Rourke made a noncommittal noise in response.
The anger in my veins had simmered down, and without that adrenaline pulsing through me, Rourke no longer seemed as much of a threat as he had in the hall. My fingers absentmindedly rolled the leather handle of the leash. My eyes were drawn to a bright red scrape on his opposite shoulder.
“Are you injured?” I asked.
“Where?” When I gestured to it, he let out an amused huff. “What, that? It’s nothing. I don’t even feel that.”
“Hmm. Are you finished?”
“Guess so.” Rourke shrugged again. “I mean, you’re the boss.”
If there was disdain in his tone, I didn’t catch it. Or maybe I was so tired that it went right over my head. In any case, he wasn’t lashing out at me, so I chose to believe things were all right for now.
Rourke stepped out of the pool, water trickling in streams down his muscular body. I had been too distracted by my emotions to notice his form earlier, but it stood in full view before me now. He was nothing short of exquisite. The hair on his arms and legs was wet, along with the trail leading down between his legs. I didn’t know what I’d been expecting in that regard, but it certainly wasn’tthat.His cock was large and thick, even while flaccid. I almost dared not imagine it at full arousal with the swell of a knot.
I tore my eyes away just as Rourke began towelling himself off. The metal clasp where the leash met the collar jingled as he moved it down his body.
“Good,” I said when he was finished. “You no longer smell like dog.”
Rourke gave me a wry look like he wanted to say something, but then changed his mind. “Did it bother you that much? I thought you liked dogs.”
“Marianne is a Gracehound. She’s royalty.” I sniffed. “But no, I don’t prefer dogs in my room.”
“Your room?”
“Yes. Thatiswhere you’ll be sleeping tonight, Rourke. I was serious about not sending you out into the kennels in case you’d already forgotten.”
“Right,” Rourke said, like this truth was only now dawning on him.
I summoned a servant back into the chamber to demand a change of clothes for Rourke, and while they were there, I told them I was not to be disturbed except for dinner brought to my room. The clothing they brought for Rourke was the largest size of the standard-issue knight’s outfit, which still only barely fit him. He put it on without a fuss.
“Now come along. I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
12
Rourke
It wasn’t so much a bedroom as yet another massive chamber dripping with excess. Tall, spotless windows overlooked the royal courtyard, flanked by red velvet curtains. A massive four-poster bed, almost imposing in its size, stood on the far side of the room on a slightly raised section of the floor. It was way too big for a single omega, almost comically so. It looked like an entire fucking family could sleep on it.
We hadn’t spoken to each other since leaving the baths. The day had taken its toll on both of us. As soon as I was somewhere dim and quiet, I felt my exhaustion catching up to me, despite my need to be alert. I hadn’t wanted to let my guard down around Sebastian, but this was another moment where he felt like a real person and not a walking caricature of a royal. There was a vague slump in his shoulders, and something about the way he carried himself in the privacy of his own room seemed genuine, not a fake persona like he’d worn outside.
What the fuck am I thinking? He’s crazy, Rourke. Just keep that in mind.
Sebastian sat on a low armless couch at the foot of his bed and sighed, rubbing his temples. I stood six feet away at the end of the leash. He wasn’t acknowledging me. It almost felt like I wasn’t there.
It was evening now. Back at the market, I would’ve been in my room at this point, reading a book or hanging out with Shep. My heart hurt at the thought of my friend. What was he doing right now? Was he okay without me? Or had some omega with too much money bought outhiscontract, too?
I glanced at Sebastian. This was the first time he’d deliberately sat down in front of me while I remained standing. I wondered if he had an aversion to doing that, like being shorter than me was somehow inherently repulsive. He probably hated that he was a great deal smaller than me physically. I felt a flicker of smugness at the thought. He had all the power in the world, but none of it would help him when it came to natural size and strength.
I realized with a jolt that I didn’t like that train of thought. My flicker of smugness vanished, replaced by a gross feeling.
Immediately, I remembered the look on Sebastian’s face when I’d fought off those knights. The raw, real fear. The hint of panic. The recognition that the alpha he had purchasedcouldfight back, after all.
Maybe that should have made me feel better, but it didn’t. I told Sebastian the truth earlier. I hated being the one to cause that expression on his face. I hated knowing I was the one who’d struck that terror into him. It had nothing to do with Sebastian specifically. I would have felt the same way with any other omega—hell, even a beta. Elian and Cecil had seen me, too, and they were just as frightened. Knowing I’d scared a pair of kids felt even worse.
Why am I thinking about this?I asked myself again, frustrated.I should be trying to escape, not moping about my fucking captor.
I steeled myself. No more feeling sorry for him. If the Rourke from a few days ago could’ve seen me now, he would’ve been pissed off. Disappointed. I wasn’t some omega’s pet. I needed to stop fucking acting like one. But then again, it wasn’t like I had much room to work with. I was literally only given six feet of slack. If Sebastian decided to pass out right there on the couch, I’d be stuck sleeping on the floor next to him. The idea sickened me.
