Rise of a Queen (Kingdom Duet 2)
By the time he speaks, his voice is clipped and non-negotiable. “Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, show up dressed like that in front of Ethan or any other man. Is that understood?”
The possessiveness in his tone turns my skin hot and tingly.
“I said, is that fucking understood, Aurora?”
All I can do is nod.
Seeming satisfied with the answer, the edge slightly leaves his features. “Why did you come down anyway?”
“I…I didn’t want you to fight with Ethan first thing in the morning.”
The slight ease vanishes and he closes down like the vault he is. “Worried about him?”
When I don’t answer, he reaches me in two long strides and wraps a hand around my throat. “Are you?”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
“I…you…you barely slept last night.” My lips tremble. “Right?”
His expression is unreadable, and I expect him to confirm that I’m insane, but he loosens his hold on my throat. “Right.”
Right. I didn’t make that up. He did sleep beside me. He wasn’t disgusted with me to the point he didn’t want to touch me.
Does that mean I didn’t make up those voices either?
“Come on.” He takes me by the wrist so as not to hurt my palm. “Let me help with the shower so you can get ready.”
“Get ready for what?”
“Don’t you have to go to work?”
A long breath leaves me. Not because he’s giving me back my freedom — because, in a way, I knew Jonathan would keep his word — but because of the fact that he didn’t bring up the part where he thinks I’m crazy.
But then he stares at me over his shoulder and gives me that look again.
The pity.
The disappointment.
He…he’s going to get rid of me, isn’t he?
Just like Alicia.
13
Aurora
Even though I go to work, I can’t concentrate.
All I keep thinking about is those voices grating on my nerves and whispering things like:
She’s losing her mind, just like Alicia.
What makes it worse is the way Jonathan looked at me. And then he didn’t attempt to touch me during my shower today. His movements were anything but sexual with the sole purpose of helping me bathe.
Usually, his hands wander all over my body and he demands I beg him to finger me or bring me to orgasm.