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The woman I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. The goddess that made me feel like a man, and not a monster. The woman who touched my scar and didn’t recoil. Who clawed at my shirt and would have taken it off if I hadn’t stopped her. Who slapped me across the face then let me caress her cheek as if nothing had happened.
The woman who filled my mind when I had my fist wrapped around my throbbing cock this morning.
Today, the sun streaming through the windows silhouettes her sheer dress, leaving very little to the imagination. I want to tear every scrap of fabric off her body, lay her down on that polished oak desk, and feast on her. I want to worship every inch of her body, kiss every part of her, make her feel the heat of my desire.
I need her. My cock is so hard it hurts.
She stands tall as she greets me with a slight nod of her head. “Asher.”
“Your Majesty.”
A twitch of her eyebrow tells me she’s surprised I’m using her title. She glances at the man who led me here, and that’s enough for him to bow to her and back out of the door. We’re alone.
The Queen takes a deep breath, watching me. “Thank you for coming.”
“I wouldn’t refuse you.”
Fire flashes in her eyes, sending sparks flying through my chest. “How long are you planning on being in Nord?”
“As long as it takes,” I answer without thinking.
“You said that yesterday. For what?”
As long as it takes to make you mine. “To explore options…for the business,” I answer, my voice stilted. I clamp my mouth shut, and the Queen motions to a sofa to my right. I wait for her to sit down across from me in a high, wingback chair, then take a seat where she indicated. Penelope folds her hands on her lap, looking regal and calm, but her eyes drill holes through me.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why I called you here.”
“I’d come here no matter what you wanted.”
“Asher…” Her voice is a breathy whisper. She ducks her head, angling it to the side so I can see the graceful column of her neck. I want to lick it. Every part of her. Head to toe. Glancing back up at me, Penelope takes a deep breath. “I have a proposition for you, Mr. Gerhard.”
I stifle a groan. Whenever she calls me that, it makes me imagine her on her knees in front of me, mouth open…
I nod. “I’m listening.”
“I’m sure you’ve noticed the unrest in the capital.”
“The protests?”
She inclines her head. “There have been a few major oil refineries that have closed recently, and a number of people have been left without jobs. Truck drivers, machinery operators, engineers. Unemployment is on the rise.”
“You need new industries to open.”
“I need people I can trust,” she replies, her eyes searching mine. “Can I trust you?”
“With your life.”
Penelope pauses, staring at me for a few moments. I try to hold her gaze, but all I want to do is rush over to her and take her in my arms. How is it possible for a woman to have this hold on me? I’m supposed to be listening to her business proposition, and all I can think about is how good she looks in that dress. My eyes drift down to her chest, tracing the soft curve of the neckline.
“At Prince Gabriel’s wedding, I mentioned I was supposed to talk to a mining executive. I was referring to Reginald Donovan, of Donovan Enterprises.”
I freeze, my eyes climbing back up to meet hers. Is this when she mentions the merger? Tells me she knows I’ve been hiding it from her?
Penelope continues. “Mr. Donovan has been trying to buy Crown land in the eastern part of the kingdom, near Roston. It’s the second largest city in Nord, and a major industrial center.” The Queen’s voice is steady, but her hands tighten around each other. She’s hesitating. With a breath, she continues. “Donovan Enterprises is planning on opening at least three large diamond mines in the area.”
Air whooshes out of my lungs. Diamonds. That’s why Donovan is here. All my investigative work over the past weeks has returned nothing, but the Queen just dropped that information in my lap without even knowing I needed it.
Again.
