To Wed A King

As You Wish

Adeline gave a small moan of pain as she sank into the water, her hand covering the wound. She was careful to avoid soaking it because if she didn't want Evander's cast taken off, then she would have to not let it soak. She took the bath slowly, washing her hair carefully. Once she was done, she grabbed the robe that was hanging close to the round bath, then got out of the bath. The bottom of the cast was wet, and the wools were stained with blood.

She gave a long sigh, then wrapped the robes around herself before limping slowly out of the bath house. She had memorised the path to the chambers, and she walked to the chambers, her brows furrowed with pain, her lips parted.

She gently closed the door behind her and had taken not more than a step away from it when it suddenly opened, and Lucan barged in.

"You love the pain, do you not?"

She turned, her eyes wide in surprise. She lost balance on her wet foot and slipped backwards, a small yelp leaving her lips as she fell backwards.

Lucan caught her just in time, his idy leaning towards hers, hovering right above hers, his tattooed arm resting around her, keeping her in place, her hair falling in front of her and behind her.

He watched her face, like the very first time he had seen it. He would not lie he would brave her stupid efforts to break free of him just to keep her. She had a different sort of allure. The kind of beauty he had never come across. And her hair... her hair was beautiful, and even without the less than honourable thoughts, she still appeared perfectly beautiful.

"Let me go," she said, cutting right through his thoughts.

He gave a small sigh. "Is that the gratitude I get for saving you again?"

"I never asked you to save me. I would prefer for you not to see me at all."

He gave a small snicker, then roughly pulled her to him, his other hand wrapping around her waist, his tattooed arm slowly moving her hair across her face.

His eyes took in her features, his fingers lightly moving across her face.

She caught his hand just before he got to her lips, and her eyes raised to him.

"Know your limits, Lucan."

"I have none," he said, yanking his hand off hers. He slowly brought his hand back to her face, then gently moved to her lips again.

She caught his arm still, and before he could say a word, she leaned, and bit hit hand hard, her teeth sinking into his flesh.

He gave a small grunt of surprise and pushed her off, his eyes wide as he took in the teeth marks in his skin.

"Have you gone mad?"

"Your presence alone is enough to drive any woman to insanity."

"That is not what Claude said."

"Claude admitted to being stupid. And in love. That is akin to sanity."

He raised a brow, his head tilting upwards as he slowly walked towards her cornering her deeper into the room.

"You keep talking about love like it is of importance."

"It is," Adeline said, her back hitting the wall, her chest heaving as she realized she was cornered.

He slowly came to her, one hand resting on the wall on her right, the other slowly lifting her chin so she had nowhere to look at but him.

"Is it now?" Lucan asked, his voice a low growl. Her skin was like any he had felt, and he knew he would be stretching his patience to the very thinnest in order to wait for her to yield.

"People like you would not know," she said, her eyes darting across both of hers. "People like me who have had it fuel their lives ever since birth... we know just how important it is."

He smiled, then gently turned his hand, then caressed the length between her ear and her shoulder, his eyes following his movement.

"You have been betrothed to the duke of Corvalon since birth?"

She swallow4d. "Yes. Only for a tyrant to shatter it on one night."

He rolled his eyes and let his hand gently fall to the knot, keeping the robe together. "Is it my fault that he has not come to see you even though you so publicly attempted suicide for him?"

Her eyes widened. "Evander did not..."

"Did you see him at all?"

She swallowed. "He... He put on this bandage last night and..."

Lucan chuckled. "The same last night that I was in this room? I doubt he would dare." He slowly lifted to meet her eyes, and he smiled, letting his longest finger trace the length of her face. "Why? Were you so adamant not to remove the cast because you felt it was your cowardly former lover? You think he valued you enough to risk it all just to see how you are doing?"

Adeline's eyes filled with tears, her chest heaving. "You probably put him in a dungeon."

He laughed, caressing her shoulder. "This is not even my kingdom. And we both know you are trying to avoid the truth."

Her eyes lowered, tears slowly streaming down, her lips parting. Lucan raised her chin, then slowly leaned to her. She started to protest, but he held her back, overpowering her.

He kissed the very bottoms of her tears, then brought his thumb to wipe off the rest.

"I heard what he said to you the other day," he whispered. He was so close now that he could feel her breath on his face. "That he thought you were that sort of w***e who would willingly give her body to me. I may be what I am, but that is the last thing I would accuse a woman I claim to cherish. Especially after everything we all saw."

Adeline swallowed, her chest heaving. Evander hadn't even bothered to come at all, and she would be lying if it did not hurt.

Lucan smiled, kissing right underneath her tears again. "Besides, we all know why he is angry. Because he knows I will be exploring a side of you that he never got. A side of you that he will never get."

Adeline met his eyes, her lips parting, her chest lightly heaving. It sounded like a threat. Like a promise. Like a vow.

Slowly, his hand went to the knot of her robe. Her eyes widened, and he held his hand in place, her chest heaving.

"Oh, Adeline. Innocent as ever."

She swallowed. "Do not do this to me."

He nodded. "I am not going to. I have told you that I do not force women. But I will force you down to that bed and fix your wound if I have to. Or you could choose the better option and open up for me."

She swallowed hard, knowing he meant every word he said.

"Let me... dress properly."

With a small nod, he backed away from her, immediately missing the proximity. "As you wish."