Did I know about Nicholas’s past? I thought I did. A tiny voice whispered in my head, Maybe not as well as you think. No, I couldn’t let Julian sow doubt inside of me. No matter what he thought, there had to be a logical explanation for whatever happened. Nicholas wasn’t the type to just ste

“If we just ask Julian, is what you mean to say,” Julian cut in. He sauntered closer and cast Nicholas a dagger-sharp glare. “Since I’m the only one with an evil-enough brain required for truly investigating the underground.” “You aren’t evil,” I said at once. Julian’s gaze softened somewhat

“Since our only lead right now is Terry, then I propose this idea,” Julian said. “We need to snoop around his mansion.” “You want us to walk straight into the lion’s den.” Nicholas crossed his arms over his chest. “Not walk,” Julian said. “Creep. It’s not snooping if they know you are there.

I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t exactly offended. They both had good points, and I would feel more comfortable if I had more lessons. Still, I wanted to have my voice heard. “What were you going to say, Piper?” Nicholas asked, after a moment. I sighed. I wanted to rush things, to find out the tru

Nicholas I stood before the King in his chambers. He was angrily pacing the length of the room. Back and forth, back and forth. Occasionally he would stop to shout at me, but he’d always break himself off, unfinished, and continue pacing. “How could you think –?” “You deliberately disobe

But I was my father’s first born son. I had responsibilities to the throne and to the kingdom over myself. The expectations on me made it impossible to lash out in the rebellious way Julian, as the second son, was allowed to. So I gritted my teeth, and I agreed. When I arrived at the meeting

“After I realized who she was, I gave chase,” Charlotte said. By now the nanny had come and taken Elva out of the room. Both guards went with her to a private nursery, though a third guard quickly arrive to take their place at the door. “She went down into the cellars. I followed closely, but th

Seeing it hurt me in ways I couldn’t have imagined before. He’d kissed me in the hallway. He’d almost kissed me in self-defense practice. I hadn’t considered he would be kissing other people too. “Piper…” he said again, softer. I couldn’t even bear to look at him. I turned my shoulde

Nicholas’s mouth was hot on mine. His body pinned me to the door. I attacked his lips with my own, eager to burn away any trace of that mystery woman who had been there before me today. Lilliana? Olivia? It didn’t matter who. My mind was flooded with angry, scalding jealousy. Maybe Nicholas

In that same life, he’d likely rip my clothes away and fuck me against this door. I’d never had penetrative sex. We’d experimented some, years ago. But now, I wanted his dick inside me so much, I was dizzy for it. I clawed at his shoulders and his back. I moaned and whimpered as he rolled my