The moment I’d seen Isabella, I’d wanted her to myself. Those pretty brown eyes, pale skin, and beautiful dark locks were those of an angel’s, and I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms, kiss her softly, and make love to her in my bed.
And that’s before I even knew who she was. Before I knew of the ancient bloodline surging through her veins.
Now I wanted her even more for myself.
I was king. I was used to taking what I wanted, when I wanted. Whomever I wanted.
And I wanted her.
She was a strong woman though and that would require some reining in if I wanted to keep her by my side here in my kingdom.
I hadn’t wanted to punish her so harshly so quickly, but she’d forced my hand because she’d disrespected me in front of my entire court. Her disobedience had been public and if I hadn’t punished her so thoroughly, my subjects would have questioned my role as king, and I couldn’t have that.
My world was a hard one and sometimes that required hard decisions like the one I had to make tonight.
My kingdom was one of many throughout the world. In many countries and on every continent aside from Antarctica were men who ruled through money and power and political alliances that went far deeper than the governments that ruled publicly. We were the real kings of the world, only we ruled in secret.
We reigned behind the scenes and our kingdoms pulled the strings, from political decisions to cultural ones, and even war. The presidents, dictators, and elected officials who led the world were simply placed there so that society thought they had a say in things, to keep them calm and complacent and most important of all, compliant. In every single government on Earth were men and women placed by us to ensure that things ran like they were supposed to.
I was the reigning king here in Italy. My castle was situated deep in the northern Italian Alps in a place that no one could find unless they already knew exactly where it was. Security was tight and no one left or came in without explicit permission from me.
I was extremely rich and was one of the most powerful men on the planet. My alliances ran deep, as did the ancient bloodline in my veins that made being king my right. My power exerted far beyond the borders of Italy too. I had agents that influenced much of the world placed in strategic positions in business, travel, entertainment, politics, science, the news media, and even education. I ruled and exerted my power through money and certain favors, along with a healthy dose of fear. I controlled the world behind the scenes, and I did a very good job of it.
If anyone had the balls to stand against me, I took them down. If I wanted someone dead, it would take less than twenty-four hours. Most times, less than twelve, even if they were halfway around the world.
My control was made even stronger by the fact that even if someone decided to tell the world that kings were real and that they weren’t a figment of the past, no one would believe them.
Isabella didn’t know any of this yet, but she would soon. Now was not the time yet though.
I had just thoroughly punished her and there would be plenty of time in the coming days to explain to her the world she had accidentally stumbled into when she’d met my cousin. I shuddered when I thought about his hands on her and I bit my lip hard as I decided that no other man would ever touch Isabella again.
She was mine. Eventually, she would come to realize that too.
She whimpered softly and I held her even tighter, trying not to jostle her as I returned back to my chambers. She didn’t know it, but the room she’d been in today had been mine. She had slept in my bed and I aimed to keep
it that way for many nights to come.
When I finally reached the bedroom, I flung open the door, closed it and locked it. No one was going to disturb us tonight. I needed to care for the woman who had changed everything.
Yesterday, my only concern was power and each and every way I could exert my control. Today though, it was different. Today I wanted her.
Body, mind, and soul.
And I was going to have her.
I sat down on the oversized chair in the corner, situating her on my lap. Her body shook and she cried softly.
“Shhh. It’s over, baby girl. I’m so very proud of you,” I murmured, and she pressed into me. I didn’t care that my seed was still dripping down her face, that it was smearing onto my black suit and making a mess. The only thing that mattered now was her and making sure that she was alright. I would take care of her and give her whatever she wanted. I would spoil her, but I hoped that she had learned that she needed to keep herself composed when we were together in public.
“It hurts,” she whispered.
“I know, baby girl. You did so well,” I answered, petting her scalp and running my fingers up and down her back. Gradually, her cries quieted, and her body calmed.
“I should hate you,” she murmured.
“I know, baby girl,” I replied.
“Then why don’t I?” she questioned.