Nostrils flaring at his persistence, I rotated my attention to him and stared directly into his amazing silver eyes. “I will hurt you.”
His lips curved slowly. “Yes, I believe we’ve already spelled that out.” Proof positive would be the dried blood still on his cheek, but more than likely he was still talking about the gun I had pulled on him what seemed like ages ago. A white eyebrow raised a smidgen, and he whispered intimately, “Besides…a little hurt can be enjoyable.”
I stared, thoughts swirling madly.
Elder Farrar was asking me something, but I couldn’t hear him through the buzz in my ears. I placed my hand on Leric’s lean hip, his eyes widening at the soft touch. I let my power—only a bit—flow down my palm in a livid rush. A minor pulse wave erupted between us, blowing my hair back.
Like a beautiful dream, he grunted in pain before his body sailed off my bed, taking the bedside lamp with him. He hit the wall with a resounding crash directly under the windows.
Sadly, the remaining beer bottles shattered against the wall, leaving huge stains, the glass and Leric both falling to the ground.
He disappeared, only the glass hitting the carpet.
I jumped when my hair ruffled from the soft purr against the back of my ear, “That wasn’t exactly what I was talking about.”
Snapping my head around to where he had reappeared, I came nose to nose with him. I tried catching my breath as my eyes narrowed, and I decently managed, “I’m so sorry. I guess I misunderstood.” I moved my head closer, the tips of our noses barely brushing, and I was pretty sure I saw amusement—again—and irritation in his mesmerizing gaze. “Stay the fuck off my bed before I really misunderstand.”
I lifted my hand—to which he didn’t flinch one bit—and slowly began tracing one finger over his gorgeous face, down his cheek, dragging it over his jaw. I said even more quietly, “Because you see, Leric, even though you are more powerful than me, my patience for revenge is marvelous to witness. I’ve snuck into your bedchambers before and I can do it again. Possibly when you’re sleeping and unaware. Right when you’ve begun to forget about me.” I tilted my head, rubbing my nose on his. “I believe your imagination can take it from there.” And yes, I meant it. I was letting him see the cruel, heartless bitch I could very much be, staring at him with cold, dead eyes.
I didn’t get the reaction I had expected. I readied myself for an attack, but instead of malicious power thrown at me…I received charm. His red lips curved, his gaze running over my face as he whispered, “God, you are so fucking adorable when you get all testy and furious,” his eyebrows lifted arrogantly, “and try to threaten me.” He chuckled quietly while I sat frozen, blinking at him in shock. He raised his hand and tapped my nose lightly, staring at it. “Your nose even crinkles a little.”
I blinked a few more times. Still shaken at his complete lack of fear, I asked candidly, “Are you crazy?”
His own nose crinkled as he shrugged a shoulder. “People have been known to say that about me.” Another shrug. “Although my actions may, to the close-minded, sometimes dictate that term, I prefer the expression ‘brilliant mastermind’.”
I was done. I fluttered a hand to the left. “Go be brilliant in the corner.”
He choked on a laugh, quickly cutting it off with a fist in front of his mouth when my eyes narrowed on him. His face dimly reflected the blue light from my irked gaze, and he flicked a finger. “I’ll go stand over there, but only because I don’t want you to hurt yourself trying to make me.”
King Collins grabbed my shoulders as I started to lunge at the egotistical man’s retreating back. My King pushed me back onto the mattress, ordering quietly, “That’s enough, Caro. He’s doing as you told him.” Not entirely, but his words sounded good, allowing me to inhale a calming breath and slowly exhale as I kept my focus on the brown eyes staring into mine. “You said you had patience, so start using it where he’s concerned.”
I nodded quickly at the true words. “I don’t feel very tolerant when he pisses me off.”
“Which means it’s probably a good thing he’s more powerful than you, because the ass does a miraculous job of pissing you off.” I blinked in surprise at King Collins, and he sighed, squeezing my shoulders. “I’m just stating the facts, so don’t take it any other way. He’d be dead ten times over with how much he fucks up. After all, I wasn’t saying he’s like,” his head teetered back and forth in thought, “a weakness to you.”
I stared then my jaw clenched. “You can go away, too.”
King Collins’s lips twitched, his eyebrows rising. “Feel better now?”