Queen Takes Rose (Wicked Villains 6)

I’ll only have one shot at this.

I have to make it count.7MaloneShe almost got me.

There was a moment there, where Aurora watched me with hungry eyes, that I almost threw my rules out the window and commanded her to finish what I started. Almost. But almost doesn’t mean a single damn thing unless I want it to. I maintained my plan, which is all that matters.

I set her up in the mostly unused guest room. “If you disobey the order not to come during the night—”

“I’ll be punished.” She climbs onto the bed in a flash of long, lean legs and stretches out. “Yes, Mistress. I’ll be a good little submissive and keep my hands off my pussy.”

I shouldn’t enjoy her mouthiness, her obvious anger. A person doesn’t get to be where I am if they embrace chaos in any form, and so I adhere to order in every aspect of my life. Work. Territory squabbles. Kink. All of it. I prefer to play with submissives who are obedient, though I made an exception for Tink back when she still worked in the Underworld. But Tink was all bark and no bite. When push came to shove, she hit her knees and happily did everything I asked of her.

Aurora is not like that at all.

“You have them all fooled.” I don’t mean to speak, but seeing her pull on her sunshine mask irritates me for some reason. “They see the sweet, biddable Aurora because that’s what you want them to see. They have no idea that you’re a vat of gasoline just waiting for the right match strike to set you aflame. One wrong move and you burn down all of Carver City.”

Aurora pulls the covers up to her chest and smooths down the fabric. She finally says, “There wasn’t a question in there.”

“Because it’s not a question.” I shouldn’t indulge this conversation. I shouldn’t have even started it. But I can’t quite seem to relay the message to my body to leave the room. “How long have you been a submissive for the Underworld?” I know the answer, but I want to hear her say it.

“Nine years.”

It seems to defy belief. By thirty, I was nearly ten years into running this territory. I was a thousand times harder than Aurora is, even with her spikes and fiery temper. For all that the Underworld exposes her to all manner of vices, I can’t help feeling like she’s been sheltered this entire time. I push the thought away and focus on the subject at hand. “In all those years, you’ve only slipped once.”

Her eyes flash. “What are you talking about?”

“Everyone else seems content to forget that you were willing to literally burn Hook’s home to the ground when you thought Tink was in danger.” I smooth a hand down my hip. “One blink of your big eyes, and they’re half sure they imagined that fierceness.”

She blinks those big eyes at me right now. “How did you even hear about that?”

“Come now, Aurora. You know better. I hear everything of value that happens in the territories that border mine.” I’ve been around long enough to remember what that territory was like under Peter’s rule. I had no interest in dealing with him as a neighbor again. Hook might have a misguided honorable streak a mile wide that occasionally makes him inconvenient, but he’s not a malicious fool. If Peter had taken back the territory, I would have been forced to make a move to crush him. Not that I’m interested in explaining that to Aurora.

She considers me. “Even Ursa’s?”

“Of course. Neither of us is so sentimental as to let friendship get in the way of business.” The friendship is genuine, but we’re both smart enough to understand that it’s beneficial to both our territories for us to work together on occasion. Between the two of us, we hold nearly half the city. Striving for more is just greedy and runs the risk of hampering our ability to lead. “The only way to maintain power is to expect a knife in the back at every turn. A good territory leader knows that.”

She shuts down. I didn’t even realize she had opened herself up a little until she’s withdrawing from me. I can practically see the shutters closing over her eyes, shielding her thoughts. Aurora finally looks away. “I’ve very tired. If that’s all?”

I don’t want to leave this room, to end this conversation. The realization has me turning and walking away from her. These two weeks are about getting this woman out of my system, not about indulging in small talk. “I have work in the morning. Be quiet and entertain yourself until the afternoon.”

“Yes, Mistress.” There’s a snarky little lilt to her words, but I choose not to call her on it. Not when it means staying in this room a second longer.