Page 12 of The King's Man
I gritted my teeth, swallowing the howl and curses that wanted to come as he lowered his head and hissed in my ear.
“I claimed you, toprotect youfrom men as strong as me, who would come every time they heard you scream,” he growled.
“Fuck you!”
“There’s my girl.”
“I am not your fuckinggirl—”I hissed.
“Oh, yes, you are. You’re thinking like achild,”he growled in my ear. “This isn’t a game, Diadre. I claimed you to save you—and by Neph standards, if I wasthat kind of monster,I’d be expected to take you whenever, and howeverIchoose. Because that is howmypeople work. Whether you like to believe that in your little bubble of Fetch propriety, or not.”
He thrust his hips forward, humping my ass. I bit back a scream and a low rumble vibrated in his chest.
“My brotherswantto hear you cry—do you not understand?”
“Get your filthy hands off me you fuckingpervert!” It was supposed to be an order, carrying all the authority I held as a Captain of the crown. But the very real edge of fear sang through it, weakening me.
“That’s it.” His grip on my hair tightened and he craned my head back so I stared up into the misty silhouette of the trees and branches overhead. His voice remained a low, dreadful hiss in my ear.
“I am no more a pervert than you are a child.” He rolled his hips, rubbing himself on my ass and I squawked, but he only whispered again. “Don’t worry, Dee. I prefer my womenwilling—and have no desire to force them. But my brothers? They will take you the moment they believe you are unguarded byme.You should be fuckinggratefulfor my protection.”
My jaw dropped and I struggled with all my might, strangled cries breaking in my throat. I got one good elbow jab into his ribs that made him grunt, but the fear screamed higher because even when he flinched, I couldn’t budge him.
I couldn’t fucking move. He was so strong and so much bigger than me.
He chuckled and taunted me as I struggled, but when I finally slumped, tears threatening, he dropped his jaw against mine and whispered in my ear again.
“That’s it. You’re learning.”
“Learning that you threatened torapeme?” I hissed.
Jann went very still. I swallowed hard, suddenly afraid I’d finally pushed him too far—then gasping when I was tumbling to the forest floor again as heroared.
I was forced to tuck and roll so I didn’t eat dirt, but before I was halfway to my feet, he’d grabbed me again and pulled me toface him, that hand back in my hair and yanking my head back, while the other gripped my wrist.
He stood over me, fire in his eyes and his tongue already forming whatever sick thing was in his head—but he’d forgotten my blade. And my free hand.
As he leaned down, I whipped the point of the blade up right under his chin.
We both froze, staring at each other.
But he didn’t back off. And he didn’t release my hand.
“One wrong move,” I hissed, “and I will put this through your throat to the hilt—where it will reach even toyourtiny brain.”
His eyes narrowed. “I don’t doubt that you’re stupid enough to kill your savior. But rest assured, before you manage the strike, I’d snap your neck,” he growled, tightening his grip in my hair.
“God,the sheer arrogance of you. You overpower a woman and call yourself asavior?!”
“Ah, suddenly shewantsto be seen as a woman. Convenient.”
“Not when I’m in the hands of a Neph,” I spat. “Your people’s traditions are repulsive and abhorrent.”
He stared at me, his upper lip twitching like he was fighting a sneer. He seemed to gather himself, and leaned in until his nose almost touched mine, and his breath washed over my face when he spoke.
“I wouldnevertake a woman against her will. I have no need to. You can sleep easily at night, Diadre. I have no need to violate you—no interest in it,” he said with a wicked smile, implying the insult. “There’s no need to draw steel with me,” he purred. “You need only use the very honed blade of your tongue if you want to move me.”
“You’re not as funny as you think. Women don’tactuallyadmire you. You know that, right? All those preening, coysmiles? They’repretendingnot to resist out of fear of your wrath if they refuse.”
