“Of course.”
“Fine.” Nuri didn’t really have a choice and they both knew it. “All I have to do is win once, right?” One time out of six wasn’t bad. It actually put him at an advantage even.
“Why? Want to switch it to best two out of three?”
“No.”
Silver grunted.
“Why are you giving me the advantage?” He’d tried not to ask, partly out of fear he wouldn’t like the answer and partly because he was worried pointing it out might make the Emperor change his mind, but he couldn’t help it. Curiosity gnawed at him.
Silver never did anything for anyone else’s benefit, so why now?
Maybe he didn’t want him to stay on as his secretary after all…That would add proof to Nuri’s earlier assumptions that this was all about pride for him and didn’t have anything to do with Nuri as an individual.
He hated himself a little when that notion made him sad.
“Because,” Silver lowered his head, his mouth coming dangerously close to Nuri’s, the proximity instantly wiping all other thoughts from his head, “when I win, I plan to take and take until you have nothing left. I’m going to devour you, Nuri.” He planted his forehead against his, smiling when that had Nuri freezing. “And then the only thought left in that sexy little mind of yours is going to be how badly you want togive.”
Silver pulled away so quickly, Nuri was still trying to process the sudden loss by the time he realized the Emperor was speaking again.
“I own you, Narek.” Silver stared down his nose at him and adjusted the cuffs of his dress shirt. “I’ll always own you. But you’re more than welcome to try and get away, so long as you’re willing to play by my rules in the process.”
Nuri didn’t know what to say to that, so all he managed to do was glower up at him in infuriated silence.
“Get some rest,” he motioned over Nuri’s shoulder at the large bed. “Tomorrow you’ll have to entertain your brother and catch up on all the work you neglected today.”
“I—”
“Work for me unless you win in our little game,” Silver clucked his tongue. “A deal is a deal.” He took a step toward the door and Nuri must have hit his head pretty damn hard in that accident, because he scrambled to his feet to stop him.
“Where are you going?”
Silver cocked his head. “Is that an invitation?”
“This is your room,” he said dumbly. “I can go back to—”
“Stay. My bed is more comfortable and I’ll be just down the hall. Don’t get any ideas, Narek. There’s no escape for you even if I’m not hovering over your bedside twenty-four-seven. Is that clear?”
“Yes,” he replied tightly, because really, he didn’t have any other choice but to go along with it. As per usual. “I understand.”
“Good.” Silver surprised him yet again by returning to place a soft kiss between Nuri’s brow. He cradled his head a moment, seeming like there was something else he wanted to say, but in the end opted to keep it to himself. “Sleep, Nuri. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Nuri stared at the closed door long after Silver had gone, more confused by his emotions now than he’d been when he’d woken a couple of hours ago.
Chapter 11:
Exhaustion overtook him, and somehow Nuri managed to fall asleep despite it all. When he woke the next day, consciousness returned slowly, so it took him longer than it should have to process that he wasn’t in bed alone.
Startled by Silver’s presence, he bolted upward, going still when the Emperor lifted his gaze from his tablet and quirked a brow at him.
Silver was dressed in his pajamas, brown silk with gold trim, but he was sitting with his back against the headboard, and had clearly been reading work documents while Nuri had slept. Now, he set the device off to the side and stood, stretching his arms above his head.
The second Nuri’s gaze homed in on the exposed sway of skin when Silver’s shirt lifted, he forced his gaze away.
“Come.” Silver held out a palm, waiting even when Nuri frowned.
“What?”
