Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
He continued to stare ahead.
“There’s no reason to kill her…so I’m sure you’ll get her back.”
He reached for his glass beside him and took a long drink. “Hope you’re right.”
“Your father must be distraught.”
“He definitely hasn’t been the same.”
“Are you going to go back out there and look for her?”
“I’ve looked everywhere. But I’ll look again.”
“I wish I could help you.”
He turned to regard me, his eyes still soft and serious. “Did your family enjoy their dinner?” He brought the glass to his lips and took another drink.
“Yes. My family hasn’t eaten like that in a long time.”
“Did you tell them that a handsome man came to your rescue?” He gave a slight smile but one that didn’t reach his eyes.
“I didn’t need to be rescued. And, no. My father would be embarrassed to accept charity.”
“Wasn’t charity. You’re paying for it right now—sitting here with me.” He took another drink then set his glass back on the table.
“Even so, he’s a proud man.”
“I know where you get it from.”
I gave a smile. “My father wanted a son—so he raised me as one.”
“Reminds me of my sister. He trained her in the sword just as he did with me. But I can tell he still favors me…”
“No surprise there.”
“It’s ironic, because I know she’s smarter and a lot more capable than I am.” He looked to the city again.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. “That’s sweet.”
“Not really,” he said with a chuckle. “I would never say that to her face. Gods, it would go straight to her head.” He turned back to me. “And if you ever tell her I said that, I’ll lie until I’m blue in the face.”
“Would it be the worst thing to tell her?”
“It would. You think I’m arrogant?” He scoffed. “She’s worse.”
“I highly doubt that, for some reason.”
He gave a light chuckle. “So, what are your plans?”
“What do you mean?”
“In life.”
“Well…I hope I don’t die here.”
He turned to look at me.
“No offense, Delacroix is a great place. But I hear these stories about the Capital. Blue waters that reflect the sunset. Summers that are warm and not humid. Vineyards. Sailboats in the harbor. Unparalleled beauty.”
“The stories are true.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “Makes this place look like a shithole, honestly.”
“I hope to make it there someday, maybe after my parents are gone.”
His green eyes watched me, set in that handsome face.
“But hopefully I make it there sooner. My father enters our name in the lottery every time it’s open.”
His eyes immediately dropped to the floor.
“He actually thinks we’ll be selected…someday.”
He kept his eyes down.
“They’d sell our house and use the money to retire. My father likes working with his hands, but being a blacksmith is just too hard on his body now. Needs something that won’t put so much stress on his back.”
He looked away, back to the view of the city. “The odds of winning the lottery are very low.”
“I know. But it gives my father something to look forward to, so…”
He didn’t look at me again. Kept his gaze forward.
“Did I say something?”
“No.”
“Because you’re different.”
He grabbed the glass of wine. “I would never want you to win the lottery.”
“Why?”
He gave a shrug. “Because you would leave, right?”
“Well, we both know this isn’t going to last for more than a couple of nights.”
He continued his stare and took another drink. “You never know.”
“I’m sure you’re supposed to marry one of the other royals.”
“My father wanted my sister to marry one of King Rutherford’s sons, but that’s gone to shit.”
“You could do it.”
He cracked a smile, a very small one. “I’m good.”
“I hear the women at the Capital are beautiful.”
He chuckled into his glass before he took a drink.
“Why is that funny?”
Now his glass was empty, so he set it down. “Just ironic.”
“Ironic how?”
“Because when I first met you, I thought you were far more beautiful than all the girls at court. They wear the nicest gowns, have their hair and makeup done, and you still look better than them in breeches and unkempt hair.”
“I can walk you back.” He shut the doors to the balcony then approached me where I stood at the edge of the bed. “It’s getting late.” His eyes shifted back and forth as they looked into mine, trying to read the words that I didn’t speak.
“It’s not that late…”
His eyes dropped down to my lips. “Is this the wine talking or you?”
My fingers grabbed his drawstring and pulled. “Me.”
He took a deep breath as his eyes lowered, watching his pants loosen around his hips.
My thumbs hooked into his breeches, and I pushed them down, watching his hard cock slowly emerge from the confines of his trousers. The head popped out, and then the shaft became visible, a ball of hair at the base. His trousers were at his knees, his large dick hanging straight out.