People scattered and dove as we came roaring up the cobblestone streets of The Walled City.
“Lorcan. Don’t kill anyone.”
He hauled back on the reins. The foaming horses slowed. They barely stopped before we tumbled out of the vehicle and darted over the replacement drawbridge into the castle, my skirt a sail behind us. Lorcan led me into a secret passageway, turning so fast I tripped over my dress. He caught me, picked me up and carried me up the stairs.
“This is an interesting twist on tradition,” I said, still not getting through to him. I’m not even sure he’ll catch the reference, in his current state of distress. Forcing reluctant brides over the threshold isn’t something that has ever been tolerated in our matriarchal society.
“How can you joke about this, Zosia?” Lorcan set me down in the guard’s antechamber of our living quarters. He’s hardly out of breath. Must be nice to be that physically fit; I’m the one who’s panting, and I didn’t run upstairs carrying another human being. “You could have died! On our wedding day!”
I took his face between my hands. “I’m still here. Alive.” I moved in for a kiss but he pulled away, scowling, and set about slamming shutters and locking every conceivable entrance. Within sixty seconds, the bright, airy space went dark. Only faint late afternoon light seeped in around edges and through hairline cracks. A thin golden shaft fell over his eyes when he finally turned to face me.
The attack came at the worst possible moment. Fear clouded the clear blue of his eyes. His sculpted mouth was a flat line. I can see the tick of his pulse on the side of his throat.
I am not letting anything interfere with my wedding day. Not Skía. Not Lorcan’s personal demons. Not my own, either.
Moving slowly, to indicate that I’m not afraid, I stood toe-to-toe with him. First, I removed his crown and tossed it onto the guard’s bed. The reminder of how everything changed today can’t be helping right now. Then I removed my own. I picked the amethyst flowers out of my short hair, one by one, dropping them onto the plain green bedspread.Plink. Plink.Lorcan’s gaze darted to the growing pile, then back to me.
Progress.
I held his gaze and gave him one final, direct order.
“Get me out of this dress, Lorcan.”
I turned my back to him in a swish of spidersilk. The weight of his gaze falls heavily between my shoulder blades as he examines the long row of tiny pearl buttons marching down my spine. A pulse of need in my abdomen; flutters in my stomach.Come on, come on.
I gripped my gown with sweaty palms and moved the fabric of my long skirt to one side. The scuff of leather on travertine as he closed in. I closed my eyes. Finally.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
Shaking hands at my neck, brushing aside my hair. I inhaled. My knees threaten to buckle.Get me naked already, Lorcan.
“I can’t.” His hands fall away. “The buttons are so small, and I’m—they’re not—” Lorcan broke off.
I closed my eyes, resting my forehead and palms against the carved oak door.Auralia’s great golden ass, what is it going to take to get laid?
Twisting as much as I could within the confines of the beautiful gown I was desperate to be free of, I slipped the Italian dagger from his belt. Holding the hilt toward him, I repeated, “Get me out of this dress, Lorcan. Now.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.” Hesitant hands at the base of my neck. Of course, he feels better with a blade in hand. Still a killer, if a reluctant one. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. A tiny tearing sound and a slight pull near the base of my neck. The fabric loosened fractionally. “Or ruin your dress.”
“Ruin it, Lorcan. Cut the damn thing off if you have to; I can’t reach the buttons either.”
A harsh inhale from behind me. The atmosphere in the room shifted as he sliced another loop. Rising tension within me as the back of my gown slowly parts down my spine. Cool air interrupted by warm drafts as he worked.
Then he pressed a soft, open-mouthed kiss to the nape of my neck. I moaned quietly as my knees nearly buckled.
“Hands on the door, Princess.”
“Queen,” I reminded him, obeying instantly. Now, we’re getting somewhere.
Lorcan chuckled. The air electrifies. He kissed the nape of my neck again, moving aside my hair. “Keep them there until I say you can move.”
I could only nod. When he tells me what he wants me to do, I don’t worry I’ll get it wrong. I can relax.
If he gets a thrill from bossing me around, even better. We both win.
The rest of the buttons fell quickly until the top of Scarlett’s gift from the outside world comes into view: bridal lingerie. Lorcan faltered briefly as he took in the elaborate embroidery and fine lace.
“What is this?” he murmured, low and wondering.
