Prince of Hearts

Chapter 9: Bloodstains

Jimin had lost his mind.

He was supposed to be taking things slow. He had noticed her anxiety at the feast. The clenching and unclenching of her fists. The number of times she had reached for the wine jug. Or the shudder that had torn through her when the men had yelled for the bedding to begin.

So he wouldn't push her too hard. Not tonight. Not when she was wound up tighter than a bowstring. It was only fair.

But that was before she had looked up at him, an eyebrow raised in challenge. Before her deft fingers had undone the laces which held her shift together.

His self-control had snapped at the sight, like a silk thread held up to a flame.

And now he was tasting her skin like a starved animal. The jasmine scent from her body drove him further into his insanity. She moaned, and he felt his skin grow hot. He raised his head, wanting to see her face.

A split second. The glint of steel.

His hand shot out instinctively, fingers closing around her wrist. The dagger had come too close, its sharp edge a hair's breadth away from his neck.

He pulled her up with her back flush against his chest, twisting her right arm.

She hooked a leg between his and toppled him into the bed again. In a flash, he was sprawled on his back. She straddled his waist, the dagger raised high above her head with both of her hands.

Her hair fell all over her shoulders in untamed curls. Her face shimmered with sweat. Her shift had slipped further down, laying bare an expanse of skin on her chest.

Jimin cursed.

This woman was going to be the death of him.

He gripped her legs with his thighs and flipped them both over. Catching both of her hands in his, he pinned them above her head.

She squirmed in his grip, her hips bucking as if to throw him off of her. Jimin grunted, keeping her down with his weight.

Her eyes squeezed shut. Her lips drew into a thin line and a grimace twisted her features as she tried with all her strength to break free.

"Give up, now, Princess," he said between pants. "There's no use struggling."

His fingers dug into her wrists. She let out a whimper, going limp beneath him.

It looked like the fight had finally drained out of her.

Jimin almost laughed in disbelief. The elegant beauty he had exchanged vows with in the morning had turned into an assassin. And a fierce one at that.

Lost in his own thoughts, he failed to see the blow coming.

Her head raised up and smacked against his nose with an audible crunch.

As Jimin jumped back, she rolled out from under him.

His anger flared. If she had actually broken his nose, there would be hell to pay. Wife or not.

She held the dagger in her right hand, circling him like a wolf.

The first time she lunged, Jimin threw one of the side tables. It missed her by an inch and smashed into pieces against the wall. The second blow, he caught with his hand. Using her momentum, he threw her to the ground.

She sprang back to her feet, and Jimin let out a huff.

"Little wildcat," he said, exhaling. "You're not going to make this easy on me, are you?"

He stepped back, drawing her towards him.

As she lunged again, he ducked, catching her by the waist and throwing her down on the bed.