Fierce King by Ivy Mason

Twelve

Groaning in satisfaction,I lay next to Rose, pulling her closer and tucking her into my side.

I had absolutely no intention of letting her leave, but I needed her pliant, and letting her think she had a chance at freedom would do that.

Caressing the skin at her thighs, I smirked at Bourbon. Yeah, I'd heard the bastard come in.

Honestly, I wasn't surprised, given what was on the line. But I was happy, knowing I was already ahead in our little game and both he and I knew it.

His eyes were blazing as he stared at us, and my grin stretched wider.

For once, I was going to one-up my brother, and it felt damn good.

I tilted her head towards him with my arm that was under her neck. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

He didn't answer, just stared at me with that burning gaze.

Bourbon needed control over every situation, and the fact that I'd made her come, not just once, but twice so easily, had his control unraveling.

And I loved every moment of it.

I twisted the knife in even deeper. “Does she look like Lily when she comes? You tell me, I was too busy to look.”

Both Rose and Bourbon stiffened, and the anger in Bourbon's gaze grew even hotter.

And that made my triumph even greater.

In my mind, I'd brought Lily back from the dead, to satisfy her one more time.

Suddenly, Rose pushed on my arm, shoving me from the bed. Surprised, I grabbed at the sheets all too late, and I fell to the floor. Bourbon burst into laughter and I gaped up at him, awed at the sound.

It had been a long time since I'd heard him laugh, possibly since before that night, and I was amazed that even now, our fake Lily was bringing that out of him.

“You should see the look on your face.” His laughing grew louder.

I narrowed my eyes on him, glaring, and Rose's head poked out, staring down at me with a grin on her face. "You're right. He looks like he lost his favorite stuffed animal.”

Their bonding over my plummet off the bed made me furious but Bourbon strode over to me, offering me his hand.

Surprised again, I grasped it, and he heaved me to my feet. Rose's smile was mischievous as she watched us from her spot on the bed.

“Come on," I grumbled and, leaning over to grip her hips, I pulled her from the bed.

"Where are you taking me?” she protested, but I threw her up and over my shoulder, giving Bourbon a view of her bare ass as I carried her to the bathroom.

“Cleaning you up."

“But I don't need--"

"You do," I bit out. Honestly, she didn't, not really, but I didn't want to leave her yet. And, by the way Bourbon was following me, he didn't want to either.

I placed her on the counter and she crossed her arms over her chest, giving me an impertinent look. "I can clean myself."

I grinned. "I'm not sure you can even trust yourself at this point," I mocked her, and her face reddened.

God, it was beautiful.

Seeing that stubborn but embarrassed look on her face.

I pinched her cheek, making her frown deepen, then walked away to turn on the shower. Bourbon watched from the door, leaning against the doorjamb casually as I waited for the water to warm, shrugging off my shirt and tie in the meantime.

As soon as I dropped my shirt onto the floor, Rose's eyes, taking in my chest, heated at what she saw there. Her eyes continued to roam over the tattoos on my chest and arms.

Her throat bobbed with a hard swallow, but she didn’t ask any questions. Instead, she glanced at Bourbon, her eyes instantly dropping to the floor when she saw that he was watching her.

I fumed, annoyed and wishing that he would go bother someone else, but this was part of our agreement and I had to put up with it.

For now. Until she chose me.

Then I could do whatever the hell I wanted to do with her.

As soon as the water heated, I guided her inside. She hung her head as she stepped under the warm water, relaxing. I didn't shut the glass door, allowing the water to splash me as I grabbed her loofah and poured body wash over it. Then, lathering it, I stepped halfway inside and began to wash her.

She watched me with wide eyes, betraying not only her surprise but her innocence, and I wondered if she'd even seen a naked man before.

She didn't move to hide herself from my wandering eyes however, and I didn't hide the fact that I was growing hard again.

She had perfect curves, breasts sized perfectly to fit in my hands, and an hourglass shape of her hips. Her arms were slowly being shaped by muscle, something I'd seen her work on during her short stay here.

I took my time moving over her body as I washed her, my dick getting so hard in my pants, it was growing painful.

The moment Bourbon moved, coming to stand outside the shower to watch us, her eyes moved to his, and caught there.

I frowned in annoyance.

Bourbon wouldn’t even touch her. He could, according to the terms we'd set up, but he wouldn't.

He wasn't like that.

He rarely touched a woman, and only in the private confines of a bedroom. I'd never even seen him kiss a woman, even though I knew that he’d kissed Lily plenty, and several other women after that. But he was extremely private about his sexual life, and rarely showed any public display of affection.

I think his standoffish way made women want him even more. His silent but tormented gaze was like fucking catnip to women, and the fact that he rarely made a move towards claiming anyone made him mysterious and enigmatic. He’d been declared one of the top ten bachelors, according to some women's magazine Knight had shown me.

One night stands and signed NDAs was Bourbon in a nutshell, and it drove the women crazy.

And yet, he wasn't staring at Rose with a cold indifference, but with a heated gaze that clearly said he wanted her. Just like me, his dick was hard, and that made me feel the need to cling to her tighter.

She belonged to me. Not him.

I stepped in closer, ignoring the spray of the water as I cupped her face. She turned her eyes back to me, and I saw the growing heat in them. Not for Bourbon, but for me.

I grabbed her chin, pulling her face to mine and kissed her. She immediately reacted, clasping her arms around my neck and pulled me closer to deepen the kiss. I let out a guttural moan, dropping the loofah and jerking her to me. She jumped up and into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist.

We were full out kissing now and I was getting soaked, but I didn't give a fuck.

Her soft body pressed to mine was like fucking heaven on earth, and for a moment, all my worries fell away in favor of simply enjoying the woman willingly kissing me back.

I pressed her up against the shower wall, rocking my hips against her. She mewled with want, her fingers tightening their hold, digging into my skin, her silky tongue brushing against mine.

My hold over her tightened, and it took everything inside me from ripping my pants off and sinking my cock into her.

It was against the rules.

No fucking her until she'd chosen between us. Anything else was game, but in the moment, I loathed that rule. I thought it would protect me but all it did was torment me, because with every part of my being, I wanted to feel her wet cunt wrapped around me. To know what it would be like to feel her surrender to me fully.

To know what it would feel like to claim her body, heart and soul.

Because if there was one thing I'd learned about Rose in the past few days, it was that she was the kind of person who guarded her heart. But I had a feeling that the person who managed to earn her trust would, in return, be given every part of her.

And I wanted that. I forgot about Lily, about how alike they looked, about all my feelings for the woman who'd dominated all my thoughts since childhood. And now, all I could think about was Rose's smell. The sound of her whimpering against my lips, the way her body molded to mine like it was made to fit perfectly against me.

I wanted to fall to my knees and worship at the alter of her perfection.

To give her everything I owned, to know what it would be like to have her heart in return.

I'd brought her here against her will, and I wasn’t sure if she would ever trust me fully for that, but I wasn't letting her leave, ever, and so I'd just have to take what I could get from her.

And right now, that was her, wrapped around me like she wanted everything I had to give her.

She suddenly stopped kissing me, leaning her head against the shower to take in deep sucking breaths. She was so beautiful, so ethereal, her almond shaped eyes mesmerizing even though they were closed.

I couldn’t stop myself from rocking my hips against her. From pressing against her, crowding her possessively from Bourbon's eyes. From wanting to claim her right here and now in front of him.

She belonged to me. It was only a matter of time before she would profess it.

I just needed a little bit more time.

Suddenly her eyes opened and she looked beyond my shoulder as if sensing Bourbon's appearance. I stiffened, feeling him at my back. He'd stepped into the shower, not touching us but I could feel his commanding presence all the same.

She watched him, her eyes growing cautious to see what he would do.

He slowly reached forward, his hand moving over my shoulder to grasp her chin. She tilted her head upwards, her gaze meeting his, her lips parting in an exhale.

I scowled in anger at the mesmerized look on her face.

Fuck. Fuck.

I hated Bourbon and his goddamn tortured stare that had all the women fucking pining after him.

His thumb came up to touch her lower lip, parting it gently. Those perfect lips that would look so right wrapped around my cock, and he had his thumb on it like he goddamn owned it.

She just stared at him, but I could feel her chest move outward in a deep inhale.

Then he stroked it, moving over it softly but firmly, and her tongue flicked out, pressing it to the tip of his finger before disappearing back into her mouth.

They stared at each other as if I wasn’t even there. As if I wasn’t even pressed up against her, my cock still hard in my pants, my whole body enveloping her. I was forgotten, tossed aside like an old candy wrapper.

I wanted to smack his hand away, to tear her eyes from his. I hated, hated these emotions swirling inside, the jealousy that only Lily had ever made me feel.

After awhile, he tore his eyes away from her, giving me a satisfied smirk as he dropped his hand. I scowled, letting him see the challenge in my gaze but he just turned and stepped out of the shower.

I dropped her to her feet, anger burning through me.

That motherfucking asshole. He wasn’t playing fair and she was going right along with it.

Rose just stared after us, not saying a word as Bourbon left the bathroom. Angrily stepping out of the shower, I gathered my clothes and, sopping wet, followed after him.

I didn’t look back, not wanting to see the expression on her face, to know what she was thinking, or if she was even looking at me.

As soon as I reached her door, I locked her back in, almost hating that I had to do it but not exactly caring in the moment. I heard the front door open, then close, and I ran to it, jerking it open.

“Bourbon.”

He was almost to the footpath that would take him to our house but, at my words, he stilled. He didn’t turn around but pushed his hands into his pockets, staring up at the horizon.

"Fucker, look at me," I demanded.

Giving me what I wanted, he turned, and I hated the look in his eyes. The jealousy, the anger, the need and fucking want. For her.

For my woman. The woman I'd stolen.

And yet, he was jealous of me.

He wanted her as badly as I did.

I hated this.

Rose was doing exactly what Lily had done, coming between us.

It made me hesitate. Was she worth it?

Was she really worth coming between me and the only other person who could ever understand me? The only person who'd protected me my whole life.

"What do you want, Coulter?"

His angry words made me straighten, and I stared him down, pointing at him. “I took her. She belongs to me."

He didn't react. "That's up to her to decide."

“I promise you, I'm going to win her." I was so angry, I was shaking. "So don't be disappointed when she chooses me, because when I actually want something, I’ll do anything to get it.'

He only looked away, back towards the path. “We'll see."

His cool indifference to my words only made my stomach burn but when he walked off, I let him, promising to myself that I would make him eat those words.

Thirteen

I couldn't sleep.

I was restless. I'd been cooped up for far too long. I needed to get outside of this room, to smell some fresh air, to see the sky again.

I was going to go crazy if they kept me in here much longer.

Today I’d extended the time I exercised to help burn off my restlessness, but it wasn’t working. I’d added in more squats, push ups, and lunges until I’d collapsed to the floor, exhausted.

I needed the fuck out of here.

Forcing myself to my feet, I took a long, warm shower. I stayed under the shower head until the water had gone from warm to a tap water cold. And still, I stayed, hoping the misery I was feeling inside would slide out of me and down the drain.

I stayed until my lips were blue and goosebumps covered my whole body.

Finally deciding that it was only making things worse, I abruptly jerked the water to a stop. Now I was just cold and angry.

I dressed in the bathroom, staring at my fogged up reflection in the mirror, loathing the clouded and distorted reflection looking back at me.

My dilemma: I was slowly becoming addicted to my abductors.

It had been five nights. Five nights of Coulter coming into my room, sometimes smelling like sweat, other times smelling like hookers and smoke, but every damn time he came to my room he made that stupid agreement with me.

And every time, I determined that this would be the time I didn’t cave.

I pretended that I didn’t want him so badly while my whole body anticipated his touch.

I promised myself that I was going to get my freedom and get out of this hell hole.

And then, it would begin, with soft kisses that gradually led to soft touches. Touches that made my breath burn in my lungs and my body ache with want.

Every time, Bourbon would join us in the room. And every time, he would stand silently by, never touching, always watching.

And then, I would come.

Uncontrollably, sometimes so hard it made me weep. And then it would begin again. I would come and come. God, I would come for him, on demand. Coulter knew how to play my body so well, I wasn’t even sure who I was anymore.

I was losing myself in this room and if they didn’t let me out soon, I was going to go fucking mad.

The woman staring back at me in the mirror was someone I didn’t recognize, and I hated that, not only had they taken my freedom, they were also stripping me of my soul.

Frustrated, I stormed to my room, counting my steps across it. Twenty in one direction, then twenty in another. Pacing, pacing until I wanted to pull my hair out.

My next walk towards the door grew into a run and soon I was slamming against it, screaming.

“Get me out! Get me out!" I crashed against it so hard my shoulder hurt, but I didn't care. I needed out.

I did it a few more times, then swiveled, pounding on it with my fist. There had to be guards out there, someone who could hear me.

"Get me out of here, or I'm going to kill myself!" I banged my fists over and over. I hoped someone would take pity on me and open this motherfucking door.

I didn't actually want to kill myself but the sheet wrapped around the bar of the shower door was starting to look good.

God, I—The door suddenly opened, startling me. I stumbled backwards to get out of the way, falling onto my ass.

Bourbon's form filled the doorway. He leaned against the doorjamb, resting his arms across his chest and stared down at me with that look on his face.

Power poured from every inch of his tall, six-foot-something build. He could make men run and a woman melt, with that look.

And me, sprawled on the floor, staring up at him.

Powerless.

Weak.

I tilted my head upwards stubbornly. “You can't keep me here forever. I'm sure it's against the Geneva Convention or something."

He was quiet for a long moment and I could only gape up at him, heaving. I wish he would talk more, actually acknowledge me out loud. The way he was looking down at me, staring at me with that angry glare, it made me feel like I was going crazy.

"Hello? Does my voice work? Or maybe it's your ears." I spoke slowly, like he was an idiot. "Do—your—ears—work?"

His scowl grew deeper but his mouth opened, finally speaking. "Yes, my ears work."

I inhaled a deep breath, something loosening inside me. Good. I wasn't crazy.

Eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowed, and with power coiling from him like a snake ready to strike, he took a step into the room. Suddenly terrified, I crawled backwards and away from him. My heart pounded, ricocheting in my chest like a bullet in a box.

At my reaction, he stilled, his dark, penetrating gaze on me. His hand flexed, as if he was trying to hold himself back from doing something. His voice was a snarl, “You afraid of me?"

"Of course I am!" I shook my head. "You're a King, you kill without remorse. You're also currently keeping me locked up without my permission. I have every right to be afraid of you."

Scowling, he marched over to me and I scrambled backwards until my back hit the desk. Reaching down, he wrapped his fingers around my arm, pulling me to my feet.

I was suddenly lightheaded. Standing so close to him, I could smell his musky aftershave, a smell that reminded me of desire and sensuality, of strength and dominance, pleasure and pain. Of sweaty nights under a starlit sky, wrapped up in the sheets with a man who knew exactly how to make a woman come.

I wanted to know what it would be like for him to touch me. To shove me to the wall and show me exactly how a King fucks.

I simultaneously wanted to cut his heart out and stand over him to watch him bleed out. God, I was so messed up.

"Despite what you may have heard about me," he grit though clenched teeth, “have I personally done anything to make you afraid of me?”

My thoughts immediately went to Lily, the sister whose bright smile would always make me happy, no matter what was happening in my world. I only saw her once a year but I knew she lived here, with them.

I also knew that eventually she stopped coming to see me.

That she had died, and my dad told me the Kings had killed her.

“Ye-yes. You—” My hand flew to my mouth, fear and regret making my heart pound.

That was rule number one. Never speak about my sisters.

It was a rule I kept religiously, even though I didn’t understand why. It had been pounded into me for as long as I could remember. I was told that their very lives depended on it, and this was one of the few times I'd believed my dad.

Besides, even if he was lying to me, I wouldn't put them at risk, not even if my own life depended on it.

And now, I was facing down my sister’s killer and I’d almost admitted it out loud.

I had to keep anyone from discovering Aster, my younger sister, especially from the men who’d killed Lily.

Bourbon stilled, his eyes searching mine, then they darkened in anger. “Did Coulter hurt you? I'm going to kill him."

He spoke the words with such vehemence that I believed him.

“No, that's not it. Coulter hasn't hurt me, not like that." Him making me come hurt, but only because it felt like a betrayal to my own soul.

The edges of Bourbon's eyes grew tighter, and he growled out. "Believe me, Rose, there are much worse things we could be doing to you."

“I know.” I said simply, because Dimitri had used me like his little rag doll, throwing me about at his whim.

At this, Bourbon looked away from me, running his hand through his hair. He stared at the blank wall for a long moment, his shoulders tense and his lips pressed into a firm line.

When he turned back to me, his gaze was softer. "What if I let you go outside, walk around the property. Would that help?"

I couldn't stop the rush of hope filling my words. "You'd do that?"

“Only for a little while, you understand?” He frowned, pointing his finger at me. "And stay with me.”

My relief at the promise of leaving the room had me rolling my eyes, my voice sarcastic. "Yes, master. Your wish is my command.”

“Good, you’re learning quickly.” His smirk was intolerable, but it quickly disappeared. "And don't try to escape, or you'll regret it."

“Yes.” I made a crossing sign over my chest. “I swear."

I may not try to escape but that didn’t mean I wouldn't try and figure out how to do it. See how many guards there were, where all the doors and the windows were in the house.

Bourbon gave me a long look, staring at me like he could read my thoughts. I schooled my face, giving him an innocent look, then I put my fingers to my lips, twisting them then threw away an imaginary key.

"It'll be our secret."

He gave me an amused look. "You think I keep secrets from Coulter? That I need permission from him to take you out of your room?"

“Sure,” I shrugged my shoulders. "Whatever you say, Gothel.”

“Gothel?” He gave me a confused look.

“You know, the witch who kept Rapunzel locked up.”

His stared at me in disbelief for a moment. “A witch?”

I smiled, blinking my eyes prettily. “You remind me of her.”

He scowled. “Just know this, there are guards who will be following us. Plus, I'm much faster than you. If you try to run, I will tackle you, I don’t care that you’re a girl.”

“Excuse me,” I put my hand to my chest in mock indignation. “I'm a woman.”

His eyes on me lingered, moving from my face, down my throat to my breasts, and his gaze heated. “Yes, you are.”

Flushing and wanting to change the subject, I grabbed his arm, turning him around and pushing him forward, eager to leave. “Yeah, yeah. I got it. Follow the rules. Don’t run away. Stay close to you. Don’t even breathe wrong. And if I don’t, you'll spank me. Got it."

He turned sharply, his eyes on me like molten lava. "If I ever spank you, Rose, you will like it."

I stuttered to a stop, staring into those deeply intense blue eyes and suddenly my throat was dry.

God. Would he ever really spank me?

And would I—would I actually like it?

Was that possible? I'd heard such things but never really knew if it was actually a thing.

Did people really like being spanked?

By the blaze in Bourbon's eyes, I knew right away it was his kind of kink.

“Oh,” I shook my head, trying to untie my tongue. "Okay."

He turned, a ghost of a smile on his lips that disappeared as he walked off. I immediately followed behind him but when I got to the threshold of the room, I hesitated. Fear of the unknown made me immobile.

Was he only promising to let me out as a new way to torture me?

Sensing my pause, he turned and held out his hand. "Come on, Rose. It's okay."

I looked into his eyes, searching for any deceit. For the first time, I noticed the grey and gold specks embedded in an otherwise clear blue. These were the eyes that haunted me in my sleep, the ones that promised so much more than the words that ever left his tongue.

I sucked in a deep breath, then, taking his hand, stepped out of the room for the first time in weeks.

As soon as I was out the door, I scrambled ahead of him, all of the sudden needing more space to breathe. The hallway was too narrow, too cramped.

He tensed as I raced ahead, but I didn’t stop. I burst from the hallway and into the living room, inhaling a deep breath.

Freedom.

Limited freedom, but it was something.

Bourbon was right behind me but when he saw that I didn't immediately bolt for the door, he slid his hands in his pockets, watching as I wandered around the room, exploring curiously.

It was a beautiful house, something I would've loved to have if I lived on my own. Could I even imagine it: married with a dog and a couple of kids? Ha. That was dreaming.

The ceiling had a high arch and, instead of regular white sheetrock, it was lined with a dark, exotic, plank wood. The open kitchen was all chrome, the furniture simple. All of it was a bit dated but still nice.

Again, there was nothing on the walls but remnants that they'd been filled with things at some time in the past. Scuff marks and an occasional nail here and there. There was a grand fireplace at the end, with a beautifully carved stone mantle.

“So, someone used to live here?” I turned towards him.

Frowning, he strode my way with strong, confident steps. He grabbed my hand, firmly but gently tugging me from the room towards the front door. “Come on, little Rapunzel, let’s show you outside before we have to lock you back up in your tower.”

My stomach lurched. He was letting me outside?

As soon as he opened the door, I stilled in the doorway, taking it all in. God, you never appreciated what you had until you lost it, did you?

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath of stifling hot desert air. It was glorious, the heat against my skin, soothing.

I stepped out the door, and Bourbon's hand on mine tightened, as if he was afraid I was going to run away.

The sexy beast had hella instincts, because the sight of the open land before me, the wide expanse of the sky with its speckle of stars, had every inch in my body wanting to flee.

My muscles tensed, my nerves fired on end. Run, my body screamed at me.

I stilled, my knees bending, ready to sprint.

"Rose," Bourbon's deep voice was a warning, his fingers fisting mine. "Don't make me regret this."

I couldn't force myself to obey him, even if I wanted to. My flight mode had kicked in, my thoughts racing, my heart pumping madly, my breathing coming in and out in short breaths.

What were the chances I could outrun him?

I was in comfortable jeans and a t-shirt, and he, in a suit. His jacket was off, the arms of his starched shirt rolled upwards, showcasing strong arms and hands. I was barefoot, but he was wearing fancy leather shoes that matched his suit.

His whole body coiled tight and I could sense the muscles under that button-up shirt of his. If he reached me, he would take me down.

"Rose," he growled again and my face snapped to his. I was panicking, breathing heavily. It sounded like cotton was stuffed in my ears.

"I--I can't." I said, and God, I hated myself for it but my whole body was prepared to run. I needed to do it.

I needed help.

I was going to run, then end up regretting it, because I knew he would punish me.

Besides, just because I couldn't see anyone else, didn’t mean that they weren't there.

My father wasn't important enough in the mafia to warrant many bodyguards, but there were occasions that I'd had a couple. And Dimitri had had several. If the bodyguards were any good, they knew how to stay out of sight.

My eyes wandered the area, looking for places they could be hiding.

"I can't," I repeated again. If I ran, I would lose this privilege. Bourbon would lock me back in that room and I'd never see the sky again.

I couldn't let that happen. I had to calm down, to control myself because right now, running would only make it worse for me.

I knew it and, by the determined look on his face, he knew it.

He was just waiting for me to make my decision.

I knew what my decision was but my body wasn't getting the message.

He stepped in front of me. “Don’t do this. You know if you run, you’ll be killed.”

My breath caught. "Wha--what?"

He nodded. "You're smart. You know Dimitri is looking for you. If you run now, you'll never make it."

"But Coulter said--"

"I know what Coulter said," he bit out, "but think about it, Rose. How would you get out of the country?” At my stunned silence, he continued, “Because that’s how far you’d have to run to hide from everyone. Where would you go?"

"I have friends. Roommates. Old friends from college that would help me."

His lips pressed together in a firm line. “And those friends, they have deep enough connections that could help you hide from the Bratva mafia?"

My throat was suddenly thick and my chest felt tight, so tight, I couldn't breathe.

Oh God, he was right. There was no way out of this.

Dimitri was going to come for me and kill me. He might make a deal with these guys because they were worth something, but I was nothing.

Nothing to him and no one.

Not really.

I was just a nobody, the only worth I had was the stupid skin in my vagina declaring me a virgin.

Dimitri could easily fuck me, break that stupid skin that I hated, then kill me, tossing my worthless body off the edge of a cliff. He would shake the dust from his hands and walk away without giving me a second thought.

I took in sucking breaths, trying to get air in my lungs. I couldn't hear anything around me even though I barely registered that Bourbon's mouth was moving.

I couldn't think, I definitely couldn't breathe.

I was going to die.

Stepping forward, he cupped my cheeks, forcing me to stare into those piercing blue eyes, eyes that were the color of a beautiful, clear, perfect sky.

Eyes that I wanted to drown in.

Eyes that pierced into my very soul as he spoke.

“Rose. Look at me.”

For some reason, those words broke through the panic in my mind.

“Good girl. Take a deep breath in. I’ll do it with you.”

Nodding, I pulled in a short breath, and he followed along with me.

His eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “Do it again, but deeper this time.”

I shook my head. “I can’t—I can’t breathe.”

“You can, Rose.” He pulled in a slow breath, nodding his head, encouraging me to do it with him.

We did it together. I pulled in a breath, feeling like I was going to die, but I followed his guide, breathing in, then out. In. Out. In…

We did that a few more times, and slowly, slowly the tightness in my chest eased and I began to calm.

"It's going to be okay. I swear it, Rose.” His dark, rumbling voice was the calm in my storm. My eyes were latched onto his. “If you don’t try to escape, I’ll make you a promise.”

I exhaled a choked laugh, suddenly finding his words hilarious. Hadn’t he just mocked Coulter’s promise to me? “What? A promise from a King?”

“I always fulfill my promises.” His voice was solemn but I still couldn’t take him seriously. The ache in my chest, the fear of hope squashed under his well crafted shoes, made it impossible.

“And what kind of oath would you give me?” My voice was light, mocking, hiding the trepidation I was really feeling inside. “Like a knight in shining armor, come to save the princess trapped in the tower.”

“If you don’t run, and prove to me that I can trust you, I swear to you that I will find a way to get you out of this."

I wanted to believe him. I really did. I suddenly realized that we weren’t alone. Two other men stood nearby. Just as he’d promised, there were other guards.

“I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true.” Hooking fingers around my wrist, he pulled it to his chest, pressing it there. I could feel the calm and steady beat of his heart thumping under the delicate skin of my palm.

I wanted to believe him. I did. But, I wasn’t the same girl I’d been only months before, when I thought I was going to finish college and get an internship.

There was no out for me.

And yet, he didn’t need to know that.

“Okay.” I lied, nodding my head, if only to make myself believe it. “Okay.”

His eyes searched mine, then they drifted down to my lips. I held my breath, waiting for what he would do next.

The movement of his guards out of the corner of my eyes drew my attention away from his focused gaze.

“Sir—” one of them began.

He waved them away and, after a slight hesitation, they stepped back, disappearing back into the darkness, though now that I knew they were there, I could sense them.

I shook my head again, latching my eyes back on Bourbon's face.

"Thank you," I squeezed his hand briefly. When I tried to let it go, he didn’t let me, but stepped closer to me.

"Are you okay now?” he asked, his eyes filled with concern.

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm okay." I tried to smile. "Just a little freak out."

He studied me, and I shored back up my walls, not wanting him to see me the way that he did, past my barriers and into my soul. “Just remembering what it was like to breathe actual fresh air again. You know, like a non prisoner.”

At this, his face hardened, and he stepped back, the concern in his eyes disappearing under a cold wall of ice, but he didn't let my hand go. Instead he tugged me along, leading me along a stone path towards some very large bushes.

"Alright then, Rapunzel. Just don't let it happen again."