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I try to tossmy mouth

‘He won’t suffer the dishonour of having to tell the Dark Prince that the deal is off Do you really think your father would just sit back and let you ruin his historic accord? He is going to have you delivered to the Dark Prince whether you like it or not – but first, I’ you back to the palace’

‘You’re a bounty hunter?’ I it

‘I prefer “personnel retrieval operative” myself,’ he says

‘How about “er but, quick as a whip, he silences me with an alternative ainst lips

This lon piece of peasant flotsam thinks he can kiss a princess of the blood royal! It is not to be borne

Butof the bosom, because this lon piece of peasant flotsam kisses like no ue firainst every noble instinct I possess, I yield to the pleasure it brings

Or rather, I forget my role and slide, so easily, so sweetly, intoand scouring hireedier than ever for him

But this isn’t the gaame is about resistance, about dubious consent that turns, eventually, to desire

So I try to shake hi in the pit ofin my crotch

‘You’re passionate,’ he says ‘Feisty, yes, but what a little firecracker you’d be in my bed I’d like to take you, but the Dark Prince …’

‘Fuck the Dark Prince and fuck you, peasant How dare you kiss me!’

His hand smacks down on my hip and he yanks me around on to my side ‘It seemed the best way to shut you up,’ he hisses into my ear ‘Besides –’ he pulls back, makes sure he has my full attention ‘– I have licence to do more than that’

A warning flare shoots froroin

‘What do you mean?’

‘Lie back down, Princess I’ you if you swear at ain Consider your rank and station, for heaven’s sake’

I nearly laugh out loud at his tone of schoolood at this lately, not that he was ever bad

‘That’s exactly what I a him retrieve a bottle of soapy water from a backpack and pour it into a mess tin ‘That’s why I object to your … familiarity’

‘The faet ain This tie attached to the end of a wooden handle ‘I’m instructed to clean you up’

‘What?’ I try to lift e is a tilt of the neck