Dark Vow (Blackwoods College)

He nodded, understanding what I meant. “All of it.”

“Good.” I patted his shoulder. “Go round up the men and pull them together. Make sure they have their suitcases prepared.” I didn’t go into detail. I assumed there were listening devices all over the house, and if there weren’t, Brnovich was a moron.

But a man like him didn’t reach the heights of government without a bit of cleverness.

Matthias left and shut the door quietly behind him.

Robyn stirred. She sat up on an elbow and I watched her like the sun rising. She was glorious, cheeks flushed from sleeping in front of the hot fire and next to my body. I was worn and haggard, but she was like my opposite. Where I was ruined, she was whole.

I wanted to drag her down and feast on every inch of her body. I wanted to hear her scream with pleasure.

And only a hint of fear.

“Good morning.” I opened my suitcase and began to change.

She gaped at me. I didn’t care if she saw my naked body. I had nothing to hide.

She looked away. I smirked to myself.

“You could at least go into the bathroom if you’re going to do that.” She sounded breathless.

She liked what she saw.

“I could, but you wouldn’t get a show that way.”

“God, you’re impossible.”

“Get up. I need you to change.” I finished putting on my suit then went through her bags. I picked out a simple dress, one that would accentuate her hips and breasts, and draped it on the end of the bed. “Put this on.”

She glared at me then at the dress. “It’s like three in the afternoon. I’m not putting that on.”

“I don’t care what time it is. I want Brnovich staring at your tits.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Put on the dress.”

“Go to hell.”

I walked to her side of the bed. “I will drag you out and make you wear it. Do you want that? Believe me, love, I’ll enjoy stripping you down.”

She clenched her jaw. I wondered if she’d fight. I hoped she would.

But she threw the sheets back, got to her feet, and stormed into the bathroom instead.

I let her stew a bit. Truth was, I hated the idea of parading her beautiful body around in front of a scumbag like Brnovich, but we were in the lion’s den. I needed every advantage I could get.

I only hoped that I wouldn’t rip out the bastard’s eyeballs if he looked at Robyn’s chest for too long.

She took a shower and came out not long later, fresh and still damp. I sat near the window and watched as she picked up the dress, studiously ignoring me. I expected her to go into the bathroom like she said I should—

Instead, she dropped her towel.

I gaped, too shocked to do anything but stare.

Her legs were long and lean. Her ass was tight and gorgeous. Her nipples were pink and stiff, her breasts round and firm, her stomach flat, her shoulders small, her hips wide, her arms, her hands, her lips, fuck—

I was overwhelmed, losing my mind. I’d never lost control so quickly or so intensely before. I couldn’t think, could barely breathe. Her body was like a lighthouse, but instead of keeping me from dashing to bits on the rocks, it beckoned me closer and closer.

She pulled the dress on nice and slow, giving me a goddamn show.

When she was finished, she pulled her hair aside. “Zip me.”

Her voice snapped me out of the trace. My cock was so hard it must’ve been filled with half the blood in my body. I stood and walked over as if in a dream. I floated, glided. My vision was blurry. My hands were shaking.

When the hell did my hands ever shake?

I pulled the zipper up. I let my fingers linger on her neck. She looked at me, blushing.

“You wanted me to watch. Why?” My voice was husky and raw. My throat felt tight, constricted. I wanted to bite the soft skin at the base of her neck, where her shoulder arched up toward her lips.

“Because when I’m out there with your little defense minister, I want you to picture my body beneath this dress. You won’t last ten minutes letting him look at me then.”

My mouth fell open and I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. So bold and clever. She glared and stalked to the other side of the room.

The girl was crazy. But god, she was right.

I was a jealous monster, and now that I’d seen what was beneath her clothes—the perfection, the immaculate skin—I couldn’t let a pig like Brnovich catch a single glimpse of her.

She was using my own obsession against me.

I loved it.

“Get changed,” I said finally, giving in.

She tried to stifle her smile. She knew she won this round as she approached me, head tilted. “Are you sure?”