hers in surprise, and then he laughed. A deep, strong laugh that made her stomach flutter. She tried to ignore her traitorous body and concentrate on her food, but Jorel continued to chuckle and watch her with unrestrained delight.
“I think my brother is already half in love with you.” Her head jerked up to stare at him in shock. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“He admitted it,” Jorel said with a nod. “Said he planned to keep you even if you aren’t the princess. As a courtesan, of course, because if you aren’t royalty that would be the best we could offer.”
34
Anger knotted her stomach. Anger and fear. Surely he wasn’t serious. “You can’t just keep me,” she snapped. “I have a family, friends. A home. I would not agree to be your sexual plaything.”
“Even if we were really good at it?” he asked, his lips twitching in amusement.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. Merriment twinkled in his gaze and some of her anger dissipated as she realized the jerk was teasing her. Or at least she hoped he was.
“How good you are at it makes no difference. You can’t keep a woman against her will.”
“What if we convinced you to stay?”
She finished chewing and took a deep breath to try to get her temper back under control, as well as her libido. This conversation trod dangerous ground, and she had a feeling he knew it. Jorel was gorgeous, with a natural sex appeal that made her body tingle whenever he came near. He had a strong, chiseled face, but Jorel had more laugh lines around his eyes then Keenas, which meant he smiled more.
Keenas had his own way about him that made her heart race.
He was confident, almost arrogant. She snorted. He wasn’t almost arrogant; he was arrogant. His chest was thicker than Jorel’s, although not by much. Keenas had a firmer look about him, almost harsh, but it took nothing away from his raw sexuality. If anything, it added to it.
“So what are you trying to say, Jorel? That you don’t believe I’m the princess and you’re trying to warm me up to the idea of being your and Keenas’s mistress?”
“No,” he said, and trailed his finger down the side of her arm.
Goose bumps rose along her flesh and she scowled, shooting him a look of warning, but Jorel only smiled, completely unconcerned about her silent demand.
“You are the princess, Rhianna, I have no doubt about that. When we get home, we will prove it to you, and you will take your place between us as our queen.”
“What if I don’t want to?” she whispered.
He appeared genuinely confused as he stared back at her. “Why would you not?”
“You’re thrusting an unfamiliar lifestyle on me. One I don’t remember and haven’t been prepared for. I’ve always wanted to marry someone I love. A man who would know me better than I know myself. Who will put me first, before anything else, and someone I can put first. I don’t know you and I certainly don’t love you.” Jorel sighed and pushed a stray curl behind her ear, surprising her with his tenderness.
“But you’re already married to us, little one. You’ve been married to us since you were a tiny baby. Accept it. This is your destiny.”
With that, he stood and left the room, leaving her alone with her jumbled thoughts.
35
Chapter Five
The next morning, Rhia paced the room from one end to the other, her arms swinging front to back and coiled tight with so much tension her muscles ached. She needed an outlet -- preferably one of the kings’ heads. Unfortunately, Keenas had removed most everything not nailed down, so her choice of weapons was fluffy pillows and books on Argonian history.
Pillows she could use to smother them, but the books would only be good for boring them to death. She knew they had her.
Breakfast had been brought about an hour ago, but her stomach couldn’t take food at this time of day. She was never up this early at home and her body felt off. So she’d left the plate on the table untouched and
“I think my brother is already half in love with you.” Her head jerked up to stare at him in shock. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“He admitted it,” Jorel said with a nod. “Said he planned to keep you even if you aren’t the princess. As a courtesan, of course, because if you aren’t royalty that would be the best we could offer.”
34
Anger knotted her stomach. Anger and fear. Surely he wasn’t serious. “You can’t just keep me,” she snapped. “I have a family, friends. A home. I would not agree to be your sexual plaything.”
“Even if we were really good at it?” he asked, his lips twitching in amusement.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. Merriment twinkled in his gaze and some of her anger dissipated as she realized the jerk was teasing her. Or at least she hoped he was.
“How good you are at it makes no difference. You can’t keep a woman against her will.”
“What if we convinced you to stay?”
She finished chewing and took a deep breath to try to get her temper back under control, as well as her libido. This conversation trod dangerous ground, and she had a feeling he knew it. Jorel was gorgeous, with a natural sex appeal that made her body tingle whenever he came near. He had a strong, chiseled face, but Jorel had more laugh lines around his eyes then Keenas, which meant he smiled more.
Keenas had his own way about him that made her heart race.
He was confident, almost arrogant. She snorted. He wasn’t almost arrogant; he was arrogant. His chest was thicker than Jorel’s, although not by much. Keenas had a firmer look about him, almost harsh, but it took nothing away from his raw sexuality. If anything, it added to it.
“So what are you trying to say, Jorel? That you don’t believe I’m the princess and you’re trying to warm me up to the idea of being your and Keenas’s mistress?”
“No,” he said, and trailed his finger down the side of her arm.
Goose bumps rose along her flesh and she scowled, shooting him a look of warning, but Jorel only smiled, completely unconcerned about her silent demand.
“You are the princess, Rhianna, I have no doubt about that. When we get home, we will prove it to you, and you will take your place between us as our queen.”
“What if I don’t want to?” she whispered.
He appeared genuinely confused as he stared back at her. “Why would you not?”
“You’re thrusting an unfamiliar lifestyle on me. One I don’t remember and haven’t been prepared for. I’ve always wanted to marry someone I love. A man who would know me better than I know myself. Who will put me first, before anything else, and someone I can put first. I don’t know you and I certainly don’t love you.” Jorel sighed and pushed a stray curl behind her ear, surprising her with his tenderness.
“But you’re already married to us, little one. You’ve been married to us since you were a tiny baby. Accept it. This is your destiny.”
With that, he stood and left the room, leaving her alone with her jumbled thoughts.
35
Chapter Five
The next morning, Rhia paced the room from one end to the other, her arms swinging front to back and coiled tight with so much tension her muscles ached. She needed an outlet -- preferably one of the kings’ heads. Unfortunately, Keenas had removed most everything not nailed down, so her choice of weapons was fluffy pillows and books on Argonian history.
Pillows she could use to smother them, but the books would only be good for boring them to death. She knew they had her.
Breakfast had been brought about an hour ago, but her stomach couldn’t take food at this time of day. She was never up this early at home and her body felt off. So she’d left the plate on the table untouched and
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