He must have sensed my urgency because he didn’t press any further. The guest house was unlocked, as it could only be locked from the inside. When we were inside, I locked it.
“Upstairs,” I ordered.
The bedroom wasn’t as grand as mine but it would do. I closed the door behind me and advanced on Rourke, who stood still in the center of the room. In the dim room, he was a shadow looming over me.
This was it. We were alone, away from all the servants and knights. If it was retribution he wanted, now was his chance. I desperately needed to know if he would take it or not.
“Do you hate me?” I asked bluntly.
Rourke didn’t respond and my stomach tightened.
Finally, he muttered, “I should.”
I met his gaze, neither of us blinking.
“But I don’t,” Rourke said. “And I don’t know why.”
I inhaled a small, sharp breath. Some ugly feeling bubbled up inside my chest—guilt, perhaps. It affected me so badly I tore my gaze away from him to stare at the floor. Rourke didn’t say anything, like he was waiting for me.
“I… overreacted,” I said quietly. “I shouldn’t have…”
I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. Why was it so hard?
Rourke waited, ever patient.
I was a prince. Princes didn’t grovel. But Rourke deserved to know how I felt. I raised my head to face him.
“My actions were not… conducive to maintaining a decent relationship,” I finally muttered.
Rourke was stone-faced for a moment before he laughed. “That’s your big apology?”
I had him here, alone, and my mind was awash with a lustful haze, and I could barely think, let alone make words into a proper sentence. I let out an irritable huff, narrowing my eyes. “It’s the best one you’re going to get out of me right now.”
He regarded me, then took a step forward. Was he mad? Was he going to release his pent-up anger on me?
“I’ll take it, Your Highness,” Rourke said.
“That’s not my name.”
“I didn’t know I was allowed to say your name.” With a dry smirk, he added, “The last time I used it, you seemed pretty upset with me.”
“I was not thinking straight.”
“And why was that?”
“You had just kissed me,” I said.
“Underyourorders,” he shot back.
I glared at him. “Are you trying to annoy me, Rourke?”
There was an impish flicker on his face. “Maybe a little. Is it working?”
“Tell me, right now,” I said. “Tell me you don’t feel anything but hatred towards me and I will leave right now. I’ll remove the collar.”
Rourke’s eyes widened slightly. He didn’t reply.
“Tell me and I’ll let you go,” I repeated, gesturing to the door. “You can go back to your brother.”
