Ihaven’t stopped thinking about the way Arabella kissed me back—the way she seemed to want more. There was something in her eyes, something I can’t identify yet can’t ignore.In all the years I’ve roamed this earth, there isn’t much I’ve truly considered mine. Even the palace I live in belongs to the kingdom, not to me. As is the case for most of my belongings. As a ruler, I don’t consider any of the things that surround me my own. Nothing and no one… until her. There’s something about Arabella that I find hard to resist.I’m hesitant as I walk into my bedroom. Ever since we got back, I’ve ensured she’s fast asleep before I join her in bed, my treacherous mind continuously reminding me that she stopped me in the springs, and that she’s leaving eventually. I know that it’s never been me she wanted, but tonight I can’t bring myself to stay away.I walk in to find Arabella standing by the mirror in the corner, her hands on the ties of her corset. She seems startled to see me, and I smile shakily. I recognized the desire in those beautiful honey eyes of hers this afternoon, and I know she wishes she didn’t feel it. I can tell she’s conflicted—she has been since she read that letter from Eldiria.I lean back against the door, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror. Her fingers fall away from her corset, her breathing accelerating just slightly. Her cheeks are rosy, and she’s looking at me the same way she did this afternoon.I raise my hand, using my powers to pull the tie on her corset loose. Arabella gasps, her eyes widening, and I bite back a smile as I continue to undo her corset. Watching her expressions brings me such intense enjoyment. She seems to believe that she hides her feelings well, but those eyes… I love her eyes.Her corset comes loose, falling to the floor before she has a chance to grasp it and keep it in place. She clutches her chemise, trying her best to cover her breasts, and I smirk as I move on to her skirt. That, too, has endless ties and knots.How women wear these things is beyond me. It takes me a minute to undo the dreaded thing, and then it, too, falls to the floor, leaving her standing in a loose-fitting chemise. I want that off as well, but I’d better not push my luck. I have no doubt the dagger I gave her is somewhere on her person, and I don’t want it pointed at me.noveldrama“I thought you weren’t planning on touching me. You had no interest in exercising your rights, didn’t you?”Her cheeks are crimson, and I see it now. She’s angry I said I wouldn’t exercise my rights. My beautiful wife might not realize it, but she wants me more than she lets on, more than she’d admit to herself.“I didn’t touch you.”“I felt your hands!”I hold them up, a faux innocent look on my face. “But they’re right here.”Every once in a while, she lets her temper run free. It’s in these moments that she acts the way I imagine a wife would. I love that fire in her eyes, the bite in her voice. I love when she treats me without fear, as though I’m her equal. There isn’t anyone in this world that’d dare do some of the things she unknowingly does.I turn and walk away before I’m tempted to tease her further. I have no doubt that my wife is a lethal little creature, and I’d better not push her too far. I’d love another opportunity to punish her again, but I can do without the bloodshed.“Come,” I say against better judgment. “Help me bathe.”“Wh-What?”“Help me bathe,” I repeat, letting my cloak drop to the floor as I walk toward the bathroom. “Or would you rather the female attendants help me?” Arabella starts to nod, so I add, “Or perhaps I should call for Elaine.”She stills, and I turn back to look at her. I watch as she grits her teeth, a hint of possessiveness crossing her eyes. She might not have any feelings for me, but she considers me hers. It’s not much, but it’s more than I could have hoped for.I start to undress, leaving her to decide whether or not she’s coming after me. I’ve just about gotten my uniform unbuttoned when I hear her footsteps behind me, and I can’t help but smile. It’s strange. No woman has ever made me feel this way, so why her? Why does she have such a hold over me?“Help me undress,” I tell her, turning to face her. I might have told her that I won’t exercise my rights, but I have every intention of tempting her into touching me.She glares at me, but her cheeks are crimson and her eyes are roaming over my exposed chest and abs. She takes a step closer, her hands trembling as she grabs the lapels of my uniform and pushes it down my shoulder.I watch her closely, wondering what she’s thinking. Does she find my body repulsive? Most people do, yet somehow I find myself wishing she’s different. My jacket falls to the floor and she moves her hand lower, placing it on the waistband of my trousers. Fates. Her touch is affecting me more than I expected. I’d only intended to antagonize her a bit, but it looks like it’s me that’s suffering now.“Go check the bath’s temperature,” I tell her instead. She pulls her hands away and I let my eyes fall closed, praying for composure. Would this have been easier if she weren’t so beautiful? If that chemise weren’t sheer in the candlelight?“The temperature is fine,” she tells me as I finish undressing, unable to hide my desire from her. Her eyes widen as she watches me step into the tub, and I sigh in relief once I’m hidden from her. Is this what the priests refer to as karma? Is this instant punishment for trying to entice my wife?“Come here,” I tell her, not willing to admit defeat.She kneels beside me, her breathing uneven and her face a deep crimson. It only makes her more beautiful. It makes me wonder what she’ll look like underneath me.I hand her the bar of soap, and she takes it with shaking hands. I expected her to refuse and walk out, but there’s more curiosity in her eyes than anything else. If I’m not mistaken, there’s a hint of desire too. It’s faint, but it’s there. For me.I thought she’d run the bar of soap over my skin, but instead she lathers it in her hands before putting it down. I’m tense as she places her hands on my shoulders, taking her time to massage in the soap.“You’ve done this before?” The mere thought of her touching another man has me seeing red.“Not for anyone but you, but I’m quite familiar with the concept of bathing.”I bite back a smile, hiding the fact that I tremendously enjoy her wit. I doubt she realizes that no one else would dare joke around with me. I thought I’d find being married a nuisance, but it fills a void I didn’t realize existed.“Join me,” I murmur.Her hands pause their movement, and I turn toward her, wrapping my hands around her waist and lifting her in before she has a chance to decline. She gasps when her body is submerged in the water, her white chemise rapidly becoming see-through.“Felix!” she shouts, and I force myself not to smile at the outrage on her face.“It’s easier for you to clean me when you’re in here with me,” I tell her, keeping my face carefully blank. She stares at me, as though she’s trying to ascertain if I’m being truthful, and I feel bad instantly. This is new to her. It’s not just me, and marriage, but this entire environment. She takes away the loneliness I’ve always felt, but in return I’m only giving her misery and discomfort.“I apologize,” I tell her, my mood souring. The time we spent away made the lines between us blur, and I’ve allowed myself to think of this marriage as real when it’s anything but. “You needn’t do this.”She rises to her knees between my legs and shakes her head. “You’re my husband,” she whispers. “I want to be the one who does this for you. I don’t believe you’re quite the monster you think you are, despite the viciousness that continues to leave your lips.”Her words disarm me, and I lean back to watch her. She places her hands on my chest, palms flat, her wet chemise clinging to and outlining her magnificent body. I can’t remember the last time I desired a woman as much as I do my wife.I wrap my hands around her wrists, keeping them in place. “I…” I’m not sure what I’m even trying to say.I’m not like most men, Arabella.I’ll hurt you.Run, while you still can.Don’t let me in.I let my eyes roam over her face, her body. She’s perfect. I didn’t realize it when I first saw her in the Mirror of Pythia, but she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Her long dark hair and those honeycomb eyes. Those lips that I want another taste of. She’s beautiful, but it isn’t just her looks. It’s the energy she exudes. I’ve never met anyone quite so pure. It makes me want to corrupt her. Own her. Defile her.I lean in, and her eyes fall closed, her breathing a little more rapid. Her chest rises and falls, her hard nipples on display for me.I had no intention of trying to break this curse through love. It sounds ridiculous to me—it always has. But with Arabella, I find myself hoping for the impossible.My lips brush over the edge of hers, softly, gently, as though I am not sure of what I’m doing. A soft sigh escapes her lips, and much to my surprise, she doesn’t pull away. “I take it back,” I whisper against her lips. “I take back what I said. I’m exercising my rights.”I close the distance between us, my lips softly brushing over hers. She leans into me, and I capture her lips, my movements soft and slow, almost as though this moment might break.Arabella’s arms move around my neck, and I lift her by her waist until she’s seated on top of me, straddling me. I bury one hand in her hair and kiss her deeper, harder, eliciting soft moans from her.She moves on top of me and I groan, needing more. It’s as if the sound snaps her out of her daze, because she freezes and pushes away from me.The look in her eyes can only be described as torn, and I sit back in defeat as she rises in a rush, running off before I even have a chance to stop her.I run a hand over my face as the bathroom door closes behind her, lust and regret mingling into yet another foreign feeling.I rise to my feet to follow her, but by the time I reach our bedroom, she’s gone, our bed empty.