Page 40 of His Stolen Queen
Anger. Jealousy. Arousal.
Yes, my precious mate was definitely not as unaffected as she seemed.
It was clear that after a day of being subjected to Tatiana, she had been expecting more of the same. Normally, I wouldexecute anyone who would disrespect Alice in any way. No one was allowed to turn their seductive charms on me; no one was allowed to look at me in any way other than respect. And to touch me in front of my bonded mate would mean your entire lineage would be cut down.
But Alice, although mine in thought, was not mine in the carnal sense.Yet. She had not yet been ordained as Queen; she was yet to rule over her loyal subjects with me by her side. So I allowed and encouraged Tatiana to insinuate a deeper connection between us—to teach my little disobedient mate a lesson. One she did not like.
Alice's adorable little chin lifted as she clutched her tablet against her chest. “Good morning, Mr. Angelou.”
"Alice. How are you today?"
I watched her throat bob as her gaze danced around the room. "I'm fine, thank you," she stiffly replied. "I wasn't expecting you today."
"I know. I could not stay away."
She blinked a few times, her face reddening as her plump lips split open and shut. "What?"
I simply smiled and let the profession hang between us. "I want to see the work you have done so far. We are coming to the tail end now, are we not?"
Her face was still a pretty shade of pink as she cleared her throat. "Yes. Yes, we are. Thank you for the opportunity to curate this space for you. It's honestly been a dream project."
I took a step closer, my nostrils flaring at the overpowering scent of her sweet arousal. I could feel my fangs threatening to release. "I knew as soon as I saw you that you were the perfect candidate. Only someone who understands me so well could create something so unique that matched my needs."
Her throat moved again, and I wondered, not for the first time, what it would feel like to taste that delicate neck of hers.
She shifted from one heeled foot to the other, her face returning to a darker shade of red. Her little tongue flicked out to lick her lips, and my eyes darkened at the sight. Soon, it would be my tongue caressing her.
"Well, you had a very thorough brief," she stammered. "And Von was very knowledgeable and patient." She glanced around. "Um, is he still away?"
"He is." Von was overseeing my Elders as they worked closely with their counterparts from Ameros. Something felt amiss about this whole situation. I needed to ensure that I had someone trustworthy in my stead. "I hope Tatiana was an appropriate substitute?"
Her full lips tightened, and I hid a satisfied smile. My mate was not just jealous…she was enraged. Her passion matched my own, and I could not wait until we were safe to unleash our possessive yearning on each other. I had no doubt she would match my lovemaking tenfold.
But I needed to tread carefully with my attempts to provoke her. The very last thing I wanted was Alice attempting to seduce her foolish husband again.
"Will she be joining us today?" The question was raised through clenched teeth.
I tilted my head, toying with her. "Would you prefer her not to?"
"I didn't say that," she quickly amended, her eyes dropping from mine before she met my stare with a defiant glare. "Although I would prefer you to keep your personal relationships separate from our business dealings. In my experience, it can muddy the waters."
I bit back a laugh before I prowled slowly toward her. Her eyes grew big and wide, yet she made no attempt to step back. I reached out and smoothed the back of my hand against her soft cheek.
"Why, Alice. It sounds like you are jealous."
She sucked a rapid breath in. "D-don’t be r-ridiculous."
I cupped her cheek, and her eyes flared as her breathing quickened. I had fucked hundreds of women, so even without smelling her desire, I knew what arousal looked like. I would bet a hundred million euros that if I placed a finger up her cunt, it would come away drenched.
"I like you jealous," I purred. "Because now you know what I experience every time you go home to your husband."
She gasped in indignant shock before she stumbled back, her face turning pale. "This is inappropriate."
I raised a brow. "Is it?"
My hand brushed her hair, tugging softly. At her slight wince, I held a hand up.
"My apologies. There was a small piece of fluff in your hair."
