Page 58 of The King's Maiden

Memories of my parents overwhelmed me after seeing Landon’s book, and I couldn’t deal with it.

Not with a witness standing over me.

But Landon didn’t call me out on my response to Kingston’s gift, and his voice wrapped around me like the fleece throw. “Do you want me to close the curtains?”

He stared out the window, letting me have my reaction without an audience. I followed his gaze to the crystal blue lake outside his window.

“Yes, please. Maybe just a little. The view is…”

It hadn’t been my focus upon entering the room, but seeing it now, the lap of the water against the shore was almost as soothing as the sound of his voice.

“Something about it feels peaceful. I’d like to look at it until I fall asleep.”

He pulled the curtains shut so the picturesque blue water stayed in my line of vision. Without letting in so much light that I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Calm settled over me, and I yawned as he went to the door.

“I’ll be back in a little while.”

I hummed a sleepy sound and nodded. “Thank you.”

Leveling out my breathing, I clutched Kingston’s gift in my hands. I expected Landon to leave the room right away, but he lingered in the doorway. Something about knowing he was right there let me relax enough to drift off.

Clearly, I was over-exhausted.

That had to be the reason why my heart beat a little faster, even as I fell asleep.

Max Dread

“Ihope you’re not locking her in there.” I glared at the so-called White Knight’s back, enjoying the way he spun around to face me—caught off guard.

He knew I’d seen him gently closing the door like a fucking simp. I didn’t hide the derision on my face as I glanced at his lingering grip on the doorknob. Landon let it go quickly and shoved both his hands in his pockets.

As if that would hide how red they were.

Everyone fawned over the King’s most loyal Knight—especially Kingston. I couldn’t go more than five seconds in a room without someone talking about him. Either for howloyalhe was or to stir up the old rumors.

Coming from a family of betrayers was bound to offer anyone notoriety.

But I saw Landon for what he was—a snake in the fucking grass. I recognized that thoughtful gesture as one of many deeds of misdirection. If he played the good guy on the right, no one would pay attention to the destruction his darker side left in his wake.

I had. Not just last week, but a year ago.

Shrugging my shoulder, I couldn’t resist the urge to bait him. “Though, I guess if you do, I can come to the rescue again.”

“That won’t be necessary, Max. But thank you.” Keeping his expression neutral, he walked away from the door and passed in front of mine, that hint of darkness glinting in his golden-boy eyes. “I’ve got her very well taken care of from here. She’s so worn out from this morning, I decided to let her rest before a harder training session tonight.”

My jaw tightened so hard I thought the bone might snap. “You mean, that stunt with Brutus this morning was your doing?”

He said nothing, lifting his chin as his eyes narrowed on my reaction. The fucking prick was always watching, always assessing everything. I hated it.

The urge to smash his face rose up inside me, so I clenched my hands into fists. “Does Kingston know what kind of fucked up shit you’re doing with her?”

Again, he said nothing.

“Or maybe he’s the one putting you up to this?”

“Quinn has her safe words just like your Maiden does.”

Unsurprisingly, he responded with some bullshit when I brought his lord and master into it. Fucking lap dog. Begging for scraps at the D’Arthur table.

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