Prince's Courtesan Read Online Free

The purple-black hair he remembered cascaded down her back in silken waves, brushing against the creamy skin he’d spent night after night fantasizing about. The court gown bared her delicate shoulders and the sensuous curve of her spine, but the slender arms at her side were unadorned by a noblewoman’s arm cuffs.
    The slight plumpness of youth had faded from her cheeks and limbs, leaving a haunting air to her features and a delicacy to her build that bypassed his anger and plugged straight into the instincts of a man looking at the woman he loved.
    He came to a stop behind her, so close he could reach out and touch her.
    He didn’t though. He’d waited so long for this moment, played it out in his mind many, many times, but now that it was here, he didn’t know if he could go through with it. He’d planned to humiliate her, to take what he wanted in the most brutal way possible, then cast her aside when he got bored.
    She stiffened, just a small movement, but Seth caught it. Her head turned to the side, just enough for him to catch a glimpse of her profile.
    “How did you find me?” Her voice was melodious and soft, betraying no emotion. Mentally he applauded her. She projected the image of the perfectly brought up lady. Even if he’d stormed in here, bloodstained blade in hand after cutting a swathe through the entire staff of the hotel, he doubted she’d do more than raise a delicately arched brow.
    It was perfection, and at the same time, a total sham. Sethan gritted his teeth. He knew under that prim and proper manner there was fire and passion. Just one night with her had bewitched him, but then she’d run and left him bereft.
    “You’ve been sloppy these past couple of months, Jai,” he replied, giving the name of the worker she’d been masquerading as. She’d been working as a menial, lowly worker cleaning up after other people rather than come to him.
    Anger mounted again, but he controlled it.
    “There was a sighting last month at the spaceport on Terranis, so I was in system when your ID was picked up here.”
    Jaida nodded, turning to look out the window again.
    Seth’s temper went up another notch. “You didn’t really think you could outrun me for much longer, did you? Even if you hadn’t come here… You know I would still have found you, don’t you?” He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him.
    His breath caught in his throat as he looked down into her face, clear of grime for the first time. Lady, she was more beautiful than he remembered.
    She looked up. For a split second Seth fell into the sapphire depths of her eyes before her lids swept down. When she looked back up, the fear he’d spotted there was gone, and the mask back in place. Under his hands, a tremble ran through her frame, cluing him in. She was scared, more than she was letting on.
    Seth’s lips compressed a little. Good. She should be. He leaned in, his breath stirring the curls by her ear. “There’s no escape from me, Jaida, not for you. Not ever.”
    She tried to stifle the shiver that ran through her body at the callused grip on her shoulders. The threat in Sethan’s voice was implicit and the look in his eyes hard. He was exactly as she remembered him.
    Those thoughts were ones she had once reveled in and built teenage fantasies about. Thoughts she’d spent five years trying to forget, and Lady help her, ones she didn’t want to be reminded of now. Her heart ached as she avoided his gaze. She couldn’t meet it, or he would read the expression in her eyes.
    “Look at me.” His voice was soft, but the words were an order. The words of a man who was used to being obeyed. “Answer me. Admit there’s no escape.”
    Her throat tightened in panic. Her gaze travelled up the heavily embroidered tunic, past the open collar, and up to his jaw. Strong and shadowed with stubble, it was as far as she dared look. She wasn’t a noblewoman anymore, and despite