DELTON KNEW it was a bad idea the moment the game began.
Unlike the imaginary enemies he played against, he knew none of Xara’s strengths or weaknesses. Hell, before today, he didn’t even know that she played chess. Yet she’d boldly challenged him to a match. With high stakes, no less.
The reward would be worth it, no doubt. But he couldn’t figure out if she was a genius or a fool.
“You seem awfully confident,” he said, resetting the pieces on the board. “To barter your virtue in a game of chess.”
Shadows clustered around her form on the bed. The irony of it wasn’t lost on him. They were married, but they’d never shared a bed. Delton had allowed no woman except the servants to enter his bedchamber in Inferno City. Yet in only one week, Xara had wormed her way in and was sitting on his bed.
“I should be. I have more to lose.”
“How is your cousin doing?” he asked, rearranging the pieces. It was his way of making casual conversation. “Did you meet him yesterday?”
“He is in exile,” Xara said. “I haven’t seen him in years, as you know.”
It was a clear denial. “If that’s true, why were about town last night?”
“If you wanted to know, you should’ve made a different bet. It’s not too late to change your mind.”
He should. Delton didn’t know what had induced him to place that stupid bet. He should’ve questioned Xara about Walric or forced her to take him to the warehouse. Instead, he had asked her to give him an heir. The implications of that weren’t lost on him. He desired her with a pure animal hunger that had taken root inside him after he’d rescued her from the canal. He still felt her body next to his, heat searing his skin. Bet or not, he wanted to possess her. The more she denied it, the stronger his desire grew.
“I’ll stick with my original bet,” he said. “Don’t think I don’t know about your association with your Walric.”
“Don’t you have better things to do than suspect your wife?”
“Do you deny it?”
“Yes.”
He inhaled. She was an impenetrable fortress.
“You can have the white pieces,” he offered magnanimously, allowing her to go first. He wanted to see what she did. Delton realized that his wife made him curious. There was so much he wanted to know about her. Even though she was involved with her no-good cousin brother, he was drawn to this mysterious, passionate woman who possessed a darkness that mirrored his. She’d learned to speak her mind over time, to stand her ground and not melt into the shadows.
And now, she was playing chess with him.
Xara picked up a white king’s pawn and rolled it between her fingers. A pawn. That’s what he’d called her on their first night together.
She brought it forward by two spaces. A typical beginner’s move. “Your turn.”
Focusing half-heartedly on the board, he moved his knight. She was on it the minute he was done. Delton leaned back in his chair and brought his gaze to her lips. Even in the dark, they were lush and tantalizing. She bit on her plump bottom lip as she made her next move. That hit him somewhere deep under his belly. She wanted a kiss. If she won, he’d get to kiss those lips. With the rich, full contours of her mouth under his, he’d taste the sweet pleasure that had been lost to him since Karina’s betrayal. His body longed for a taste of that ambrosia.
Her heavy-lidded gaze fell on him. She’d moved another piece and was taking in his perusal of her lips. Did she know what he was thinking? “Is there something on my face?”
“No.”
Clearing his throat, he made his next move. When he looked up, he had no idea what he’d done. Delton needed to focus. At this rate, he’d lose.
Xara surveyed the board, trying to analyze the rationale underpinning his sudden moves. “You’re quite unpredictable,” she said, cautiously making her next move.
Her hands came to rest on the bed, running up and down the white sheets. Delton wanted to forget this game, push her back on the bed and kiss her. He wanted to touch her, to feel her body moving under his. She must’ve followed the trail of his gaze for she commented, “Missing someone?”
“What?” Startled by her sudden words, he snapped back to the present. Their gazes connected and a spark lit up the air.
“Does the bed remind you of anyone?” It was a bold question. Was she curious about other women? It was a laughable notion. After Karina killed his parents, he didn’t want to do anything with women. Despite that, she’d challenged him to a game that could end in a kiss. How unusual.
“Nobody, in particular.” Those chocolate-colored eyes surveyed him, caught between curiosity and disbelief. She wanted him to say more. He’d already hurt her in so many ways. He didn’t want to make it worse by letting her assume the worst. “I have been faithful to you, Xara.”
She dropped the pawn that she’d been holding. Clearing her throat, she placed her piece on the board and turned to him, “Why? You don’t even like me.”
“That doesn’t mean I like someone else.” Delton turned his attention to the board, barely taking in the pieces before he made his move. When he brought his hand forward, their fingers brushed. He felt a short, intense burst of energy where their skins met, and pulled his hand away quickly. “When all you have are enemies, it helps to keep their numbers under control.”
She choked back a laugh, shaking her head, dislodging a few mahogany curls. “It must be a lonely existence…having only enemies and no friends.”
“Enemies make life far more interesting than friends.” A warm breeze blew in through the window, caressing the diaphanous white curtains. “Don’t you agree?”
It was her turn to make a move. Turning her eyes to the chessboard, she replied, “I wouldn’t know, though. I don’t have enemies.”
She studied the pieces once again, weighing every move in her head. But all he could think of was how the moonlight fell on the top of her breasts and how her presence affected him. Sitting on his bed, she painted a tempting picture. She smelled of roses, as always, beckoning him to touch her. He’d never liked roses but he was reconsidering his tastes. Delton had previously thought her plain and uninteresting. Clearly, he had underestimated her appeal. Because right now all he wanted was to stand up and plant a kiss on her bowed head. The thought threw him off-guard.
This was madness. He had always been attracted to her but never like this. He found her intoxicating and they hadn’t even touched. What was he thinking? Had she put yet another one of her concoctions in his dinner tonight? Xara was Elian’s daughter. The only reason she existed was to cement his revenge. But she was also his wife. Didn’t that give him the right to touch her? Wasn’t that why he’d placed the stupid bet?
It was time for a change of topic…something that would remind him of their rightful places in life.
“And you? Have you had anyone since…our wedding?” He mentally facepalmed, wondering why he’d chosen to ask that question.
“What?” She dropped her piece— the queen— in shock. “Are you really asking me if I’ve been faithful, Delton?” Before he could answer, she shook her head. “I’m not going to answer that. You don’t have the right to ask me that question.” She picked up her piece and made her move. Her breasts heaved with indignation.
“I have offended you.” His voice echoed in the chamber.
“That’s nothing new.”
He should apologize but the emotion was alien to him. He didn’t know where or how to begin. So, he played chess instead.
The game progressed but he was distracted. He kept reading her face, watching the way her cheeks turned red when she pressed her finger against it for too long, and the way her luscious lips parted while she studied his move. For so long, he’d been alone, not having anyone to play with. He realized that he liked talking to her. Never before had he played chess with someone. Not since his parents’ death. But the thrill of having an opponent to read was new.
“Have you ever played with someone else?” Xara asked as he found himself analyzing her moves. His mind was too drugged with the rose scent of her to think.
“I used to play with my father. Felix played with me once.”
“Did he win?”
“No.”
And just like that, it was her turn to make a move. Her thin brown eyebrows knit together. She bit her lip, busily studying his strategy. The way her body shifted, the gleam of her white teeth, the way she unconsciously used her knuckles to brush back that stray lock of hair—it was doing things to him.
“Don’t do that.” The ramblings of his troubled mind escaped this mouth.
“Do what?” She raised her head.
“Bite your lip.”
“Or what?” He hadn’t expected her to ask such a bold question. But the spark in her eyes told him she would not take it back.
Sure enough, her straight white teeth bit down on her bottom lip. She was teasing him, challenging him. The arousing sight tore a groan from his throat. She ran her wet, pink tongue along the little indents her teeth had left on the soft, fragile skin of her lips before replacing them with her canine and biting harder. That bite went straight to his groin.
There, is that better?
His eyes shut tightly in agony. She was wrecking his mental peace. His fists clenched on his chair handle. In a low, menacing voice, he said, “Stop it. Or you’ll find yourself on your back with my fingers between your legs.”
She dropped her piece in place, lips parting. He hadn’t thought he’d voice the fevered thoughts that plagued his mind, but there they were. Out for her to hear. He had been thinking of her sexually ever since the drowning incident. Seeing how his words affected her gave him a small measure of satisfaction.
“I might respect your reservations, but we’re married, Xara. And I am a man. Don’t test my patience.”
His gaze dropped to the chessboard, heart thudding. He tried to focus on the game, but he noticed everything about her. The way her lips parted when she studied the board, the imperceptible chill that ran up her spine—the aftermath of his charged words, and the little goosebumps that broke on her skin when a draft of cool wind brushed it. There were so many details he’d never noticed, and now he was noticing them all. It was like knowing her all over again.
He didn’t know when she moved her piece—that’s how transfixed he was by the sight of her. His body was tight as a stretched violin string and if this game wasn’t over soon, he’d carry out that threat.
When he looked down at the chessboard after what felt like an eternity, he knew he was in trouble. She’d put his king in check. Damn her. While he studied her, she’d been making some intelligent moves.
Xara wasn’t above playing dirty to win, then.
They were playing for stakes. Delton needed to win to make her spill the truth. But he’d never, ever wanted to lose so much.
He turned back to the board, focusing on the game. Their next few moves were silent and intense. He got his king out of check and she put him in check twice again.
It didn’t help that her bare feet had brushed his under the table. It was more distracting than he could handle. Delton ground his teeth and forced himself to concentrate.
His wife was way more skilled than he’d anticipated. In fact, he’d expected her to lose by the fifth move. It was as if she could read his mind, avoiding his traps before he could fully realize them. He, on the other hand, knew nothing about how her mind worked, which put him at a disadvantage. When had she learned so much about him?
Only a few pieces remained on the board. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were using your magic to read my mind.”
“I can’t read minds. You know that.”
“How did you learn to expect my moves? I’m sure we’ve never played before.”
“Are you complimenting my superior skill?”
“Nothing of the sort. The game isn’t over yet.”
They went at each other ruthlessly, neither of them wanting to give in. Delton felt a bead of sweat condensing on his forehead as they entered the last phase of the game. His moves were aggressive, but hers were cautious and measured. When she made her winning move, her queen poised to capture his king, his body was hot with wanting.
“Checkmate.” Her husky voice wrapped around him like a noose. He felt its strong iron grip when he glanced at the board and saw that he’d lost. She trapped his king with no way out except surrender. Much like she had trapped him.
For a moment, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
He’d never lost before. It was a novel sensation. He blinked at the board, torn between disbelief and laughter. But the pieces didn’t magically switch positions. The game was over.
Delton let out a shaky breath. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d lost. Who would’ve expected that he’d lose to his wife, of all people? She stood, expecting him to flip the board over. But he did something that neither of them expected.
He laughed.
A rich, deep tone echoed in the chamber.
Xara’s jaw dropped, torn between surprise and incredulity. “Well, I didn’t expect that reaction. This might be the first time I’ve seen you laugh.”
He hadn’t laughed… since his parents’ death. Something coiled tight in his heart, relaxed, a ray of light seeping through the darkness. He breathed in the newness of it. Of all the things in the world, it had taken losing a game of chess to regain his sense of humor.
Delton stood too, extending his palm. When they shook hands, another spark dance up his skin. Xara clasped his hand, shaking it lightly, but he could feel the softness of her palm melting his reserve. His laughter dissolved in the face of awareness.
“It was a good game.”
“Yes, I haven’t played in a while,” she said. “It’s good to have a new opponent.” He wondered who she usually played with. Osric didn’t seem like the chess-playing sort. Was it one of her lovers? The thought brought him back to their bet.
“I believe you have won the right to claim your prize.” Instead of letting her hand go, he gripped it tighter, pulling her to him. Her shoulder collided with his chest when she bumped into him, changing the atmosphere. Gone was the light camaraderie and laughter. Thick sexual tension filled the air, foretelling what was about to occur. “Do you want to do the honors, or should I?”
“I’ll do it.” She bracketed his face with her hands, standing on tiptoes to reach him. Her rich brown eyes stared at him, darker in the night. He sensed determination in them, as if she were preparing for war. He wanted to tell her to relax, but he didn’t want her to think that she affected him. Her scent flooded his nostrils—not just the roses, but the scent of her warm skin. Up close, he saw the fine lines on her face; the way the shadow played on her features. Her long lashes cast shadows on her cheek. Xara had a long nose, which he’d always found a perfect balance with her round face. It was turned up like a sword. Delton swallowed, gaze trailing to her lips. They were a muted shade of pink, soft and full, inviting him to taste their sweetness.
His left hand looped around her waist, negating the distance between them. Her palm traveled up his chest, every touch branding him like a heated poker. She grabbed the gold chain around his neck and pulled him closer until their faces were inches apart
He ran his thumb gently over her lower lip. Her uneven breaths were like the countdown to an explosion.
“Are you ready?” His voice was breathy.
In answer, she tilted her face up and brought her mouth to his.
The moment their lips met, he was gone. The first taste hit him like a drug—potent and intoxicating. It was a reintroduction to sin, the surfacing of all the yearning that he had buried for ages. It tasted of wine, victory, and her. Xara moaned, the sound making his blood burn. Her lips were soft and warm under his, giving way to his possessive kiss. He took control, drawing out all the passion that he’d craved for years but never experienced. She didn’t shy away this time, matching his pace with her wet, velvety tongue and soft moans. His tongue explored her bruised bottom lip, feeling the indents her teeth had made during the match.
She tasted so good. Felt so good.
Her lips nibbled on his, making all conscious thoughts melt away. Threading her fingers in his hair, she let him take the lead. His hands moved up, cradling her back, feeling her soft breasts press against his chest. She let go of his face, her hands moving to his back, one remaining on his shoulder. She surrounded him—her feel, her scent, her being—pulling him under.
Xara moved in his arms, kissing him deeper, demanding more from him. The feel of her was heavenly. When his lips claimed her harder, pushing past her resistance, he tasted her fire. Did she taste sweeter because she was his enemy’s daughter? Or was it because he’d always been attracted to her? Delton could no longer think. He drank her in, taking from her like he was starved. She responded just as ardently, her thighs bracketing him, his hardening cock pressing against her belly.
But she wasn’t giving up. Xara was going to maximize her victory. And he loved that.
She leaned into him, making him want to melt into her. Pleasure washed over him as they kissed each other like two starving beasts. The silken feel of her lips on his wasn’t enough. He wanted those lips everywhere, wrapped around his aching erection, biting his neck, leaving a trail on his back. Delton opened his mouth and her tongue slid in. She moaned in his arms, and her hand moved in circles on his chest. That warm, soft, writhing body made him want to drive into her but he held back, exploring the taste of her wet tongue, branding her with his taste. He’d wanted her since he rescued her from the canal. When he felt his hand on the back of her neck, caressing the slope of her shoulder, moving further down, he wished this moment could last forever. For in that moment, she was no longer King Elian’s daughter but his queen. His wife.
His.
When Delton’s hands brushed the underside of her breast, she pulled away. His body felt the sudden loss of contact. Her dark eyes blinked, contrasting her blushing face.
“I… I… didn’t mean to…” She turned away, indicating that she didn’t mean to end their kiss so abruptly. She coughed, hiding her hands behind her back as if she were afraid they’d reach out and touch him again.
Delton took a step away, body buzzing with tension. Just a little more and he wouldn’t have been able to control himself. Xara’s lips parted, swollen and wet. They’d turned a deeper shade of red, just like her face. It almost made him want to kiss her all over again. But before he could, she stepped away.
“Thank you for the game and the kiss.” Her voice sounded hoarser than before, and it almost made him come. She must’ve sensed his arousal because she began moving in the door’s direction. It took him a moment to return to the present. The kiss had made him forget who he was. Who she was. Who they were to each other.
Enemies tied together by marriage.
“Good night…” Straightening her gown, she walked to the door elegantly. Even at a time like this, she didn’t forget her manners. She was a bundle of contradictions. Xara hesitated upon reaching the door.
“Delton,” she said, breathless. He watched the face illuminated by the lights, a bead of sweat condensing on her temple. Her eyes were enormous and scared when she said, “This means nothing.”
It was too late for that.
Because Delton had had a taste of her, and he wanted more.
But “I know,” was what he said.
