Page 146 of The King is Dead
“Oh, no you don’t!” Yilan said, one hand shooting up to catch my wrist, stopping me from removing it.
“What?” I asked. “Surely they don’t expect me to sleep in the thing?”
Yilan laughed and shook her head. “No, not at all. We only wear crowns for formal events.”
I frowned as she gave me a look, then went back to the buttons on my leathers and started popping them free.
“Yilan, why did you—?”
“Because,” she said breathlessly. “You’re mine. You’re mine, and you’reKing.”She tugged my shirt apart, then started pushing it off my shoulders. “I’m going toserveyou, Melek,” she said breathlessly as she looked back up at me, a predatory grin on her face. “And the crown stayson.”
54. Oh King, My King
~ YILAN ~
He stood over me, his shirt off and leathers open, looming so tall and broad I couldn’t see any of the room beyond him. His eyes gleamed with heat and a little bit of surprise.
He wasn’t the only one.
I’d expected to be excited when he was crowned. I’d expected to be a little nervous about it. I had even expected to have to stifle my desire to compete with him when he first started issuing orders.
I hadn’t expected that crown to turn me on.
It had started the moment he stood up with it on and looked down at me, his eyes shining. It worsened when we left the lodge and I had a chance to see him walking unself-consciously with that jeweled coronet pressed over his hair. By the time we made it to the Palace, my belly thrummed. Walking through the halls, watching everyone finally give him the recognition he deserved lit afirein me.
Now that we were alone in our chambers I was quivering with it. My fingers trembled getting his buttons undone—even though it obviously wasn’t on his mind until I started touching him.
But I didn’t care. There was something in me that achedto be close to him, and strangely felt smaller. In a good way.
I found I wanted to submit to him.Wantedhim to issue me a command.
It was strange and wonderful and I wasn’t quite sure why it was happening, but Melek must have felt something through the bond, because as I continued to strip him bare, he caught my face and made me look up.
Under the golden band of that gleaming, bejeweled crown, his eyes were narrowed and searching mine.
My breath stopped when he leaned down, but he didn’t kiss me. Then he smiled.
“What’s gotten into you?”
I smiled shyly, but desire was rocketing through me. “I find myself… flustered by the sight of you in a crown.”
His brows shot up, but his smile didn’t disappear. “Flustered?”
I cleared my throat. “Aroused.”
His smiled broadened and grew smug. “Is that right?” I nodded. His eyes glinted. “You like a powerful man, Yilan?” he purred.
“Yes—you’ve always been powerful,” I said breathlessly, dodging the question.
“I can feel you,” he murmured, his eyes gleaming. “I can feel you wanting me.”
“I’ve always wanted you, too.”
“Not like this.”
I swallowed. “It’s been a big day and now you have a crown. I like it.”
His grip on my face tightened and he used his thumb to tip up my chin, bending down so that our noses almost touched.
