“I’m thinking that I should like to see you standing under the Great Oak,” I admit, “that the idea of you waiting there for me is something that tugs at my heart.”
Keane’s brown eyes lift in surprise, clearly not expecting me to be so forthcoming. The look quickly disappears when his gaze narrows onmine with an intimidating intensity, and almost immediately the ground begins to shake. The vibrations rattle the glasses and plates along the main table and prompts a few heads to look around in confusion, but all I can do is stare back at Keane and focus on my breath not catching in my chest.
“Keane,” I whisper, my gaze finally noticing the many people who are looking at the Prince.
His eyes never leave mine as the rumbling begins to still.
“Twelve,” he says quietly, hand tightening around the back of my
neck.
“Twelve?”
Keane nods and leans into my ear with a whisper. “Twelve,Alexis.”
A shiver runs down my spine at the closeness of him.
“This will be the twelfth time I’ve wanted to take you fully, Alexis, without regard to who or what is around us…”
I nearly groan.
“I’m still counting, Lady,” he continues quietly, “you want to see me standing under the Great Oak in Bardot? Then I’ll give it to you…. because I want to see you there, too. I want to hear you scream my name until it echoes through the halls. You’ll be naked and mine under that tree.”
I shift in my seat and press my thighs together, unable to stop the rapid beating of my heart. Keane releases my neck and skims his fingers down my back with a smirk, eyes holding mine with such an intensity that demands I hear every one of his words.
“Twelve,” he affirms as the Prince he is.
Fuck me.
I need to get away. Need to run far,faraway from this man before I let him take me here in front of the full of his court. There’s no resisting Keane when he’s like this… no resisting the power he commands over my body. I’m absolutely burning up.
I hastily lean away and stand up with a heavy breath, pushing my chair back as Keane follows my every move.
“Excuse me,” I stammer.
Keane watches me with a knowing glint behind his eyes, watches as I grab a drink from the serving boy’s hand and tip it back in a quick fashion. I ignore his gaze and quickly walk down the table towards Cal and Alanna, the Prince’s chuckle following at my back.
“Can I join you?” I ask flushed, standing between Cal and Alanna.
I didn’t exactly think this through, but Alanna takes one look at my face and scoots over in her chair, her cool grey eyes knowing as we share her seat.
“Have you eaten?” she asks with a narrowed gaze.
I shake my head.
She grimaces and pushes the rest of her plate towards me as Cal stands up from his own seat. He walks over to occupy the empty chair next to the Prince as Alanna pushes her hips against mine and urges me to take his seat.
“Eat,” she scolds when I reach for Cal’s ale.
She takes the drink from my hand just as Stormfall glides down the table, the Bird of Ash landing on my shoulder with a strong grip.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Alexis,” she whispers.
“I don’t,” I shake my head desperately.
My heart is still pounding from his words, from the overall presence of him.
“It’shim,” I whisper in a soft plead, willing her to understand.
