Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
“At least she gave you something?” Bella smiled at me.
And I was taken back.
To the shower.
To the babysitting.
To the constant fights.
Touching.
Sparring.
To my life before the death.
To having a friend I called enemy, and an enemy I called friend. My heart stung with each pound, making its way up to my dry throat. I burned over the loss I created.
I had no idea that I’d look back and miss fighting with her over dinner.
Or that I’d miss my training with Junior.
I’d lost my brother and my best enemy in one day.
“The rules state you can’t touch me,” she whispered. “But I can touch you. A small technicality. So, even though you’re evil, and I hate you, can I touch you, Ivan? Can I make a choice and take something for myself? For once in this mess?”
What did she just say?
I blinked. “W-what?”
“Touch you,” she repeated. “It’s my wedding night and I’m going to quite literally die a virgin while you die a villain. So, can you just pretend you’re mildly attracted to me? Can you pretend for just a few minutes and let me touch you?”
To what end? I wanted to ask. And why did this feel like I was signing up to get tortured?
I tried to turn the tables. “Why would you want to touch me, of all people?”
“You’re my husband,” she said. “And you said to trust you. Can I? Still? Trust you? Despite all the sins you’ve committed and will committee? Despite what you’ve put us both through and the Families?”
I jerked out of my shirt and slowly dropped it to the carpet. “Touch all you want, but I’m not taking what’s someone else’s.”
She frowned. “What?”
“I’m not taking your virginity, Bella.”
She actually looked upset about it. What sort of conversation had she had in her head while I was getting ready for bed? Seriously? She should be thankful!
“Fine.” She licked her lips. “L-lay on the bed, on your back.”
I hid my smile.
Not how I planned on spending my wedding night in sheer torture while a gorgeous woman bossed me around. Welcome to marriage, right?
I lay down on my back and put my hands behind my head. “Like this?”
Her chest rose and fell slowly while her eyes roamed all over me. She crossed her arms. “No, I need you to take off all of your clothes.”
I froze. “What?”
“Naked. I want you naked. Now.” She actually grabbed her phone and typed something into it. “I’m setting a timer for my gift, give me ten minutes and you can go sleep in your room, I just want ten damn minutes for myself, to forget, can you do that?”
Ten minutes would be a lifetime.
Ten minutes would kill me.
I was already turned on and she hadn’t even touched me.
“Yes.” My mouth betrayed me. “Yes, I’ll give you ten minutes.”
“Good. Now strip.”
So I did.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“When the tables turn, they really turn, and when your woman asks, you obey or pay the price.” —King Campisi
Bella
It took every last shred of nerve I had to ask.
My pride was already gone, and I decided that queens didn’t just get their thrones, no they fought for them, or they took them and the ones who were born into it were destroyed.
So, I would take something for myself.
Especially after seeing his behavior tonight. I was hurt but more pissed than anything because while Ivan was a tease, he would never actually make-out with random women in front of me.
Maybe he forgot all his confessions. He hated it when women smoked, then kissed him, he hated long nails, and he really didn’t like it to be too easy for him.
All red flags.
He’d been acting.
It still stung.
But there was more to the story, and I had no more brain power to try to solve the puzzle he kept throwing in front of me.
I just wanted my kiss.
I wanted what was owed to me for my sacrifice—but most of all, I wanted my power and I wanted it to be my choice.
Ivan was powerful beneath me, all golden skin and sinewy muscles spread across his stomach and flexed biceps as he kept his hands to himself. His half-hooded gaze screamed sex, and he wasn’t hiding anything from the waist down.
I let myself look my fill.
He was mine. after all, even if he was the worst human being on the planet—he was mine.
“Tell me.” I pressed my palms against his chest.
He exhaled a fuck, or maybe it was duck, but I’m pretty sure he wasn’t thinking about ducks in that moment. “Yes?”
“What feels good to you?”
He swallowed slowly. “Are you sure you want this?”
I nodded. “Give me something for taking everything, Ivan.”
“So, you want my body and soul, is that it?” he rasped.
“I’ll take what I can get.” I dug my nails into his skin, his muscles flexed—his entire body flexed. “So, how do I touch you?”