Page 84 of His Prince

“So mad,” I whisper, and the air seems to crackle between us.

My fingers slip into his hair and curl tightly, making him grunt.

“Oh, shoot, you’re hurt.”

“You can’t hurt me,” he replies and then continues walking until we’re in our room, my feet firmly on the floor. Mikhail reaches out and starts divesting me of my clothes until I’m completely naked, and I shouldn’t let him do this.

I shouldn’t, but I do.

“Get in bed,” he orders, and I glance down at my dirty hands and back up at him.

“But I’m filthy.”

His eyes twinkle and then his hands are on me again, picking me up and tossing me backward. I land with a loudoomphand then watch as he prowls toward me.

“Mikhail, you need to rest.”

“I’ll rest when you do.”

I gasp when his body covers mine, not touching me, not touching me nearly enough.

“Don’t be mad at me, sólnyshko. I just needed to discuss what happened with Georgiy. I don’t trust anyone but him.”

“You can trust me,” I say, and his eyes shutter slightly.

“I can’t, my little devil. I trust no one.”

And then he rolls off me and faces the ceiling, his hands above his head, the shirt he buttoned up haphazardly straining against his chest.

“Why don’t you trust? What happened to you?”

He doesn’t answer, just continues to stare up at nothing.

“You can tell me.”

“I can’t.”

“I don’t even know you. You know everything about me, and I knownothingabout you. I was so stupid to marry you.”

Mikhail’s head turns toward me and his nostrils flare.

“And yet it’s too late. You’re mine.”

“I wish I weren’t.”

He rolls over with a wince, his body now right against mine, his hand hovering above my neck.

“You can wish all you want, but you’re here with me. Get used to it.”

I reach out and grab his hand bringing it to my neck, feeling his fingers settle against my throat.

They squeeze gently, his thumb brushing against my Adam’s apple.

“I can feel your heart beating. For me.”

“It’s beating to keep me alive. It’s what it does.”

His nose lowers to my cheek, dragging it up over my skin. “I can feel the way it races for me.”