed me in slowly before finally pulling away. “Prince Evren. Until you are queen, you should address me as such.”
“You’re an ass.” My voice shook with anger and need.
“As I’ve been told.” He ran his hand across his jaw as he looked at me, and I wasn’t foolish enough to miss the hunger in his eyes. And that one glimpse of his desire made me feel as if I was starving. “My brother has asked for you to meet him for a lunch in the gardens.”
I swallowed hard at the mention of the crowned prince. “And you’re just now telling me this?”
“My apologies, Starblessed.” He dipped into a deep bow. “It seemed to slip my mind.”