His Forbidden Mate
Part 11

He was in the parlour, watching the show, watching me play with my victims with so much concentration that made me feel uneasy.

My stomach curled, realising that his presence would bring nothing good. Sure, he had l**t in his eye, but he wasn’t drooling like the other men, rather his eyes watched me intensively as if studying my move and learning them.

Chills ran down my spine and I’m unable to hold his gaze. I looked down at the victim before me. The joy and confidence I had in me a while ago faded away, and insecurities crept in. Thought such as what his unannounced appearance at the parlour meant overwhelmed my mind and it took a while to shake it off.

No matter what it was, I couldn’t let him into my head. It might mean little to him, but this was my life and therefore everything to me.

When I glanced up the second time, he was gone, making me wonder if he was ever here.

I leaned in and took the victim’s bottom l*p between my teeth. My hand trailed over his chest, down his stomach and over his trouser, to cup him there.

I had never done this, never gotten physical, but I had gotten distracted by the prince’s presence in the parlour. Doing anything less would give away the fact that I was having a second thought.

The crowd cheered and clapped harder and my last victim slipped a small bag into my hand. From the weight of it, I knew it was gold, and I flashed him a flirty smile.

I stepped back towards the podium, took a bow, and exited the hall. I walked towards my private room needing to get out of these clothes and shoes and get a long bath because I felt filthy.

“You were amazing up there,” Jane spoke up as she fell in line with me in the hallway that led to the private room where I was headed.

I smiled brightly, “Thank you.” it was nice to know I wasn’t a disaster like I thought.

“I hope I and the girls meet the expectations of the highest spending victims after the full moon.”

“I’m sure you will.” I said, then tossed the bag of gold over to her. “Please hand it over to the treasurer.”

“Yes, mistress.” She turned to leave when I spoke up, wanting to clarify what I saw earlier.

“Did you see the prince at any point tonight?” I asked.

Her eyes narrowed. “No, I don’t think so. Did you see him or something?”

“No, just curious, you can leave now, thank you.” my head probably made him up, yet he felt so real.

‘Perhaps you should stop thinking about him,’ the voice in my head advised, as I stepped into my chamber and shut the door.

“It’s been a while,” I heard prince Edward’s voice say from across the room, telling me I wasn’t alone in the room as I thought. Or as I wanted.

He was in my private chamber, not the pleasure room, and it surprised me how he knew I would come here and not there tonight.

Or he already knew I only use the pleasure room when I needed to reward a victim and so far I’d handed that role over to Jane and two others.

The devil knew too much.

I didn’t know how to respond to the fact that he had seen me earlier dancing on the pole and he was now in my room. But one thing is certain: I’m not happy about his invasion of my privacy and his calm or his composed self.

F**k him.

I gave him the silent treatment and ignored his presence. I picked up my robes from the wardrobe and moved myself to the bathroom to bathe and change without a word.

After over thirty minutes, I returned to the room and found prince Edward no longer seated in the armchair at the corner of the room where I had left him earlier. Rather, he was standing beside the little shelf having a few artefacts and books. He looked intrigued by what he saw hanging on the shelf. He certainly didn’t know how silent treatment worked. Or maybe he did and just wanted to run me nut.

I had on a long purple robe that had every asset of mine covered up. My hair was still wrapped in the thick brown towel even though it wasn’t wet. This wasn’t my most presentable version or look, but I didn’t care he could either deal with it or leave.

“How did you get into my room?” I demanded. This question was thirty minutes old, but I acted as though it wasn’t.

He picked up an artefact and ran his hand over it, not paying me much attention. I guess it’s his turn to ignore me. “You left the door open,” he answered calmly.

“What are you doing here?”

He finally turned around, his eyes meeting mine. “That’s a rather odd question, considering I own this place.”

He had a weird way of showing off his possessiveness considering I spent thirty minutes naked in the bathroom, which he was well aware of, yet didn’t bother to come in.

No, he did a noble thing by giving you privacy, Kailani. He was a man that wielded much control over his body, and that was a good thing, especially when I was constantly surrounded by horny men.

“You don’t own this place. We are partners.” I corrected and his brow rose as if he just realised that himself.

“That’s not how it works.” he pointed out, giving me a knowing look.

Our partnership was founded on a small clause, s*x, and since I hadn’t done my part, I couldn’t call myself that.

“You were gone for weeks and you just show up without formal notification. That’s not how things are done, that’s not how you run a business.” I pointed out, not thrilled with the way he did things.

He dropped the artefact from where he picked it up and took a step forward. “Why? Would you have done a better job with your victims tonight?” he asked, his eyes scanning me from head to toe and I felt naked despite the robe I had on. “I have to say you were amazing up there, mistress.”

My cheeks heated at his compliments. He watched me. Now, I want to know which of the act he liked amongst the many I performed.

Really? Kai? That is not what we are doing.

“You shouldn’t be here. This is my private chambers, mister,” I said firmly. I know our agreement, which I consented to, but creeping on each other wasn’t a part of it.

He twirled his hand around and his magic sent a bright, white light shining through to the corners of the room, making the room brighter than it was before.

I scoffed, and I rolled my eyes. Despite being mad, I felt impressed as well as terrified, but I didn’t let it show. “My room doesn’t need all this light.”

“I know. I just want to see your gorgeous face without having to strain my eyes.” He winked at me and a smile came to his face for the first time tonight.

He thought I looked gorgeous, despite my hideousness, and that sent sparks I couldn’t explain through me.

“Why are you here?”

“To check up on you. I had a feeling you were missing me and I am never wrong.” Desire flared in his eyes, but he didn’t let it stay long.

He wasn’t wrong. I missed him. As annoying as he was, I did. I felt strangely attracted to him and he had kept me up a few nights, coming into my dreams and showing me just how much he wanted me. He seemed to know that he had found a way into my head and messed with it.

The devil enjoyed his tricks.

Usually, this was my card. Playing with the minds of men was my speciality and now the game has reversed. “I think you’ve got your head way up in the clouds, my prince.”

He smirked. “I doubt it, but I’ll play pretend.”

“Why are you here?” I asked for the third time tonight.

“I came to see you. If we are ‘partners’ as you so claim, seeing you is one of our agreements.” he said, his eyes already dancing over my body in a way that made me feel naked.

“Yes and that’s why we included sending a formal notice to inform me concerning your plans. Without that, I can decline your request and I am declining.” I let out a long, dramatic yawn, “It’s time to leave, it’s been a long day.” it was already into the late hours of the night and tomorrow was the full moon and I needed to be in a good mood.

He didn’t take the cue to leave and seeing that there was no way I was going to make him leave; I decided to give him the room. “Fine, I’ll leave.”

I turn around, but he grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me back so that my body collided against his. He kissed my lips that very second, giving me no breathing space.

A part of me wanted to shove him off, but another just wanted to remain like this. His lips came softly on mine, igniting the flame of something stronger than my rage, something that has been the root of all the explosiveness. My desire for him.