Page 163 of Rogue Alpha Prince
He suddenly pulls me up until I sit on the edge of the mattress, and he is kneeling before me. He rests his arms on my lap and holds my hands in his. He seeks my eyes until I give in. I squeeze his hands twice, and look back into his navy-blue ones.
“What would you do in this fucked up situation, before my bad influence started rubbing off on you?” he asks.
I want to turn my head to the side, but as soon as he feels my hesitation, he squeezes my hands the same way I did, so I lock my eyes with his again.
“You are very good at the whole advice thing,” he says, “You made my job way easier and didn’t even think about yourself. Just the welfare of the pack. I’m impressed.”
“Thank you.” That was a better compliment than any sex-related one.
“So? What would you advise someone else?”
“Communication,” I answer confidently, without a second thought.
“So, let’s talk,” he smiles up at me.
“Okay. You are a dick.”
“I’m serious.”
“Okay. Sometimes, you confuse me with all your hot and cold drama.”
His eyes twitch at the ‘drama’ word.
“Okay,” he says slowly. “That’s fair. But that’s who I am. Hot and cold and unapologetically myself.”
“I don’t want you to change—”
“Good, because I’m not going to.”
I slip out one of my hands to rake my fingers in his pitch-black hair.
“It’s just… sometimes itfeelslike you only act cold, to keep pretenses of this legendary ruthless rogue prince.”
“So, despite your little meltdown at Greg’s party, you think I’m honest when I’m all good and caring for you, like right now—and just acting when I’m cold?”
“Um, yes? No. I don’t know, the keeping pretenses thing makes me doubt everything, to be honest.” I put my hand back on my lap, and he immediately wraps his around it.
“I hate to break it to you, but I am this cold Rogue Alpha Prince, and it’s definitely not a game.”
I nod.
“But what I let you feel,” he continues, looking down at my mouth which makes me bite on my lower lip, “When I simply want to be more affectionate, is what I feel for you all the time, no matter how cold or hot I am. Does that make sense?”
“Yes, it does…” I pause when I feel a weird pull on my chest. “Anyway. I think it’s… I mean… I, I care. And it’s all so new, so I’m feeling a little bit insecure, and as an Alpha,you must know how much I hate that feeling. And… I might care about you more than I would like.”
As soon as I say these raw words the pulling intensifies, and I start feeling what I should while being so close to my true mate. The subtle lemon scent overwhelms me, and I feel a bitter relief.
I didn’t lose myself after all, but I’m still in danger. Especially when Cain puts everything aside to help me with such maturity… Why doesn’t he feel it yet?
“Thank you,” I lean down to give him a chaste kiss so he won’t notice how scared I am, “I can feel the bond again.”
He pulls me by my hands to him, and kisses me back.
“Ash, I’ve been in love with you since we met and you said that defiant joke that made me draw my sword on you.” He touches the spot under my chin, where the cold blade met my skin that day, then traces his fingers until they brush the mark.
It makes me shiver with pleasure.
“I… I’m not sure what to say,” I admit, closing my eyes while Cain’s fingers travel down to the edge of my gown. “It’s one of those things that confuses me. You help me, confess something like that—while touching me in the spot where you passionately marked me, just after trying to punish me with sex in the hallway, of all things. And for what? Lying about using your laptop? Wanting to dance with other guys? Cutting your delta’s hand? I don’t even know. Do you? But the last one is on him.”
