Page 159 of In Violent Waves

The masked man put a hand on Lyra’s shoulder and stepped closer.

“She found a partner, and you look otherwise engaged.”

Wilder could have frozen the sea with the look on his face as he glared at the masked stranger.

“Remove your hand at once or forfeit your life.”

The weight of his hand on her body vanished.

Lyra’s arousal dried up, and anger took its place.

“Who do you think you are, dictating my experience on this holiday?”

Wilder hastily stepped into his pants. The black fabric hung low on his waist, highlighting the sharp ‘v’ she knew led to mouth-watering places.

In two bounding strides, he was upon her. His eyes devoured her in the sheer dress and turned molten.

Before Lyra could blink, he wrapped his massive arms around her legs, threw her over his shoulders, and strode like a madman down the hall.

Lyra squirmed her naked, sheer-clad body against Wilder’s bare shoulder, and it took everything in him not to caress the backside against his neck. Her fists thudded against his back, and he clenched his jaw.

“Put me down!”

“No.”

Various sensual scenes played out in the rooms as he strode past, which only heightened the arousal that wound around him.

He was stupid.

The smell of her had added to the climax that he had been approaching before it all became too much.

Wilder should’ve known it wasn’t a figment of his imagination and that she had been there. Then he wouldn’t have been caught off guard by her appearance.

Godsdamn Maelys for bringing her here.

Wilder reached the edge of the staircase and took the stairs down two at a time. He couldn’t get out of this place fast enough.

The occupants of the Venus stared at the absurdity that was the crowned prince carrying a female out of the hall and not into a room.

“You are being ridiculous!” Lyra cried, still squirming to get out of his hold.

“And you should not be here,” he replied as calmly as he could manage.

The door beckoned ahead, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped out and onto the still-teeming street. Wilder turned down a dark alley and slid Lyra down his body and to her feet. With hands placed on either side of her face, he backed her against the stone wall of the building.

“Now tell me. What was the princess of Atlantis doing in a pleasure hall, of all places?”

Lyra stared up at him and swallowed. If he wasn’t mistaken, she looked nervous.

“What a stupid question. You know exactly what I was doing there.”

“Which was?” he drawled the words out.

Lyra huffed and crossed her arms over her breasts. Wilder’s eyes dipped to her bare flesh for a moment before raising back to her emerald eyes.

“I was trying to celebrate the holiday,” she replied quietly. “It was going to be my first time.”

The way she phrased it, not the words, but the tone had his ears pricking.