His Highness leans back in his chair, looking thoroughly amused. It unnerves me and I continue talking, doing my best to keep my words from unraveling into rambling. But I have to get it all out while I still have the courage.
“For the sake of appearances, my father and I should both be present at the board meeting following the wedding—I’ll make sure my father behaves himself—and then there’ll be no question of tampering or undue influence. It’s in both of our interests. We can leave for Languedoc-Roussillon directly following the vote. That very night, if it pleases you.” My votes. My father’s votes. I’m selling them to him. All hope of revenge—of justice for Sierra Jamison—gone. A deal with the devil seems more palatable.
But I’ll be with Saber. Somehow. I’ll free him. I’ll find a way to free myself after that.
His Highness doesn’t speak for a long time. He’s getting what he wants—he should be gloating. But he merely sits, a smirk on his face, looking relaxed. Looking satisfied.
“Really?” he finally says.
“Indeed.”
Then, like a snake springing from a coil, His Majesty lets his chair tilt forward and rises from his seat. “I don’t think that’s the way things are going to happen at all.”
Icy fear freezes in my chest as His Highness makes his way around the desk and stalks behind me, running one fingertip along the skin just above my off-the-shoulder gown, producing an insuppressible shiver.
“You see, you’re not the only one who’s had a few hours to reconsider, love. I did a fair amount of ruminating on my hasty offering as well.” He continues to circle and gestures casually with one hand as a sense of foreboding washes over me. “The offer itself wasn’t a bad one, per se. But your reaction to it changed a lot of things in my mind.”
“My reaction?” I say, my face as emotionless as a piece of white parchment.
“I offered you freedom—you instantly rebelled. Everything in my offer hinges upon your voting the way I ask. If I can’t control you when you’re standing right in front of me, how can I ever expect to maintain my influence over your votes from seven hundred kilometers away?”
“But I’m cooperating.”
“You’re cooperating now.” He’s standing at my left shoulder, and he lifts an errant lock of hair, leans down to bring it to his nose. “Your little rebellion was infuriating, yes, but also arousing.”
“Don’t forget about the video,” I say casually, though terror is clawing at my self-control.
“That video never even reached M.A.R.I.E.,” the King says in tones of mock condolence. “Your mother made several encrypted copies on storage devices she mailed to coconspirators with fairly explicit instructions. Sadly, none seem to have reached their intended destinations.”
“You missed one,” I snap, refusing to lose the upper hand. For all I know, he’s bluffing too. “Don’t underestimate—”
“Enough.” The King grabs my arm, spins me around, and pushes me against his desk so quickly that I’m pinned before it even occurs to me to resist. And in that moment, I know I’ve lost. I’ve lost for me, I’ve lost for my father, I’ve lost for Saber. A squeak escapes my mouth, but His Highness covers it with one hand and places the other firmly behind my back. Planting himself between my knees, he pulls me tight against him, and I feel tears start to prick my eyes.
“I think I want you right here,” he says, his lips brushing my neck with each word. “Where I can keep an eye on you. And perhaps a few other things on you as well.”
I raise my hands to his chest to push against him, but he’s holding me too tightly, and with my feet off the floor, I have no leverage.
“It occurred to me,” he continues, his hand so hard against my mouth that my lips are pushing painfully against my teeth, “that your father is in such poor health he could drop dead any day. I shouldn’t send him away in such a state. Besides”—his mouth drifts to my décolletage, and I try to wrench away but only succeed in pulling my neckline down farther. “When he dies, his only child will inherit his not-insignificant shares. Those plus the Queen’s shares will make you one of the most influential women in the kingdom. A real treasure.”
He’s nuzzling my exposed cleavage, and I can’t hold back my tears any longer. I’ve lost everything. I’m not sure I’m going to leave this meeting with my soul intact.
And then his mood seems to take an about-face. Anger clouds his features and he grabs my arms with both hands, sweeping me away from the desk and slamming me up against the wall. Both his hands are around my neck, squeezing, and I feel my airways pinch shut. I scrabble for his hands, claw at them, but I’m still wearing my satin gloves and my fingernails are useless. Darkness hovers at the edges of my vision, and I’m distantly aware of that same awful gagging sound from that long-ago night, this time coming from my own throat.
Then I’m crumpling onto the floor, gasping in cool, fresh air that burns as much as it soothes. It takes several seconds of rasping before my sight filters back in; once I can see again, His Majesty’s face invades my vision and I wish I were still blind. He’s crouched beside me, entirely too relaxed for a man who has almost killed.