Orient Fevre

“His Highness Levy Frye al’Tarakh, Miss Cross,” one of his entourages piped in. He was a plump man, wrapped in black clothes, and had a moustache as thick as a sausage perched under his nose. He wasn’t happy I was being disrespectful to his prince.

“You should accustom yourself with the proper acknowledgement, Miss Cross. I’d be delighted to give you a crash course if you’re interested.”

Levy tipped his head at me. “I assume you‘ll be my personal guard during this trip? Lovely. I’m looking forward to your company, Miss Cross.”

I wanted to groan. The day couldn’t have gotten any worse.

“You’re despicable!” I griped at Levy as soon as we were alone in his designated stateroom. “Don’t you think I don’t know your trick. You made us change route twelve light-years away from our original destination so you can get even with me. Admit it!”

Levy didn’t say anything to my outburst. He snatched my arms and pushed me against the wall. His mouth plastered mine a heartbeat later. His grip dug at my flesh, as his tongue stroked deeply in the cavern of my mouth. He kissed me like a sex-starved man who’d been deprived of carnal pleasure for a long time. Ferocious. Demanding. And I melted from it. My objection was forgotten. My mind was wiped blank. I felt dizzy when he finally tore his mouth off me.

“I told you, kitten, you’re not going to get away from me that easily. I’ll find you. I’ll get you, and I’ll make you mine forever.”

His claim brought an indescribable effect on me. Somehow, it felt nice being wanted like that. A hot flush surged through me. My nipples hardened, my wanton pussy stirred. I was turned on by his kiss and the way he claimed me, even though I was beat from sleep deprivation and his rampaging cock last night.

“Honestly, Lev. This is getting ridiculous. Haven’t you had a one-night stand before?”

“Of course I have,” Levy murmured, his fingers stroking my cheek. “I went for a quickie, but I found a soul mate. I can’t let you go now, can I?”

“Don’t tell me you believe in that bullshit.”

“You don’t believe in soul mates, Violet?”

“No. Companies use it as an excuse to sell candies, flowers, and stupid, over-priced gifts.”

“Too bad you have such a mindset. Our people believe when the soul of a man was first created, the Gods cut him in half before setting him and his pair to embark upon a journey into the world. Therefore, he wouldn’t be lonely in his mortal life. Sometimes, he and his pair find each other, and sometimes they don’t. And when they finish their time in the mortal world, they become one again in the afterlife, whole, like the Gods first created him. How does the soul of a man know his other half?” Levy touched my cheek. “With a simple kiss. When we first kissed last night, I knew you were the one. My other half. My soul mate.”

“You’re nuts.”

“I know what I’m feeling. And I know you’re feeling the same, too.”

“I don’t know what I’m feeling. I was pissed. I was horny. What happened meant nothing me. It was just a fuck.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not going to argue with you, Levy. You hired my company to take you D’Keghan and I’m supposed to keep you safe. End of story.”

“Wrong. Try again.”

“You’re stubborn.”

“I think you’re the stubborn one.” Levy took a strand of my hair and curled it between his fingers. He stared with fire in his eyes as he spoke to me in a low voice.“ Listen to your heart. If you’re telling me what we shared meant nothing to you, then you’re the biggest liar I’ve ever seen.”

Okay, I might have been the biggest liar I’d seen, myself, when I’d told him our encounter last night hadn’t meant anything to me, but I had recently broken up with Mac. I should still be feeling angry, betrayed, and harbouring love and hate at this stage. But last night, after I saw Levy, that anger had evaporated. Poof. Gone. Well, I still felt annoyed with Mac, but not in a way that hurt me so much. Levy had made me forget about Mac and what he’d done to me. It was freaky. I mean, people didn’t just end a relationship and the next second fall head over heels for someone new. It didn’t make sense.

I pursed my lips, staring back at him with defiance. “I’m a cat. You’re a dragon. Shouldn’t you be looking for a fellow Draconian as a mate?”

“If I hadn’t met my soul mate, I would. But I found you now. End of discussion.”

I rolled my eyes. Chauvinist.

“And I like cats a lot. Especially this cat.”

“Oh, please.”

“Maybe I should remind you what draws us together like moths to a flame.” Levy groped my thighs, fingers on the buckle of my belt.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” My pleas sounded panicked, and I was. My cheeks were burning. “Don’t touch me.”