Page 80 of Queen of the Crimson Throne

She moved her gaze back to me, dismissing Lennox entirely, causing rage to simmer inside me. Dahna and I had shared many nights, but that was it.Nights. And here she was trying to dismiss Lennox. To dismiss ourHigh Queen... My magic pressed against my fingertips.

“That is not the proper way to greet your queen now is it?” I said, my tone sharp.

Dahna stumbled back, her brows pinching together as she looked at me. “I—” She looked back and forth between Lennox and me several times as she struggled for words. “I’m sorry. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lennox,” she finally stammered.

“It’s Your Majesty to you.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Dahna stumbled.

“And I believe a proper courtesy is to bow to your queen,” I added.

“Bow?” Dahna paled. “You can’t seriously expect me to bow, Luka.” She reached for my arm, but Lennox stepped in front of me, blocking her.

“Your Prince asked you to bow to your Queen. Nowbow.” There was no room for debate in Lennox’s tone.

I stepped around Lennox, placing myself at her side againas Dahna looked nervously between us. “Unless you’d like to be thrown in the dungeon, I suggest you bow.”

Dahna bowed deeply. As she rose, Lennox interrupted her. “I didn’t tell you to rise.”

A vicious smirk graced her face as Dahna fell back into her bow and I pulled Lennox tighter to my side.

“I love seeing your vicious side,” I whispered into her ear causing a smirk to form on her lips.

“You may rise,” she told Dahna finally. “Now, let me make one thing clear,Dahna.” Lennox’s voice was sweet, but laced with venom.

“Luka is my fiancé.Mine. If I hear you ever lay a finger on him I will personally make sure those fingers are removed from your body.” Dahna paled as I failed to hide my growing smile. “Second, if you ever disrespect me or your prince again, I will ensure you never live another day.” She turned her attention to me. “And I keep my promises, don’t I, Luka.”

“You do, Sweetheart.” I placed a kiss on the skin beneath her ear. “Every violent one.”

All color was now leached from Dahna, her confident facade nowhere to be seen as she clasped her shaking hands in front of her.

Lennox turned, lacing her arms around my neck and winding her hands through the hair at the base of my neck. “You may leave now.” Her eyes didn’t move from mine as she dismissed Dahna.

“Looks like you are a good actress after all.” I pulled her against me, hovering my lips over hers as her body bowed to my touch. “Jealousy suits you.”

“Turns out it’s a lot easier than I thought,” she admitted as her lips dusted over mine for a moment before she pulled back.

“How recently have you been with any of your—” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she searched for the right word. “Lovers.”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to call them lovers.”She raised a single brow. When was the last time I had been in bed with another? “I suppose it was sometime the week before I left for Alethens.”

Lennox’s steps faltered, my hand on her back catching her to prevent her fall. “You mean to tell me you haven’t been with anyone since you met me?” Her eyes searched mine for the lie.

“Only you, Sweetheart.” It hadn’t been intentional. There had been nights in Alethens, out with Declan where I had been posed with the opportunity, but turned it down. At the time it had been due to my fascination with Lennox and my determination to keep my eye on the goal.

At some point it shifted, my abstinence became solely about Lennox. I didn’t want anyone else. Even since I had returned to Cel Nox. After we had broken one another’s hearts it would have been so easy to bury my heartache in another, but I couldn’t get myself to even try.

My heart belonged to her even if she didn’t want it.

“Why?” She stammered. “Why haven’t you been with anyone since you’ve been back in Cel Nox? Surely the opportunity has presented itself.”

“It has, but I would never do that to you. We’re engaged.”

“But not really. You’re trying to ensure we don’t remain engaged, so why haven’t you sought out others?” I could hear her emotions rising as she spoke—I could feel them too. Her magic quickly rising to the surface.

“Engaged or not engaged, my soul belongs to you, Lennox. If we get married you can be free to have whatever lovers you want if that’s what you desire.” My stomach recoiled at the idea of her with another while married to me, but if seeking her pleasure elsewhere, if that’s what she wanted, I’d give it to her.

“My heart will always belong to you. Maybe someday I’ll be able to move on, but for now, I am set on you. No one will ever compare to you, Lennox Adair.” I swept a loose hair from her face, letting my finger move down the side of her neck as I fixed my gaze on her full bottom lip.

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