Don't Mistake For A Saint

I gasped in pure shock as Rowan ended up hovering right above me, his heavy frame pinning my shoulders down against the silk sheets.

I stared up at him, my eyes wide. "What the hell…”

I tried to shove him off me, but his grip on my arms was like iron. My legs thrashed against the mattress, trying to leverage myself up, but he easily leaned his weight forward, locking my lower body beneath his.

I laughed out loud, a mixture of genuine disbelief and rising excitement rushing through my blood.

"Look at you! A disabled prince trying to play dirty!" I mocked, glaring up into his face. "You think rolling me over makes you head here? I could tear your throat out before you even finish breathing!"

Rowan didn't flinch. He leaned down, his face stopping inches from mine, his grip tightening just enough to keep me completely motionless beneath him. The steady, quiet authority radiating off him made the air in the room feel suddenly heavy.

"Don't mistake me for a saint either, Zelpunrap," he said, his voice dropping into a deep, dangerous quiet that sent a weird prickle down my neck. "And don't underestimate me just because I sit in a chair during the day."

I stared up at him, my mouth opening slightly. The calm, boring prince was completely gone. In his place was a man who looked like he could hold his ground against anything…even a monster like me.

My heart gave a sudden, violent thud against my chest. It irritated the hell out of me that he could turn the tables like this, but at the same time, a hot surge of amusement flooded my veins.

"Is that a threat, husband?" I whispered, baring my fangs at him in a wicked grin.

"Because if you're trying to scare me, it's not working. It's just making me want to bite you more."

Rowan stared down at my mouth, his dark gray eyes darkening further under the warm candlelight. For a long, silent moment, neither of us moved. The space between our lips shrank until I could feel the hot brush of his breath against my face.

My eyes drifted shut naturally, expecting his mouth to crash into mine, expecting the kiss to be just as rough and intense as the way he held me down.

Instead, his lips brushed softly against my cheek, lingering right below my eye for a

quiet, burning second.

My eyes snapped open in complete shock as he pulled back just enough to look down into my flustered face.

He gave me a slow, infuriatingly smooth smile. "Goodnight, Rapunzel."

Before I could process the insult or grab him by his hair to pull him back down, Rowan effortlessly shifted off me, settling onto his side of the massive bed.

I sat up instantly, clutching the sheets, my face burning with frustration as I glared at his back.

"Don't call me that!" I snapped, my voice echoing through the quiet room.

Rowan didn't even turn around. "Go to sleep, wife."

I stomped my foot against the mattress, throwing my head back against the pillows with a groan.

That arrogant, secretive bastard was going to drive me completely insane…and I was definitely going to make him pay for this tomorrow.