Steel Princess (Royal Elite 2)

“What are you doing?” I murmur through hiccoughs.

He offers an easy-going grin and speaks against my fingers. “Getting you back.”

“Getting me back from where?”

“From whoever was trying to take you away from me just now.”

A sob tears its way out of my throat and I let my head fall against his chest. My cheek rests to his hard muscles and I listen intently to his heartbeat.

His soothing, normal heartbeat.

I run the pad of my finger over the scratch mark on his chest. “I-I’m sorry… I’m s-so sorry. I didn’t mean to do this… I… I…”

“Shh,” Aiden’s arms come around my back and he wraps us both in the sheet as I cry softly into his chest.

I can still feel the prick of the thorn and see the blood.

So much fucking blood.

It’s on my hands, under my skin, and all around me.

Was that a memory or a nightmare? If it was real, how could there be that much blood and no one knew about it?

And who’s Uncle Reg? Is he a real person or a play

of my imagination?

Careful, princess. Red also means blood.

A shudder shoots through me at his words.

“Another nightmare?” Aiden asks calmly.

I nod against his skin but say nothing.

He draws small circles at my back. I’m all sweaty and dishevelled, but that doesn’t stop Aiden from holding me close until his chest crushes my breasts and all I can smell is him.

And my scent on him.

And the scent of sex in the air.

He barely let me go to sleep and only after he wrenched two more orgasms out of me. I still feel sore and sensitive.

But right now? Right now, I feel something else.

I feel the familiarity of Aiden’s embrace and how much I need it. How much it’s just right to be in his arms.

No. It’s wrong.

I can’t fall for his games again.

I try to squirm away, but he only tightens his hold on my back as we both fall to the mattress facing each other.

He wraps his hand around my midsection and I place both palms on his chest. His heartbeat booms under my fingertips, and I instantly feel calmer.

It’s like my own custom-made lullaby.

“Just sleep,” he murmurs in that husky voice.