Page 97 of Reluctant Rebel

“When he takes over the throne, he’s going to need loyal men with the same values. He thinks you’ll make a good pawn for some reason, and securing you will prove how much of an asset I can be,” Carrick said, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous fervour that made her skin crawl.

“And then, what? You get rewarded with a bunch of BDSM clubs and collared slaves?” she retorted, hoping her sarcasm would mask the rising fear she was feeling.

“I get rewarded with you,” he said simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The fuck?!she thought. How could she have been so blind? How could she have not seen how unhinged Carrick was? She had thought he reviled her. Turns out hewantedher, and that was infinitely worse.

“I can’t wait to see you on your knees, collared and naked, with my dick between your lips and your back a bloody mess from my belt.” Carrick’s eyes turned a little glazed, and his breath came in small pants. Jinx almost vomited when she saw the bulge in the front of his pants.

“That is never going to happen,” she promised him. Her mind raced, calculating her next move. Violence? Diplomacy? Was it worth not killing him for the slim chance that he had useful information about Z?

“You know, this would be so much easier if you just came along quietly.” His eyes glinted, and he grabbed his junk. “But not nearly as much fun.”

Annnnd, that was her patience gone. Carrick had officially broken her last straw. “You have ten seconds to walk away before I kill you,” she growled, her voice a low, dangerous rumble.

A lazy smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Oh, I can’t wait to remind you who the Dom is in this relationship.”

Ten. Nine. Eight… Jinx counted silently, each number a hammer stroke in her head.Seven. Six. Five …The fae was insufferable and one sick fuck.Four. Three. Two …She sized him up, calculating how much pressure she would need to exert for her claws to penetrate his skull. “One …” she said out loud.

Carrick made no move to leave. Instead, he sighed a long, exaggerated breath. “You really should learn to relax, Jinx. Stress is terrible for the complexion.”

Jinx's muscles coiled, preparing to spring. Her claws extended, sharp and gleaming. With a feral growl, she launched herself at Carrick, fully intending to tear that smug smirk off his face. But before she could make contact, a thunderous voice echoed through the room.

“What in the nine hells is going on here?!”

Mikhail stood in the doorway, his frame blocking out the light from the hallway. His green eyes flashed dangerously as he took in the scene before him: Jinx, mid-pounce, her face contorted in fury; Carrick, his expression a mixture of surprise and arrogance.

The fae recovered quickly, smoothing his features into a mask of innocence. “Ah, King Mikhail, perfect timing. Your little pet here seems to have lost her manners.”

“My … pet?” Mikhail repeated, his face carefully blank.

“Of course. You don’t have to pretend with me. I know all about Jinx’s past. In fact, I saw it firsthand.” Carrick laughed, not knowing he was digging his own grave with each word he spoke. “Why else would you keep someone like her around? You have good taste.” He was stupid enough to wink.

Was Carrick really trying to put on a good ‘ole boy act? As if Mikhail was going to sit down and start swapping sex stories with him? She could have told him that Mikhail really wasn’t the right audience, but she kept her mouth shut. Her eyes locked with Mikhail’s. She saw the rage there as well as the need to act. But she also saw the confusion. She dipped her head, silently assuring him she was okay. Carrick’s death could wait until Mikhail questioned him.

Mikhail nodded back before clearing his throat. “Jinx. Would you care to explain what is going on?”

Jinx smiled grimly. “I would love to. You know the anonymous gift I received for my birthday? Turns out it was Carrick here.”

“Is that so?” Mikhail's voice was deceptively soft, like the whisper of a blade being drawn from its sheath. “You sent my mate a gift?”

Carrick's haughty expression faltered for a moment, his eyes darting between them. “Your ... mate? Surely you jest, My King. This little stray?—”

“Choose your next words very carefully,” Mikhail interrupted, taking a step forward. The floorboards creaked ominously under his weight.

Carrick's face had gone ashen, his earlier bravado evaporating like mist in the sun. “I meant no disrespect,” he stammered, his eyes darting around the room for an escape. “I was simply trying to have a bit of fun with your little plaything here.”

“He really wasn’t,” Jinx piped up, revelling in Carrick’s fear. “Turns out he’s been stalking me. He was a customer where I was enslaved, and he’s had a hard-on for me ever since. He’s also working with X to capture me and use me as a pawn to take you down. Oh, and the best part?” Jinx added, bouncing in place and clapping her hands. “X told him that he could keep me when X becomes King. Like a reward. Isn’t that just great?”

Mikhail's clenched jaw ticked. “Sogreat.”

Jinx could feel the angry energy pulsing from him in waves, and she knew things were about to get messy. She couldn’t wait. Still, she’d really like the satisfaction of maiming the walking shit stain herself. She placed her hand on Mikhail’s arm, feeling the coiled violence. “It’s okay.I’mokay. We both know it’s never going to happen. I was on the verge of handling this myself before you arrived.”

Mikhail closed his eyes tightly for a second before opening them, his expression softening as he gazed at her. He reached out with one hand to gently cup her face. “I have no doubt that you were,” he murmured. “But you’ve handled so much from your past. You should never have to handle anything alone again. And now that you have the others—and me—you don’t have to.”

Her nails dug into Mikhail’s arm. “I have you?”

“You bet your cute butt you do,” he grumbled, his voice ringing with conviction.

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