A reclusive crown prince appoints a common thief as his bodyguard, plunging them both into deadly intrigue, court scandal, and most dangerous of all: love
*****
Blue Sanlanh w...
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33 | The Truth
The core of Blue's very soul sighed long and heavy.
"...We gotta stop meeting like this."
Hands folded with her own, his lips pressed close to her ear.
"I didn't know it was you when I walked over. I promise."
"I'm starting to think you have a disguise kink."
Bo scoffed so loud he startled several couples in the vicinity.
"Don't you scoff at me, you bastard. Why do you always turn up where you don't belong?"
"Who says I don't belong here?" Bo dipped her on cue, hands hot on her waist. "Maybe you're the one foiling my plans. Maybe you're ruining my evenings. Ever consider that?"
"Impossible. Everyone in Hullbeck loves me. You said it yourself."
"And I stand by that." Despite his harsh tone, Bo's eyes were incredibly soft. Twin pools of liquid amber. Blue was the beetle scurrying away from certain doom. How many other insects got sucked into those aching vats? If Blue peered close enough could she see the calcified remains of countless princesses and lords trapped and frozen exactly where they laid?
Reading into Bo's double meanings gave Blue a headache.
"You're appalling." She shuddered.
Bo beamed. Even her insults read as tender compliments. "Thank you."
Blue scowled at Bo's chest, and he had a lot of it. Bo took refuge in the chandelier, then at the crown of Blue's head. He couldn't help but admire how well made she was.
With her braids suspended he could properly see her neck, her collarbone.
Valasa spent time on her, Bo absently thought. God. I should award Pilar a Medal of Honor for designing this dress.
Her dainty choker suggested exactly where to wrap his hands.
...Wait what?
The Prince blinked the vivid thoughts away.
Time to mend bridges I didn't burn.
"You were stellar this morning."
She clicked her teeth. "Don't lie to me."
"I wouldn't?"
"I lost, Bo."
"If I remember correctly, it was a fair draw."
"Which is as bad as total failure for me. Especially against a joke like Rowan. I'm rusty. Years ago I would've wrecked him so bad his forefathers could feel it."
