Page 160 of Savage Is My Kingdom

“Taunting the king so publicly, when we should be keeping our heads down.”

But now, in my chamber, away from listening ears and curious eyes, it was all I could do not to slide the iron off and use my magic to crush Tavion Montgomery to absolutedust.

To make matters worse, he didn’t even respond, just threw himself intomy chairand spread his arms across the back, like he had every right to be inmy fucking bedroom.

“I was merely asking that my husbandlyneedsbe met. By mywife.” His toothy smile screamedscary predator, and I curbed my own insane desire to show him he wasn’t the only one in the room. Nor was he the biggest.

But fine. If he wanted to play games, I was more than happy to oblige.

I undid my exquisite dress—the one I would never wear again—a button at a time, slid the gown off my shoulders, wadded it up in a ball and tossed it over in the corner. His eyes crinkled in amusement.

“I thought I’d have to do more than just ask,wife. Had I known you’d be so willing, I would have married you weeks ago.”

I smirked. “You know, I didn’t expect you to reveal your hand so quickly, Montgomery. I’m merely showing you what you’ll never have.”

That smug, cold humor slid right off his face when I pulled off the thin chemise, baring myself completely to him, his eyes darkening to pitch black as his gaze skimmed my full breasts, my flat stomach. I slid down my silk stockings, turning so he got a good, long look at my ass.

If I’d thought Tavion’s silver wolf was a ravening creature, he didn’t have a thing on Tavion’s Fae form. He wanted me. He didn’t like that he did and was fighting his attraction with everything he had…but he wanted me.

I kept myself turned, careful so he didn’t glimpse what I kept hidden. A thin line of the darkest black ran down my side like a of streak of crackling lightning, starting above my ribs, ending at the top of my hip.

“I will not be going to Warrington.” I bent over, savoring Tavion’s sharp intake of breath as I shimmied into my leather pants. Maybe even gave my ass an extra wiggle.

“Nor will I be meeting your father, or any other member of your family.” I prowled over, leaned close, my nipples brushing the wool of his fine jacket as his eyes fell half-closed, nostrils flaring as he drank in my scent. I pulled away and yanked my shirt over my head.

“I will never go anywhere with you, Tavion. I will be staying here, with Raziel and Zor, where I belong.”

“I hardly think that’s where you belong.” His voice was a husky purr, lower than I’d ever heard it and I smiled over my shoulder, at the tendons popping in his neck, the erection straining against his pants. Claws popped out of the ends of his fingers and were currently shredding the wooden chair apart.

“This is exactly where I belong.” My smile grew sharper. “With Raziel. And Zorander. Here. For as long as I decide I wish to stay.”

He snorted, but worry stained his eyes. “You wouldn’t know what to do with the two of them.”

“Oh, I have a few ideas.” I winked. “I have a good imagination, you see, and I’ve had plenty of lonely nights to fantasize about how, exactly the three of us wouldfittogether.” His mouth fell open as I buttoned up my jacket and slid my feet into my boots with a wink that I knew would send him over the edge.

“Trust me, we willfittogether just fine. In so many delicious ways.”

“You are my wife.” Tavion snarled through long, sharp teeth, his face growing more wolfish by the minute. I loosened the bands on my arms. “This realm is dangerous.I have to protect you.” There was an edge of keening desperation in those words I chose to ignore as I measured my response.

“Once you gloated that Solarys would destroy me.” I swallowed, some of my fear from that awful day surging back up. “You told me Blackcastle would crush me. The Shadow King…would crush me.

“You do not get to change the narrative now. You do not get to play the savior, when you would have celebrated my demise.”

I slid the bands down, let starry magic saturate the air around us, “You brought me here as a pawn to be played with and broken.” I never dropped my eyes, let Tavion see the absolute commitment in my eyes, in my heart.

“I am staying. Not as a pawn, but as the lion who will devour this city whole.”

I surveyed him, dressed as finely as any king, his temper barely in check, a hairsbreadth away from changing into a predator who would tear me apart. His eyes though…glimmered with hurt. I stomped out my remorse and pasted a cold smile on my face, the same one I’d seen him don a hundred times.

“So good luck and safe travels home. I hope you have a nice, long visit.”

* * *

I duckedinto Raz’s hut, interrupting his and Tristan’sdiscussion.

Argument, was more like it. I couldn’t take my eyes off that small, black mark on Raz’s cheek and went straight to him, brushed my fingers over the blemish, my stomach turning to lead.

I’d marked him and I couldn’t undo the damage.

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