Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #2) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,153

before you ever stepped foot into my camp, Aria. You’re mine, and I protect what is mine. The guard who overstepped was punished harshly and relieved of his post. I handled him and made an example of him to ensure you aren’t touched again.”

“You’re delusional and prideful. That order failed, and you weren’t there to protect me. You couldn’t even see past your anger to notice that they hurt me. You have allowed your grief to consume you. It has painted your vision, blinding you against reality. I almost died, and you didn’t even notice me. How long before it happens again? How long before one of your people finally achieves the goal of ending my life?” I demanded.

“It won’t happen again, nor will I leave you unguarded.”

“You assume I won’t escape, but I will. I’m not some weak-minded woman that you can flex your pecs at and melt my brain cells. I will escape you, Knox. When I do, I will find someone who loves me and isn’t afraid of you. Do you even know what the difference between love and lust is?” I asked. When his eyes searched my face, I laughed before leaning over, pulling him closer to me. I kissed him hungrily, devouring him until his rattle sounded, and mine echoed the noise perfectly. Pulling away, I took in the hunger burning in his stare. “That’s me wanting to fuck you,” I clarified.

My eyes lowered to his mouth, watching the tight line form. I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him close, brushing my fingertips over his cheeks. I allowed him an unguarded look at me, peering up with my feelings exposed.

“This is the part of me you will never know.” I smiled brightly, letting him see me with my shields down before I leaned closer, pressing against his mouth as I gave him everything.

I kissed him so hard and so softly that even I was lost in the kiss's intensity as my hands slid through his hair. Both of us tried to get closer to one another as he purred, and I echoed the sound with a deep, soothing tone that bespoke of soft kisses and heated embraces. Savoring the last of the kiss, I pushed him away with everything I had left within me.

“That is what I will give to the man I love. See the difference? One is me needing to be fucked. The other is my bare soul, open without fear or needing protection from the man I love, someone who will give me their love in return. There’s a huge difference.”

I slipped from the rocks, splashing into the pool, as I paddled away from him. He silently watched me; his emotions so violently confused that I couldn’t stop the smile that curved my lips. I celebrated the small victory before it dropped, and I turned toward the deadly rattle escaping his chest.

“You kiss anyone else like that, and I’ll fuck you on their corpse after I’ve ripped their spine out through their fucking throat, Aria Primrose.” His eyes darkened to black with the warning. I slowly waded backward toward the waterfall.

Knox’s expression turned sinister as something deadly studied me through his eyes, awoken by my threat. His gaze slid over my body, raw, naked desire burning in his smoldering depths.

“Get your naughty little ass over here before I remind you who I am, and why I’m the fucking King.”

Chapter Fifty-Two

I stared at Knox’s outstretched hand as if it were a viper. Frowning, I expelled the air from my lungs as I made my way to him. He watched me, lowering his eyes to the clear water that exposed every single part of me to his heated, ravenous gaze. When I neared him, he turned toward the pool’s side, grabbing a bottle out of the bag before meeting me halfway.

“Turn around, woman,” he ordered.

I narrowed my eyes at the command in his voice, sliding them to the bottle he held. He waited, watching me decide if I was going to argue or not. I wanted to say that it wasn’t smart or something we should do.

The pool’s magic was settling in and driving the need to have him inside of me to a painful ache that had my thighs clenching tightly.

A smarter woman would have argued the stupidity of what we were doing, but Knox wouldn’t hear anything I said. He’d used the tone that brokered no argument. I could state the reasons why I shouldn’t allow him near me until I