The Beginning of Everything by Kristen Ashley Page 0,47
a blossom of pain bloomed behind my eyes, and with it surprise since no wall had been there before.
Quickly, the pain dissipated.
And when it did, I felt a hand flat on the small of my back, something hard pressed to my thighs and belly, and my eyes, that were right then encountering nothing but a large span of smooth brown skin, went up.
To see the black eyes of my intended scowling down at me angrily.
“First,” he growled and his other hand (the one not at my back holding me to him) came to my wrist, his fingers winding around to pull it away. “We see to that nose.”
And this he did.
He let my wrist go only to grasp my chin with the side of a finger under it and his thumb to the point whereupon he lifted my head, bent his deep, and studied that protuberance on my face.
Well, one could say this was humiliating.
And with that skin I saw, it was clear he was again wearing only those pants.
And I didn’t know what to think about that, except it didn’t bear contemplating.
Therefore, I didn’t contemplate it.
He kept his fingers at my chin when he straightened and carried on scowling down at me.
“You are fine,” he declared.
“Erm,” I mumbled.
“You’re also avoiding me,” he declared irritably.
But…
I was not.
“Well, um…” I murmured.
“I do not like this.”
He didn’t like it?
I didn’t see him striding our way as we stood in the vestibule, gathering together prior to leaving for dinner, doing thus to share he’d be joining us in the city that eve.
“Your Grace, I’m not exactly…I mean, you’ve been rather—”
“I’m not your Grace,” he interrupted me. “I will be your husband. You will feel me between your legs. In your mouth. You will sleep under me.”
I felt my eyes get wide.
In my…
Mouth?
My reaction made his eyes get angrier.
“You do not think to give this to me?” he asked.
“Well…I…in my…” I stammered and blurted, “What’s my mouth have to do with anything?”
He blinked very slowly.
Then he relaxed, much more slowly, and took his fingers from my chin to drop that hand so he could wrap them around the side of my waist.
But as he did this, something fired in his eyes that did something discomfiting to my insides (specifically, regions south).
“My name is Mars,” he stated in a much less irate tone.
“I know.”
“You call me Mars,” he ordered.
“All right,” I said hesitantly.
“You also will not ever again run from me.”
Oh balls.
I didn’t hide that I was rushing.
“Well, you were then like you are now. Where you’re not, really…erm, dressed,” I explained.
“I know the Dellish, for whatever fool reason, men and women, feel it necessary to cover every inch of skin. The Firenz do not. And thus, this is the attire I wear at home when I’m at my ease.”
This could be that in much of Wodell, for many months of the year, it got quite cold, and in Firenze, this did not happen.
I did not remind the dark king of that.
“All right,” I said again.
“You will need to get used to it,” he declared.
I did not think that likely.
“All right,” I repeated.
“My land is not your land. You will need to get used to that as well,” he went on being overbearing.
“I know this,” I shared.
“And do it quickly,” he decreed.
I pressed my lips together so I didn’t say anything foolish.
“Tomorrow night, you ride at my side, and during the parade, you sit at it so my people can gaze on their future queen.”
One moment…
Was he…
Mad?
I felt the length of my frame tightening.
“I cannot do this,” I breathed.
His heavy brows shot together. “Why?”
“I…but…there will be thousands of people there.”
“I know this.”
“And you’ll be the center of attention. Even, probably, for many when the Nadirii are drilling.”
“I know this too. It is the way. I am their king.”
“And if I’m to sit beside you as your future queen,” I carried on, “they’ll be looking at me.”
“I know this as well.”
“But, I don’t…” I shook my head, making an effort to pull myself together. “I’m not like that, my king, erm, Mars,” I corrected when he looked to be getting irate again. “I dislike attention.”
“In but a few days, you’re to be made my queen.”
“I know,” I said softly.
“You cannot not have attention.”
Oh by the gods, I hadn’t thought of this.
And thinking on it now, I thought it was dire!
“You will need to get used to this too, little monkey,” he proclaimed.
My attention was instantly pulled from my newest plight, to his words.