Slave to Passion by Elisabeth Naughton Read Free Book Online Page B

completely covered her legs, and her eyes were wide and, very definitely, not the least bit sleepy.
    He closed his eyes to block her out, leaned his head back against the stones, and saw her determined eyes in his mind. Green eyes, he’d noticed in the candlelight, like shimmering emeralds. Followed by the drape of curly red hair around her shoulders, the neckline of her black dress dipping low into seductive cleavage, and the strap on her shoulder falling to her upper arm, all but begging to be tugged off. With his teeth.
    Fuck, this was going to be a long-ass night.
    He swiped a hand down his face, brushing away sweat that had gathered on his brow. If they’d handpicked her to mess with his head, they’d done one hell of a good job in the selection. It wasn’t just that she was hotter than sin—smooth features, a slightly upturned nose, mesmerizing eyes, and a body he already knew was made to be touched—or that he’d been without female companionship for ages. It was the fact she vacillated between confident and afraid, that she stood her ground even when she wasn’t sure of his reaction. That she’d come back at all after what he’d done to her yesterday.
    She had to be stupid, brainwashed, or simply fucked in the head.
    It’s not my game .
    An odd sensation rolled through his belly, stopping his train of thought. Had she come by choice? Or had she been forced? His mind spiraled back to that first day, when the Ghul had pushed her forward. The amusement the male had exuded; the fear radiating from her. Was she as much a chess piece in all of this as he was?
    Except…that didn’t make sense. She was Ghul. Not only that, she was a highborn Ghul.
    Not all Ghuls are evil .
    His own words washed over him like a wave cresting the shore, sending foreboding trickling down his spine. As the female’s shallow breaths across the room gave way to longer, deeper ones, his memories drifted back to those last few moments he’d spent with Talah. Standing on the cliffs behind her house, overlooking the sea. The salty air blowing her long, dark hair back from her face.
    “ You worry too much, Nasir .”
    “ This is my father’s war, not mine. If it were up to me —”
    “ If it were up to you, there’d be a treaty. But your father is right. The Ghuls don’t want peace. War is the only solution .”
    “ Not all Ghuls are evil, Talah. Like us, like humans even, some are good and some are bad. War is not the way to solve our differences .”
    Her expression said she didn’t agree. But she smiled up at him in that placating way he’d come to dread and lifted her fingers to his cheek . “ Forever the pacifist. You have a gentle spirit, Nasir. If anyone can see the good at the heart of a person, it’s you .”
    He wasn’t sure of that. But he closed his eyes, leaned into her touch, wanting to be comforted by her words. He’d preached about tolerance and acceptance, and now he was doing the very thing he’d argued against. He still believed peace was possible, even if his father disagreed, but because he was second in line to the throne and a general in the king’s army, he had no choice. That didn’t mean he was naïve enough to think that there wouldn’t be consequences, though, or that he’d escape unscathed.
    His eyes popped open . “ Come with me to the castle. Until I can convince the king to stop this asinine war, you’ll be safer there .”
    “ Nasir —”
    He ground his teeth together . “ Don’t feed me arguments about not wanting to live with me before we wed or your work at the infirmary, Talah. Just humor me in this .”
    She sighed, stared at his breastplate marked with the golden flame of the Marid tribe. Bit her lip as she debated what he hoped was a losing argument. Just this once, he needed her to acquiesce and not be so damn stubborn .
    Finally , she sighed . “ You’re impossible, Marid .”
    “ You’re not the first to tell me that .”
    “ All right ,” she said, looking up . “