Keane takes another step, angling me towards my reading room as he swiftly closes the door behind him. His whole demeanor is tense and cold, his body hovering over mine in assertion as he looks at me with calm resolve.
“Give me your blades,” he demands.
“What?” I scoff, “no fucking way.”
“You’ll only end up hurting yourself.”
I turn back towards my room, wishing more than ever that Golem and Storm were with me now. Keane is too calm and cold for me to handle. Too intimidating. I don’t know what to make of it.
“I will not,” I reply steadily, taking another step away from his daunting face.
“Then you will stay in your room today,” the Prince replies, “and Desmond and I will see to it that two guards are stationed at your door and below your balcony.”
I turn around with narrowed eyes.
“What happened to the man who told me he would stand by my side no matter what decision I make?” I glare at him in anger, “this is my decision, Keane. Iwillconfront him.”
Keane’s eyes soften for a moment before he takes another step forward, prompting me to walk into the wall of my reading room. My back hits the sharp trunk there, the slight pain only fueling my own resolve.
“He’s here,” Keane nods quietly, “cautiously trying to advise you not to do something you’ll regret.”
“Then come with me! Let’s handle this together.”
“He is the strongest of the Ancient Ten, Alexis. He isdeath. What are we going to do?”
Keane shakes his head and leans a hand on the wall above my head.
“You need to be smart about this,” he continues, bringing his other hand to my hip as he grips it hard, “flinging daggers at the Ancient will get you nowhere.”
“Perhaps not,” I agree, pushing his hand off me with a glare, “but it’s a start and will make me feel good.”
Keane’s gaze holds mine as he returns his hand firmly to my hip.
“Keane,” I scowl.
A knowing grin pulls at his lips, making me scowl again. He releases my hip and runs his hand straight down my thigh, drawing it up to him in a swift motion and flushing my lower body into his.
“Stop, Keane.”
My breath turns heavy from his hand on me, my body reacting to him without agreement from my mind. Keane smirks and trails his fingers down to my boot, pulling out one of my daggers before he tosses it to the floor. I shove at his chest but he pulls me back into him, his hand returning to my side as his hips thrust into mine.
“Stop what, Alexis?” he leans down in amusement.
“Stop touching me,” I warn.
Keane laughs and pulls on my hip again, moving his own hips so that I can feel him, heated and hard.
My eyes go wide.
There’s no way.
There’s no way he wants to do this right now.
“You’re in mourning,” I push him again, “the whole castle is in mourning.”
Keane drops his hand from the wall and runs his fingers through my hair.
“Stormfall came to me this morning before dawn,” he says quietly into my ear, “that’s how much you frightened him.”
