“He likes it when someone else sucksyourcock? Is that what you were going to say?”
I looked away.
“I'm not the first man he's offered you to, am I?”
“Yes, you are. Niko doesn't share.”
“It sounds as if he does. If he allows someone else to—” Konstantin's eyes widened. “Are we talking about orgies? That girl you saved from attending him; she was going to join you, not take your place.”
“Yes,” I said stiffly.
“Are you into women?”
“Not in the least.”
“And would she have been someone he had—”
“For the love of the Goddess, stop, Konstantin!”
He was silent a minute before saying, “I'm sorry. I'm a born investigator. I can't help being nosy. And you're someone I'm rapidly becoming fond of.”
“I'm fond of you too,” I whispered.
Konstantin took my hand again. “Oral sex is still sex, Misha. You should only do it willingly and with someone you want to do it with. Otherwise, it's a type of—”
“Don't say it.”
“Your king likes to control people. I haven't even been here a week, and I already know that. It's not uncommon for a king, though it is disappointing. What most people don't realize is that a king only has power that's given to him. Don't give him power over you, Misha.”
“It's so easy for you. You come here and see everything that's wrong and you point your finger and say, 'don't do that.' But one man cannot take a king's power from him. To even attempt it is called treason.”
“But if it's more than one man, it's called a revolution.”
“Don't say those words in this castle,” I hissed. “Garin or not, if he thinks you're trying to incite his people into rebellion, Nikolay will kill you.”
“He can fucking try,” Konstantin growled.
“Don't be a fool. He wouldn't give you a fair fight. He'd have you arrested by his elite knights, andtheywould kill you. And it would all be legal.”
Konstantin let out a long breath. “All right, yes, I get that. And I didn't mean to imply that your people should revolt. I just don't want you to be his . . .”
“His what? His toy? His slave?”
“I don't want you to behis.” Konstantin took my face in his hands and kissed me again.
I shuddered into him, and his thick arms wrapped around me, offering me his strength. We were both right, but we were also both wrong. I knew I should refuse when the King ordered me to participate in things I didn't enjoy. And I could. I had said no to him before. But I always paid for my little rebellions. If not directly, then indirectly, through guilt when I learned later that he’d taken his anger out on someone else.
No, I couldn't refuse or walk away from Nikolay Lebedev. But I could take this. I could have this man for myself, for however long he stayed. I could sneak kisses and touches and maybe more. And it would be all mine. Konstantin would be all mine for a little while. My first secret love affair. And maybe not my last.
But oh, the way the tiger kissed me, I didn't want to keep this a secret, and I didn't want to ever return to the King's bed. Just let me stay there, the scent of his sweet musk in my nose, his arms around me, and his mouth on mine. I could be happy forever.
Chapter Thirteen
We made it through a week. Well, a little over. Eight days of interviewing everyone in the castle, including the castle staff, and searching the library from top to bottom. And I mean that literally; Konstantin ran his red grid all over the ceiling. Eight days of feeling as if I had something to offer my people beyond my voice or my body. Eight days of stolen tiger kisses and heated pawing with our clothes on. Within those eight days, Konstantin and I had learned very little about the murderer but quite a lot about each other. And yet, it still wasn't enough for him to take things further.
I have to admit that I expected a tiger-shifter to be more demanding. Wild. Konstantin was aggressive, but he also had amazing self-control. Every day after our work was done, we'd have dinner together, slowly sharing more and more about ourselves as we ate. Then we'd touch, kiss, and tease each other, but not too much. Just enough to leave us both panting. And me half insane. I'd decided to have an affair with him, and I was anxious to get to the good stuff, but he kept saying that I wasn't ready!
The King had summoned me twice during that time, but he made no mention of Konstantin. I should have brought him up. I should have told Nikolay that I was working with the Garin. If I had, I might have avoided what happened next.
