Page 66 of Throne of Ice and Blood
My heart thumps as I begin backing away. I don’t want to have this conversation in front of his entire clan, so I keep moving until I have retreated through the still open door to the changing room. Draven stalks in after me and slams the door shut behind him.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he demands.
“You said you wanted me to wear the black armor of your clan.” I raise my eyebrows and spread my arms in challenge. “Well, here I am. I removed my other clothes, but there were no extra sets of armor here, so I went in search of one.”
“You…” Cutting himself off, he draws in a long breath through his nose as if to calm himself down. Then he stabs hishand towards my clothes, which are just lying in a pile on the floor. “Put your clothes back on. Now.”
“Why? I thought you weren’t jealous.”
“I’m not.”
“Fine. Then I’ll just keep flirting with everyone I come across.”
“Not unless you want them to lose their eyes. And their hands.”
A frustrated breath rips from my throat, and I take a step forward, closing the final distance between us, as I jab a finger against his chest while locking eyes full of challenge on him. “Just admit it.”
His gaze slides down my half-naked body. A muscle flickers in his jaw, and he drags in another deep breath through his nose. But to my shock, it’s not anger that flickers in his eyes. It’s burning desire.
The realization sends a jolt through my body. All my life, I’ve avoided doing things like this. I’ve avoided challenging people. Avoided doing things that might make them angry. Because I didn’t want them to start hating me. And deep down, that age-old fear was twisting inside me, worrying that I shouldn’t be doing that to Draven either. That standing up to him would only make him dislike me.
But to my utter shock, it appears to be the exact opposite. Based on the expression on his face as he rakes his gaze over my body, this stunt I just pulled only makes him like me more. And that realization fills me with a sweeping rush of giddiness and makes me feel bold and powerful all at once.
Draven forces his gaze back up to my face. “Admit what?”
I flash him a smirk full of challenge. “Admit that you’re a jealous territorial bastard who can’t stand the thought of me flirting with someone else.”
“You’re playing with fire, little rebel.”
“I thought we had already established that I’m quite adept at that.”
“Put your clothes back on.”
“Admit it.”
He clenches his jaw and stares me down.
I stare right back at him.
Something between a frustrated sigh and a growl rips from his chest. Then he drags in a long breath.
“Fine.” He works his jaw, still holding my gaze with those burning eyes of his. “I’m a jealous territorial bastard who can’t stand the thought of you flirting with someone else.”
My heart does a backflip in my chest, and heat floods my body.
I knew it. In the end, it won’t matter, because he will always be my enemy. But I still wanted to hear him say it.Neededto hear him say it.
Confused and highly inconvenient feelings twist inside my chest.
Holding Draven’s gaze, I draw in a short breath and press out, “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you hate it when I flirt with someone else?”
“I’ve already told you.” He slides his hand up my throat and positions it right underneath my jaw in a highly possessive move. His eyes burn through my soul as he stares me down. “Because you’re mine.”
I arch an eyebrow at him. “Your life slave?”
