Total pages in book: 230
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
“A prostitute gets paid,” Day corrected as Kash watched in horror. “I did everything I did for pure pleasure.”
Tasha shook her head, blonde curls bouncing. “I’ve got pictures of you. This scandal is going to make Kate Middleton’s nude shots look like an innocent day in the park. How are they going to feel when they find out their pretty new queen is a pervert? That she tricked the king into marrying her? They’ll know he would never marry a whore.”
“Don’t think you can use that against us,” Day was saying. “We’re perfectly fine with the way we are and no one else comes into it. So go ahead and spout all the nasty stories you like.”
Tasha’s mouth dropped open and she stared at him. “You let her do that to you? You let her tie you up and spank you like you’re some kind of…naughty little boy?”
“We haven’t gotten that far yet, but honestly it’s none of your business. Now you can leave my home or I’ll have you dragged out.” Day took a step toward Tasha.
“Dayita, don’t say another word.” He had to take control. She’d lied to him. His gut twisted at the thought of her with other men, with submissive men. Was that what she was trying to do to him? Was she trying to change him into some plaything to be used for her own pleasure? So she could have the upper hand in all things? “You should leave this room and go up to the bedroom. I will deal with you later.”
Day’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
He hardened himself against her. He wasn’t going to let her humiliate him like this. “You heard me. I said go up to our room and I will deal with you. Don’t you even think about walking back into the ballroom. The evening is done for you. I will handle our guests.”
“What are you doing, Kash?” For the first time since he’d found her again, she sounded unsure of herself. Day was always so self-possessed. Now he knew why. She made the men around her bow down, and he’d allowed himself to become one of many.
He knew it wasn’t fair. Deep down he realized he was being a terrible hypocrite, but he convinced himself that this was different. He looked at her, a chill coming over his whole body. “I’m going to clean up the mess you made for me. Get upstairs or I swear I’ll have the guards take you up there.”
“I’d love to see them try.” She stood up to him.
He couldn’t have that. There would be no backing down. This was far too important. He couldn’t allow himself to look weak in front of a woman who could apparently destroy them all. He moved into her space, using his height to his advantage. “Do you want me to humiliate you, Dayita? I’ll do it. If you don’t walk out of here right now and go to our room, I’ll carry you. I’ll throw you over my shoulder and I’ll slap your ass all the way through the ballroom.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.” He leaned in. “After all, that’s what you want to do to me, isn’t it? You want to turn me into a pathetic creature who licks your boots. I assure you that won’t happen, my darling wife. You might have tricked me into this marriage, might have fooled my mother into believing you’re some kind of a saint, but the manipulation stops now. If you push me, I’ll have every newspaper in the world tomorrow running a photo of you being carried off, and the story the next day will be that I abandoned you. I’ll leave and you won’t see me until I’m ready to deal with you. Do you want that humiliation?”
She’d paled, her eyes shimmering with tears, but her hands were fists at her sides. “Why are you doing this?” She started to reach for him. “We need to talk about this, love.”
He backed away. This was how she got to him. She offered him everything he couldn’t have, like Eve offering up that apple of hers. “Now!”
She turned, but not before he’d seen the look of abject horror in her eyes. She held her head high and walked out of the door.
“Well, well, it looks like you always make the right choice.” Tasha’s satisfied voice made him turn.
“Oh, I don’t think anyone in the world would agree with you.” Kash stalked toward her, his hands itching to do some violence. He wouldn’t, but the need was there. To destroy something. To smash it all into bits until his life was completely unrecognizable and he could start over again after sweeping up the ashes. “After all, I chose to bed down with a snake like you, my dear. Listen to me and listen well. You’re going to find out what a king can do. If you tell your trashy story to another soul, I swear to god I will make your life hell. I’ll be patient and wait. I won’t come after you right away, and you’ll never realize it’s me coming for you. I’ll find a way to ruin your reputation. If you’re up for a part, I’ll pay the producers to hire someone else. If you find a man foolish enough to marry you, I’ll send my people in to let him know what marrying you will cost him. There won’t be anywhere you can hide. If you destroy my wife’s reputation, I’ll spend the rest of my life making yours into a literal hell on earth. Am I understood?”