Obsessively Yours (Fae Kings of Eden, #2)

by Jamie Applegate Hunter

As his betrothed, he should care where she’d been and who she’d been with, but he felt nothing. The fact that he could not care less about Vivian or her comings and goings further proved he needed to correct the gods’ mistake.

Resigning to her fate, she dropped her arms and hung like a dead body. “I feel safe under things, especially my bed.”

“Princess,” he whispered and pulled her against his chest. “Nothing I say or do can make up for leaving you under that bed.” He buried his face in her hair and held her tight. “I’ll never forgive myself for doing this to you.”

“You might know how to defend yourself, but you’ve never been near a rebel. Your sister had one wrap his filthy fingers around her. You might be able to fight for your life, but you’ve never had to, and you have no right to tell anyone to get over almost being murdered.”

“You cannot begin to understand what she has been through,” Roman went on. “A queen must have compassion for their people. Not disdain because they perceive them as weak.”

Later that night, as Violet lay in bed, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Vivian’s words weren’t an apology; they were a warning.

He had no intention of marrying Vivian, but it’d do him no favors for the citizens in his kingdom to know their future king pined for another woman.

She was correct in her assessment, though. The only pleasure his cock experienced had been by his own hand, but his lack of experience didn’t bother him. He only hoped it wouldn’t bother Violet, either.

Violet’s cheeks heated when she mentioned the salacious establishment in town. The first time she’d dropped off an order to one of the performers, she’d discovered she enjoyed watching the shows. A lot. The sensuality of passion captivated her.

“Her virgin pussy was the tightest I’ve ever felt,” Dom told the others, and Ares’ lip curled with disgust. “And the sounds she made…” He groaned. “One of the best fucks I’ve had.”

“Roman beat Dominic within an inch of his life.” That jerked Violet back to reality.

Violet took the words like a physical blow. He wished he’d slept with Vivian? Am I not good enough? For Dominic to brag about their intimacy was one thing, but for him to wish it’d been Vivian instead of her was unforgivable.

The thought made Violet’s stomach clench. Roman hadn’t torn Dom to pieces for her, he’d done it for Vivian, and that hurt more than Dominic’s betrayal. They’d been friends once. Didn’t that warrant sticking up for her?

“What good did it do him to let everyone know he’d settled for a look-alike?”

She picked up her head and looked to the gods. “I won’t change.” The words came out nasally from crying. “One day I’ll be enough as I am, whether you think so or not.”

“Roman, I know you still hold a candle for Violet, but if you aren’t going to defy the gods to keep her, then you need to stay gone.”

She might not need him, but he needed her. And wanted her. And loved her. He always had.

Sometimes, she’d swear the prince’s scent lingered in her room. At first, she’d chalked it up to her imagination or a trick of the senses, but it was just a lie she told herself. A part of her knew it was Roman.

A sane woman would be scared. So why wasn’t she?

Not for lack of trying on Vivian’s part. Roman held no interest to her, but being future queen did, and he hated how she acted when they made public appearances, like the world should bow at her feet. She no more deserved to be queen than a contrite toddler.

Roman’s attention snagged on Violet walking their way on the arm of a man. Where do I know him from, and why is he looking at Violet that way?

Vivian only remained in possession of her life because Roman didn’t think Violet would take her death well, despite their strained relationship.

Roman pasted a smile on his face and sauntered forward, prepared to find out everything he could about the man foolish enough to touch the future queen.

Roman would kill someone before he’d allow them to touch what was his. Because she was his, and he was hers. He’d never touched another woman, and he never would.

Roman hadn’t sat right behind her at first. He’d stayed in the back and observed her closely. He knew Violet’s tells when she saw something she liked. Her breath would hitch, and she’d squirm in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs. It became too much, being that far away from her in that state, and the next time they were there, he’d sat directly behind her, neither saying a word to the other.

Roman had fantasized about taking Violet against the glass more times than he could count.

Violet’s hand slid to the top of her thigh and clutched at the material of her dress for dear life. He wanted her to push her skirt aside and let him watch as she finger fucked herself.

Seeing her come for the first time would be a gift she gave to him freely. But he listened. Gods, did he listen.

“Does Vivian not scream loud enough when you eat hers? Is that why it’s your favorite part?”

“I’ve missed that sharp tongue of yours, princess.”

Roman watched Titus leave Violet’s apartment, thankful he’d headed out early. The man’s life held no excitement outside of Violet, yet he left her every night. It spared his life, but he didn’t know that.

Violet wouldn’t lift a finger without Roman by her side once they were together.

Roman stilled. That’s it. Why the fuck hadn’t he thought of it sooner? What if he could convince Vivian to marry the man she loved?

“Not warrior training. You’ll be stopping that after we marry.” Lie. “What?” she screeched, and he stared blankly while she sputtered. “I’m not quitting training.” “Yes, you are,” he deadpanned. “You’ll begin training with my mother on how to be queen.”

“I’m saying I won’t stop you anymore.” The crackling of a candle was the only break in the silence of the room. “If you want to be with him, or anyone else, I give you my blessing.”

Vivian’s face paled, and she wandered over to her bed and sat down. That isn’t the reaction I expected. Her sister being happy while Vivian lived not miserably at best got to her. She’d unknowingly given him the perfect weapon to wield against her.

Roman walked to the door and opened it. “I’m not the soulless asshole you think I am,” he intoned quietly. “I’m giving you back the choice the gods stole from us.” He closed the door behind him and prayed Vivian’s feelings for her ex-lover were stronger than her desire to be queen.

According to her, Titus walked out of the jewelry shop last week carrying a small, square box. When Marissa and Roman left the sandwich shop, Violet had squealed like a schoolgirl.

Omg is he the one Vivian was with??? Is he ducking her pretending it’s Vivian???

The bloodline wouldn’t end if he married someone else, it would only weaken, but even a weak royal fae was stronger than the strongest non-royal fae, and when his child married their mate, it would strengthen again.

He would kill Vivian if he had to.

“I’m in love with Violet.” He stared at her, imploring her to understand. “I always have been. The gods made a mistake. I know they did.”

“You’ll marry Violet,” his father began, “but to everyone else, she will be Vivian.” Roman shot to his feet again. “No,” he snarled. “I’ll not have my mate pretend to be someone she’s not. Especially not her unworthy sister.”

“No, you watch it,” Roman returned with a lethal note in his deceptively calm voice. “I will marry Violet. If our people refuse to kneel before her, I will cut them off at the knees. They will have no choice but to kiss her feet.”

Opening his eyes, he stopped fighting his grin, and his mother gasped, covering her mouth. “She either married another or she’s dead,” he confirmed, answering the question on both his parents’ faces. And he cared not which one.

“Roman.” Something in his father’s tone made him stop. “Try not to look so happy.” Roman looked past his father to his mother, who was grinning like a child in a sweets shop. He winked at her and nodded to his father without a word. He could no more hide his happiness than he could deny his love for Violet. Whether Vivian was dead or married, he didn’t care if it meant the bond no longer existed.

That day I walked into your tent and saw your face, I was stunned into silence. You look just like her, but different in your own, beautiful way.

I fucking KNEW IT

Vivian and I have been in love since late childhood,

I will never forgive myself for breaking your heart, but you deserve a man who can give you their all, and that man isn’t me. I wish it had been you. With Love, Titus

The betrayal didn’t cut deep, it sliced her all over in a thousand tiny knicks, drawing blood and pain from every piece of her.

“How could he do this to you?” He wrinkled the paper in his fist, violence rippling off him in waves. “I will fucking kill him for what he’s done to you.”