Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 119942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
“There are few Primes more powerful than me,” replied Isla, her tone arrogant. “In any case, I don’t need to be more powerful than someone to exert authority.”
Raul snickered. “How else could you keep someone like Knox Thorne in check? If you tried to punish him, he wouldn’t stand there and take it. He’d retaliate.”
“Knox would never harm me.”
Harper turned to Knox. “I think she truly believes that.”
“He and I go back a long time,” Isla went on. “We have too much regard and respect for each other for him to harm me.”
Raul raised a brow at Knox. “Is that true?”
“I wouldn’t like to harm you,” Knox told her. “But that doesn’t make you safe from me. And I’ll never give you or anyone else any power over me.” Never in his life would anyone ever control him again.
That response had Raul smiling. “Let’s pretend you’ve been elected, Isla. You’re Monarch. He’s refusing to do what you want. So, what do you do?”
Face hard, she responded, “Punish him, of course.”
“How? How can you be expected to take him on?”
“All of us here would stand united against any crime committed. That means we would unite against him. I doubt even Knox could defeat us all as a unit.”
“And what if we don’t want to join you in standing against him?” asked the Prime directly behind Harper. “What if we’d rather mind our own fucking business?” Some chuckled at that.
“That would be considered a betrayal.”
Raul sighed, waving a dismissive hand. “Maybe the public might be in favor of your hierarchy. But as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing realistic about it. Like Malden, you’d be biting off more than you can chew.”
She licked over her front teeth. “I’m sorry that’s how you view things, Raul. It’s true that we can keep our ways as they stand. But then our problems will also remain. Think on that.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
There were certain types of people who were only interesting when they were drunk. Dario was one of those people. Sadly, he wasn’t drunk.
As he did his best to convince Harper that electing a Monarch would benefit the U.S., she got the feeling he was hoping that if he could get her onside, he could thereby get Knox onside. Snort. No one had that kind of influence on Knox. The idiot should know that.
Glancing at the reception desk, she saw that Knox was still there; flicking through papers with the concierge, who had rushed to him as they exited the restaurant not long after Isla’s speech. Knox had left her with Tanner while he quickly helped his staff deal with something. Dario must have seen it as an opportunity to speak with Harper without any interference.
“Isla was correct when she said that electing a Monarch could bring some form of order,” said Dario. “But, like Malden, she wants to be Monarch for all the wrong reasons.”
“Is that right?” Harper’s disinterested tone didn’t faze him.
“What they want isn’t order. It’s power. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Hmmm.”
“They’re not interested in the well-being of our kind. Surely you see that.”
She sighed. “Let me just save you some time, Dario, and make it clear that nothing will warm me to the idea of having a Monarch.”
“Then you’re failing to see the bigger picture.” He stepped close to her, too close. Beside her, Tanner growled, but Dario didn’t seem to notice. “You’re a smart girl, Miss Wallis. I can see that sharp mind right there in your eyes. You have to know that electing a Monarch is the way forward.” He held out his hand. “How about you and I go to the bar, discuss this further?”
“Why would we do that?”
Knox’s mind brushed against hers, bringing a shocking vibe of black jealousy. Why is Dario so close he’s practically touching you?
He’s just trying to get my vote. And she didn’t appreciate the accusatory tone of Knox’s voice…like she was flirting with the asshole or something.
“Dario,” Knox drawled as he and Levi joined them. Knox didn’t return to her side. He moved to Dario’s side instead, but his focus was on Harper – his brooding eyes glittered with jealousy, possessiveness, and anger.
As Dario turned to face Knox, he immediately stepped back at his dark expression. “I was just talking with your anchor.”
“I see that.” And it took everything Knox had not to gut the prick, especially while his demon’s predatory possessiveness was whipping through him. It wasn’t just because Dario had edged into Harper’s personal space. It was because not only was there a covetous glint to his eyes, a greedy desire to possess, but because Dario was telepathically broadcasting that desire loud and clear.
Knox was powerful enough to pick up stray thoughts and images from people’s minds if their shields weren’t solid. Dario was very clearly imagining Harper naked beneath him, her legs wrapped around him while he fucked her hard. Not a picture Knox wanted in his head.