Chapter Nine
It took Evston andRocurt forever to find her after she’d run. Brande had not fled by half measures this time, and it was a stroke of genius for her to go back to the abandoned property because they’d dismissed it, thinking there would be no way for her to find it again on her own. But she had. She was clever in a way that was dangerous to Evston’s peace of mind and to her own wellbeing. There had been violence perpetrated against several young women in the realm in the recent past. Every occurrence struck deep dread in his heart until he discovered the injured or murdered girl wasn’t his lost princess.
When they’d followed dozens of false trails, and no one had spotted her anywhere, Evston realized there was only one place a famous girl could hide. Somewhere where there was no one around to see her.
There was no com signal. It was too remote. But she did have a generator and had obviously been reading since there were stacks of books everywhere.
Rocurt stood next to him in the courtyard. They could see her sleeping on the couch.
“Dead realms, how can she be living here? What if she got sick or hurt? She’d die alone. So reckless,” Rocurt said grimly.
Evston knew it wasn’t only Brandese Rocurt was thinking of now. It was the thought of another slip of a girl being lost so completely.
“Get her, Ev, and let’s go.”
“No, leave me here. I want some time alone with her.”
“Please yourself,” Rocurt said.
Evston stood in the doorway, staring at her. She was so beautiful, her skin flushed with heat, the shift so light he could see her body beneath it. He was incredibly relieved that they’d found her, but more than relief gnawed at him. The moment he’d arranged to marry her, he’d begun to think of her as his. This exquisite girl that he—like so many men—wanted with an animal hunger. And his recent frustration and turmoil over her dangerous absence wanted to be sated in a particular way.
He leaned over the couch and shook her gently.
She looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. “So she was right,” she said, sitting up. She cleared her throat. “It’s been—”
He hauled her up and pulled her to him. He kissed her hard on the mouth, then looked at her.
“Get out of that shift,” he said.
She swallowed.
“Right now,” he said.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she slid it up and off, exposing full soft breasts, her flat belly and trim curved hips.
“There will be a conversation later. Not tonight.”
She nodded.
He leaned closer. “Tonight you’re property. Mine.”
She licked her lips and nodded again.
His cock throbbed. He needed this. “I searched the entire realm. I started to worry you were dead or that someone had you locked away where I’d never find you.”
