HIS WIFE WAS the most boring person in the world.
After a few days of observing her actions, Delton was sure of it. All she did was dine, take walks in the park, talk to Michael, and change clothes two times a day. The servants never gossiped about her. They were familiar with her routine, moving about like well-oiled gears in a machine. He was the odd one out—the outsider.
So far, his spies had found nothing. Delton had been abuzz with hope when she’d asked her maid to send a letter this afternoon, but she had directed the letter to her dressmaker, not her cousin. So, he was back to pretending everything was all right, and this was nothing but an extended vacation.
His reddening eyes glanced down at the chessboard before him, polished ebony and ivory pieces placed on its surface. Since his parents’ murder, he’d gotten into the habit of playing chess by himself at night. Karina’s memory haunted him and after killing her, he’d never been able to sleep. Good thing demons didn’t need sleep to function.
Alone in the library, Delton moved his white king, a move witnessed by the other lifeless chess pieces. He liked to imagine he was playing chess with Ifer, trying to predict his moves. Pale moonlight poured in through the window, joining the yellow tinge of candles that his servants had left burning. The long glass window overlooking the garden was closed, but the heavy navy curtains lay open.
The library door creaked open. At once, he was alert, scanning the room for any threats. A long shadow emerged, followed by the soft glow of a candlestick. His wife swept into the room, wearing a thin black robe over her white nightdress. Bare feet threaded on the floor, crossing over and disappearing between bookshelves.
She hadn’t noticed that he was there.
So, he followed her, keeping his footsteps light. He watched her linger among the volumes on war from the other side of the bookcase. It was the last thing he expected her to be interested in. Had she gotten bored with reading novels and moved on to war texts, then?
Despite cohabiting with her, Delton knew absolutely nothing about his wife. When she picked out the volume that she wanted, a tiny smile lit up the corners of her mouth. Soft as pools of molten chocolate, her eyes bore an expression he’d never seen before. They’d either been filled with innocence or ire. Candlelight played on her skin. His breathing grew shallow.
She proceeded to a desk next to the window and pulled out a chair. Flipping open the book, she combed through the pages. It seemed that she was looking for something specific. She turned a few pages, pausing to read paragraphs that caught her interest. Then, she closed the book and returned it to the shelf. This time, she chose another book that was placed much higher. She looked around for a ladder, but it was far away. When she moved to retrieve it, he moved too.
Coming to stand behind her, he retrieved the book she wanted from the shelf, reading its title.
“Laws of Power.” His deep voice echoed in the library.
She turned around, her body trapped between his torso and the bookcase.
“Delton.” Her voice was airy. She shrunk back. Gone was the ease in her eyes, replaced with a guarded expression.
“What are you doing here?” Her voice was clipped and cold. Under him, her body went still. Delton thought of moving away but he liked intimidating her, having her under his power.
“I’d like to ask you the same thing. Is reading at midnight one of your hobbies?”
“I couldn’t sleep…” Her eyes followed his hand to the book that he was holding. When she reached for it, he pulled it out of her grasp. Their fingers brushed and he felt the weight of her body pressing against his. The contact incited a sizzle in his groin. Hemmed in by the scent of her and her body, he felt himself growing warmer. Delton backed off an inch. She had always had that effect on him, and time hadn’t changed that.
“What an interesting choice. I thought you’d be into romance novels.” He cleared his throat.
“Because I’m a woman?” Xara scoffed. “All my illusions of love shattered when I married you. I’d rather invest my time in practical things.”
“Like the pursuit of power?”
“I l-like to expand my mind.”She was lying. What he didn’t know was why. Was she trying to help her cousin? Did she want power over Delton? He filed away that bit of information to analyze later. “Though I don’t expect you to understand.”
“I enjoy reading books too.” He didn’t know why he felt obligated to prove her wrong. His wife could think him a savage for all he cared.
“When do you even have time to read? Aren’t you too busy shedding blood and vying for more power?” She tried to wriggle out of his grasp but each time her soft body writhed against his, he felt the coil of attraction wrapping deeper and deeper around his gut. He should have let go, but Delton liked torturing himself.
“Knowledge is power, my dear,” he said, loosening his collar. “I make time for it.” Then, “Have you thought about my request?”
“The answer is still no,” Xara said. Thankfully, she stopped moving. “If I knew you were here, I wouldn’t have come.”
They breathed in and out in silence,
“You’re the most boring woman I know,” he said, growing restless. His palms pressed on the row of books, pinning his wife to the bookshelf. “All you do is eat, sleep, take walks in the park, and talk to Michael.” It was the final thing that irritated him. Though he knew Michael was devoted to Darius, he hated the way Xara looked at him—like she trusted him implicitly.
“But you still want to sleep with me?” This time, her eyes remained fixed on him. She was baiting him like she knew how he felt. Did she feel this inconvenient attraction too?
“I don’t want to sleep with you. I want an heir.” Her breaths broke on his skin, inviting him deeper down a forbidden road. He needed to pull away right now and take time to cool off. But he was a sadistic bastard who loved torturing his body.
“I didn’t know it was possible to produce an heir without copulation.”
Copulation.
It sounded so clinical. Perhaps that was how she viewed him. But it wasn’t how he thought of her. With her, he wouldn’t be able to merely do his duty. He’d want to taste her skin, her mouth, that honey between her thighs, until he heard her scream with ecstasy. He wondered how she’d sound when she came.
“Fucking, my dear,” he whispered in her ear. “That’s what I’d do to you. I’d fuck you until you couldn’t walk straight.”
She swallowed, the candlelight rippling on the surface of her skin. He closed his eyes.
“Don’t be crass, Delton.” Her body trembled. With desire or anger, he didn’t know. The words sounded smokier than usual. Her dark eyes grew clouded. Had she thought about it? Had he? They’d lived apart for a long time and Delton had no idea whether Xara was still a virgin. Not that he cared. If he wanted her, he’d have her. “I’m not going to melt into a puddle of desire just because you suddenly want me.” He felt hands tug at his chest. She pushed him away and he moved. “You rejected and exiled me without a second thought. I haven’t forgotten that.” Her voice closed up on the final syllable.
“Don’t tell me you expect me to confess my undying love to you.”
“I want an apology,” she fumed. All the desire in her eyes turned to fury–to hurt. “You used me to exact revenge on my father. I want you to apologize.”
Her angry words triggered memories of King Elian’s ruthless slaughter of his parents, and of Karina, as she told him she didn’t love him. He’d carried the pain Elian had caused him all his life. Even his death hadn’t been able to erase the heartbreak. No, he didn’t owe Xara an apology. He’d been justified in avenging his parents. There was no way he was apologizing to Elian’s daughter.
“I’m not here to bargain and I won’t apologize for my actions.” He kept picturing Karina when he spoke. “Your father took everything from me. Considering that, I’ve been kind to you. I let you live. I gave you freedom. You’ve never lacked any material comforts.”
“Kind? No, you weren’t kind. You struck me where it hurt the most.” The moment the words were out of her mouth, she stilled. He continued watching her as she tried to regain control. Her eyes appeared glassy under the orange candlelight. Was she thinking about that night? “You know, even if you beg for forgiveness, I don’t think I can forgive you.”
“Good thing I’m not begging, then.”
Xara spun on her feet, ready to leave. “If that’s all you have to say, I’m going to sleep now. Alone.”
He hid a smile. “Are you running away? Don’t forget that I can force you.”
“I’d like to see you try.” Her expression had hardened once again when she faced him from next to the door. “Do you think I will just take your threats lying down? I’m not the woman I used to be.” Her voice was filled with venom—with anger, with hurt, with betrayal—the feelings he knew too well.
“Do you think that cousin of yours will save you? He’s dead the minute I lay eyes on him.” The words came tumbling out, propelled by anger.
The slight twitch of her shoulders indicated that she hadn’t expected him to bring up Walric.
She breathed in and out, trying to calm herself. Xara didn’t take his bait. Not directly. Instead, she answered, “I don’t need Walric to protect me. I’ll take you down myself.”
Her words hung in the air. She hadn’t denied knowing her cousin. Was that an admission of guilt? He no longer knew. Old memories had riled him up.
Mind in disarray, he watched her turn away, the circular motion of her skirts sweeping the floor. The door slammed when she exited the library. It took him a few seconds to calm his heart. When his breath returned to normal, he inhaled the faint scent of roses, wax, and books. She lingered in this place. Her fury, her anger, her hurt; he felt it deep in his bones like the echoes of the slammed door.
He silently observed the door, unable to summon an instant reaction. Such potent anger… he’d never been at the receiving end of it.
Karina had never exhibited any strong emotion. She molded herself into whatever he wanted her to be. Sometimes, he sensed discomfort, but mostly, she’d gone along with his desires. People like that were the most deceptive. How was it possible for a person to go through life feeling no intense emotions? That should’ve given him a hint. They’d never fought or argued. He’d poured all his love and devotion into her, ignoring all the warning signs.
But Xara was hot-blooded. Unlike her cool assassin half-sister. He had expected his wife to be sly, even uncooperative, but she was furious. The hopeful, innocent Xara he knew was incapable of such deep resentment. Yet, this fire, this passion, this fury drew him to her. She was dangerous, like a fire blazing out of control. And he was the king of hell. He thrived in the scorching heat. When his breathing returned to normal, his lips twisted into a smile.
At first, he’d thought he’d investigate her connection to Walric and return to Inferno without touching her. But that was before he realized how much passion she was hiding. He’d let her go all those years because he didn’t want to break her. She was too pure to sully. But the present Xara was a different story. He didn’t know what had happened during their years apart, but he knew that she was broken. Angry. Resentful. Just like he was. And he liked her far better this way.
