Page 209 of Lethal King

“I’ve heard,” Leander smirks. “In fact, I’ve heard you’d go so far as to get on your knees for them first.”

His words reach out through the sweltering heat and slap me across the face. My cheeks flush red. A burning anger erupts in my core. A whirlwind of shame whips up beside it.

My brother and father are here.

They don’t need to hear this shit.

I’ll make him suffer.

“Don’t worry,” Leander continues, before I can bite back. “I’m not angry. I understand what needs to be done. I never expected you to be some unsullied rose.”

This time, not even Drago’s cold hand can keep me from advancing. His fingers fall down my back as I take a cautious step forward. Then another one.

I can feel myself seething. Leander must see it. But his stupid grin doesn’t waver.

Why the hell is he doing this? Is he just that dumb, or is he trying to make me do something stupid?

Why?

“Enough!” Drago booms from behind me. “Watch your tongue, boy.”

Leander hardly flinches against the dragon’s rage. Instead, he places a light hand over his chest, and tauntingly bows in our direction.

“I’m sorry,” he says, clearly not meaning it. “I’m just excited. It’s not every day a man like me gets to reclaim his roots. My family hasn’t been in the mafia for so long. But ever since I learned of our history, I’ve been dying to change that. Now is my chance. It just feels so right, you know?”

The hot air thickens. I look over to Tytus. He’s privately fuming, but we’re both desperately trying to play it cool.

We both know what’s at stake. Neither of us can blow our tops. Not until I make the first move.

And I’m not close enough to make the first move. Not yet.

Taking a step forward, I try to change that.

“You’ve proven yourself worthy of a place in our world,” I lie to Leander, barely holding back my disgust. “First you build an army, then you make a fool of the king. When we destroy what’s left of Rian Kilpatrick’s empire, no one will doubt who to follow next. You… and me.”

Swallowing my rage, I strut down the stone path that cuts through the heavy foliage. Somewhere behind all the leaves, I hear a waterfall; it swirls around the growing choir of crickets.

“I’m glad you think that too,” Leander’s grin grows. Seemingly taking the bait, he lifts his hand into the air, reaching out to me. “This whole night might have been spoiled if I had to force you into anything.”

As if you’re strong enough to force me into anything, I want to snap. But I bite my tongue and continue my advance.

“Careful, Roz,” Drago’s hushed voice brushes over my shoulder. He’s still filled with anger. But he’s doing his best to control it too.

“I agree,” I say, ignoring Drago for Leander. “There’s no need to be at each other’s throats when we could be—”

“… At each other’s lips?” Leander finishes for me. Spreading out his raised hand, he motions for me to stop.

“That’s not quite what I was going to say,” I mumble, reluctantly slowing down.

“Please, then, don’t come any closer. Not until it’s time.”

I don’t have a choice. Taking one last strategic step forward, I pause.

“You don’t think we’ve waited long enough?” I seductively purr, trying to lure him towards me.

Leander’s light blue eyes fall lazily down my body. When he reaches my thighs, he cracks his neck and sighs.

“We have,” he says, subtly licking his lower lip. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t wait a little longer, just to make sure we get things right.”