Only one excuse comes to mind, that might satisfy Caleb.As he leaves one conversation, moving to head into another, I lightly tap his shoulder and whisper, “I have to use the bathroom.”He gives me a long, searching look, then starts to remove his hand from my waist. He does so slowly, trailing his
The knife cuts a straight line across the backs of my arms, which I raised to protect my face. Blood immediately drips from the wound, but it is not deep. I’m fortunate.These women really do seem more intent on maiming me than killing me.“Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be,” Madeli
Bethany continues to clean Harper’s wounds, though her mind is reeling. Why won’t Harper tell the King what he demands? Madeline, Gwen, and the others deserve whatever punishment comes their way, not just for what happened here today, but also for so many other atrocities they’ve committed against f
The woman is wearing a too-tight red dress that pushes up her breasts provocatively, and curves around her hips and ass like a second-skin, leaving little to the imagination. Her blonde hair is pulled back away from her face, but then hangs down her back in loose ringlets.She’s tracing tiny circles
Caleb drops his hand down to my side and takes my wrist. He doesn’t ask, doesn’t command, simply turns away from me and starts walking to a side door. I immediately fall into step behind him.At his whispered promises, my pussy began to feel wet. Now, with the promise of more on the horizon, I’m dri
It feels so good, my mind is blank to all but yes and more, please more.With my last working brain cell, I stubbornly keep my mouth shut.Caleb growls, and the vibrations bring me even more pleasure.Then, without warning, he slips a finger inside of me. Then two, pumping in and out, mimicking the
The days continue on. Caleb constantly commands that I be on hand, ready to give him a massage whenever he demands one, so my routine starts to reflect Caleb’s own. I wake up early, wash and change, then meet him outside of his door as he leaves his rooms.He walks and I follow, to the Hall. There,
Before I can even think to hide the knife, or have any reaction other than, oh, shit, Caleb walks through the door of my bedroom. He doesn’t even knock, simply opens the door and saunters right in.When he sees the knife, he abruptly halts straight in his tracks. “What the hell is that?”“I’m not su
Holding the note, I moved toward the bed and sat down on the edge. Caleb, finished with his shower, comes out of the shower looking relaxed as can be. The moment he sees me perched on the bed, he tenses again.“What happened? What’s going on?” he asks, his voice all business.I hold up the small not
The stare-off continues for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Around us, I see Gladys’s servants take notice, and my own worry sets in. If this continues, will they attack Caleb? Is Caleb willing to go to war to keep me safe and by his side?I fear I already know the answer to that.Yet, before
Even so, with the drama, I worry about the food getting cold. It does look good and a cook took the time to make it. I quickly cut a bite of the fish and eat it.Though my stomach is in knots, the fish is delicious so I force it down.“Careful, stepmother,” Caleb says, giving weight to the word I’ve
Of all the awkward, uncomfortable diners I have sat through over the years, this one has to be the worst. And that includes the ones right after my public disgrace, when I went from being the pride of my parents to their servant instead, with my sister taking my place.Gladys, Caleb, and I are in th
Caleb releases his hold from around my waist. Instead he takes my hands in his, then brings them both to his lips to kiss the backs of them, one after the other.Still holding my hands, he leads me toward the bed. There, releases my hand to grab one of the lamps from the nightstand. Carefully, he li
“Come with me,” Gladys says, her eyes flitting between Caleb and me. “I’d be happy to give you a tour of my home.”“That would be very kind, thank you,” Caleb says, his voice dripping with false diplomacy. It matches Gladys’s own.“Thank you,” I say, softer.Gladys turns and slowly leads the way out
Looking out the window, I watch as the car follows the winding tunnel road up and out of the underground.Caleb and I sit in the back seat while a driver sits up front, hidden from us, and us from him behind a partition.The view sends me back to the last time Caleb and I left the capital behind, wh
Staying by Caleb’s side is not the only rule he has in place for me. In fact, for three hours after the messenger with Caleb’s agreement, I sat sitting in the Hall, hearing many rules now placed upon me for this trip.“You cannot let anyone get you alone,” the advisor said. “Gladys herself will try
The messenger is dressed in a simple tunic with a sash bearing the colors of Gladys’s pack lands. He waltzes confidently through the Hall, seemingly uncaring that everyone in the room is looking at him. Or perhaps he thrives on that.Regardless, he walks the walk to the base of the throne, then bows