Or he could just be crazy.
“But for you, baby girl, you may just call me ‘Your Majesty’ instead,” he added firmly. “That would more than suffice.”
“There’s no way in hell I’d call you that,” I scoffed, looking away in disgust.
He chuckled again and the effect of his laughter on me was visceral. I felt off-balance and strangely aroused and there was nothing I could do to quell the feelings of desire I had for this man deep inside of me. Everything about him spoke to his confidence, and it was doing unexpected things to me that I never wanted to admit. Especially not to him.
“I’m looking forward to hearing you say those words for me when I put you on your knees, little girl. You didn’t want to take off your dress for Vincenzo, but you will for me,” he continued rather assuredly.
“I didn’t bare myself for him and I won’t for you,” I exclaimed, using my arm to cover my chest because I knew my hardened nipples were giving away the untruthfulness of my words. The lavender gown was thin enough for them to poke through and I didn’t want him to see it. His gaze dropped to my arm and I could feel myself blushing.
The way he looked at me left little doubt that he’d already seen the evidence of my body’s betrayal, that he knew my nipples were hard for him.
At least he didn’t know that I was wet, and I wasn’t about to let him find out.
“You will, baby girl, because you’re going to want to. You see, there are a great many differences between me and my cousin. For one thing, I don’t need to get drunk to take a woman, especially one as beautiful and enticing as you. For another, when I’m done with you, you’re going to be left sore in all the right places, which was never going to be the case with him. Lastly and most important though, unlike your encounter with my cousin, this meeting between us is going to end up with you screaming loud enough for the whole castle to hear instead of you throwing me out of a window,” he said.
This man was certifiably insane. I wanted to be furious at his demands and I felt like I should be, but his possessive confident nature was leaving me trembling with desire instead. I knew that I was wetter than before, that even more liquid heat had gathered between my thighs. What was wrong with me? Why was I reacting like this?
Worst of all though was that he was right.
Why did I want to undress for him? I shouldn’t want that. I had to deny it.
“I don’t,” I snapped, trying to sound brave when the only thing I wanted was to feel his touch on my skin, to kiss those handsome lips of his and to have him take me hard right on his bed.
Fuck. Get it together, Isabella.
“I won’t,” I exclaimed, trying even harder to convince myself, but when his smile widened further I realized I had done nothing of the sort. If anything, I had revealed myself to him completely.
“Don’t lie to me, little girl,” he answered sternly, and my stomach flipped inside me. “You will remove your dress, because you want to. If you don’t, that pretty little pussy won’t be the only place that’s well fucked and sore when I’m finally through with you. Now be a good girl and take off your dress for your king.”
My mouth had gone as dry as cotton. For a moment, I didn’t know what to do and turned my head, noticing a full glass of water on the nightstand. I moved away from him just a little bit to grab it, bringing it up to my lips and taking several full sips. I downed much of the glass after that and sighed with relief when I put it down.
“You’re stalling, baby girl,” he observed.
Again, he was right.
I turned back to face him. Nothing about him inspired the type of fear in me that his cousin had. This man was different. He was cool, confident, if a bit arrogant, but he didn’t feel dangerous nor was he blitzed out of his mind.
He felt calm. Possessive. An alpha male who was used to getting what he wanted.
I couldn’t want this. I had to be strong. If I didn’t fight back, I wouldn’t be me and I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself after this was all over.
“I refuse. I won’t bare myself for you just like I didn’t for your cousin. You’re going to let me go and return me to Rome. I demand it,” I finally whispered, steeling myself for whatever was going to come next. I lifted my chin in defiance, challenging him, and when he smiled, I began to grow exceedingly nervous. I did my best to not let it show.
“I was hoping you would say that. It’s been quite a long time since I’ve had someone as pretty as you over my knee,” he countered.
I stilled. What the hell did that mean?
He took a step toward me and I crawled backwards away from him on the bed, rolling over to the side farthest from me.
“Don’t touch me,” I shrieked.
“I’m going to be doing a whole lot more than that, baby girl, and you’re going to beg me for it,” he replied darkly, and a shiver of desire raced down my spine. I didn’t want to believe him. I couldn’t.
He strode around the bed and I scuttled back toward the window I’d looked out of not so very long ago. His movements were sure and steady and before I knew it, he’d cornered me and I had nowhere to go. He slapped his hands on the wall to either side of my head, using his body to surround mine, and for just a moment I allowed myself to enjoy his presence. His chest rose and fell and I took in his scent, breathing in the fruity smell of a ripe vineyard and smoke and citrus and it was decadently masculine. I tried to ignore the fire igniting inside me, burning at being chased and cornered like this.
I swallowed and tried to remember myself. His fingers left the wall and brushed across my shoulder, tracing my collarbone and finally pausing to surround my throat. His palm pressed firmly against me, just enough to remind me that with a simple mov