Page 6 of Bred By the Emperor

But Malakai isn’t done yet.

“You need more convincing,” he says, and lifts me onto the table, throwing my skirts up around my waist and stripping my panties down. They get caught on my ankle and dangle there as he pushes my thighs apart and drops to his knees, dragging me closer to the edge so that he can feast on my wet lips. I grab his hair and try to sit up. He’s merciless. But I love the way he handles me. Firmly. Possessively. Without asking for permission to do anything. He knows exactly what I want and he gives it to me the way I like it.

He delves between my wet folds with his hot tongue. Licks the barrier of my virginity and groans. “I’m going to take this from you tonight.”

“Tonight?” Distantly, there’s a bit of alarm going off in the back of my head. “But what are we going to do about Kenton?”

To my surprise, he seemed to actually want to marry me. I was expecting a boy being dragged to the altar by his father. Part of me pities him.

“Fuck my son. He didn’t want you until the moment he saw you. I saw you first. You’re mine.” Malakai proves his point by bearing down on my clit. I come a third time, cresting against his face. When the peak ebbs, I’m shaking and sweaty, propped up on one elbow with my panties dangling from one ankle. A most undignified position for a princess. Weakly, I gather myself up. Where Malakai looks like unruffled military perfection, I am a disheveled mess. Embarrassment creeps over me.

How are we going to explain this?

Chapter 6

Malakai

Cuckolding my firstborn son wasn’t my finest moment. I stride out of the little private office, leaving Lili to reassemble herself while I deal with the wreckage I just caused.

“Dad. Did she say yes?” Kenton’s eyes meet mine, filled with the anxious hope of a boy on Christmas morning.

“Wedding’s off,” I grunt.

“What?” He looks like I punched him in the gut. “She said no?”

Female rejection is not something my son has a great deal of experience with. It’s normal that he would take the news badly. A pang of guilt for the way I’m treating him pinches my middle, but it’s not enough to stop me from taking what I want.

“She said no to you. Not to me.” I’m already on my phone firing off a first note to my assistant. Cancel the wedding—his. Announce a new one—for me.

Kenton turns ashen. “You can’t be fucking serious. Jesus, Dad.”

“Your wedding is off. Mine is taking place this afternoon.” I squeeze his shoulder. “This is what you wanted. You should be glad.”

He jerks away.

Behind us, Liliviere steps out from the chamber, looking a lot more disheveled than she did 20 minutes ago. Kenton’s brow knits furiously. “I can’t believe you just went in and fucked my fiancée.”

He turns his back and strides out, back to the helicopter. It’s on the tip of my tongue to call him back and explain that I didn’t actually fuck her, but somehow, I don’t think my son would care about the technical distinction. It hardly matters anyway. I betrayed him. It was selfish, and I do feel bad about that, even though I don’t regret meeting Liliviere. She is the first woman who’s made me feel alive again in ten years.

All the while, the ancient King of Kellimar has barely stirred from his nap.

“I’ll have my palace advisors draw up the marriage contract,” she says. I pull her close and kiss her hard. At least she’s certain she wants this too.

“They can work on that while we prepare for the wedding.” I scoop up her slight weight and throw her over my shoulder.

“What are you doing?” she protests, her skirt turning as she tries to wriggle free.

“You’re coming with me. With the rebels active in the area, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“You can’t just run off with me!”

I smack her bottom to make her calm down. That doesn’t work. Like the barbarian I am, I drag her to the chopper and thrust her inside. Kenton, already buckled into his seat, recoils.

“The fuck are you doing, Dad?” he shouts. “I don’t want her in here with me.”

“You can use the flight to get to know your new stepmother.” If looks could kill, I’d be dead from Kenton’s glower. Liliviere, too. She’s red-faced and fuming.

“This is kidnapping,” she snaps.