Chapter 5: No option

The prince allowed them to wrap the royal robe around his shoulders, though the fire in his eyes suggested his impatience simmered just beneath the surface.

The air grew heavier as the women moved in frantic silence, their cheeks still flushed from their stolen glimpses of his unrestrained power.

Once robed, he strode out of the bathing chambers with unrelenting purpose, the water still glistening on his skin.

The madam scurried after him, trying to keep pace but too afraid to speak.

His steps echoed through the palace halls, each one carrying an undeniable weight of authority and fury.

When he arrived at the chambers of the women, he threw the doors open with a force that made the hinges groan.

Rae's serene bubble shattered as she spun toward him, her amethyst eyes wide with surprise.

"Are you crazy?" she blurted out, her gaze darting to the doorway as if searching for an escape. "You're naked!"

He took a step closer, his presence consuming the space between them.

Though he wore a robe, its loose folds revealed far too much of his broad chest, still damp and gleaming.

The intimate, predatory smirk that graced his lips made her stomach twist.

"I summoned you," he said, his voice dangerously soft. "I heard you were sick."

Her cheeks flushed a brilliant crimson as she stammered, "I… I said I wasn't coming, not that I was sick."

"Really now?" His voice was a silken drawl, deceptively calm.

Before she could react, his arms swept under her, lifting her from the chair.

A startled gasp escaped her as she kicked and squirmed, pounding her fists weakly against his chest.

"Put me down, you brute!" she demanded, though her voice lacked the fire it usually carried.

Ignoring her protests, he threw her effortlessly over his shoulder, her indignation only amusing him further.

She screeched as he strode down the halls, completely unaffected by the scandalized glances of palace servants who quickly averted their eyes.

Rae could feel the warmth of his skin through the thin material of his robe, and her struggling only made him tighten his grip.

By the time he arrived at the royal bathing chambers, she was furious.

He stepped into the steamy bath, wading in with her still slung over his shoulder.

With a controlled but decisive motion, he tossed her into the water.

She surfaced quickly, her hair plastered to her face, and glared at him with a venom that could kill. "What is wrong with you?! Are you insane?"

He stepped in after her, his gaze locking with hers as he slowly approached.

The heat of the water rose between them, but it was the intensity in his eyes that made her chest tighten.

"I wasn't asking," he said, his voice low, the finality in his tone sending a shiver down her spine.

For the first time, Rae felt her defiance waver as he stood before her, the lines of his sculpted body barely hidden beneath the surface of the water.

She realized too late that the game she was playing with him was far more dangerous than she had anticipated.

And that this rouge crown prince was blasphemously attractive.