Stolen Princess (Princess Series Book 2)(11)

“Marriage is only part of what I want with you, princess.” I take her hand and kiss the center of her palm, then bring her wrist to my nose so I can smell her delicate sweetness. “I want to make you the queen of my kingdom. I want you to carry my seed and bear my sons. I want to possess your soul inside mine and be the center of your universe so that you rely on me and no one else for all that you want. So that you’d never think about taking more than a step away from me. I’m selfish when it comes to your love, and I will not share it.”

“Love?”

Her bright green eyes are waiting, pleading with me to give her what her heart wants. It’s the same thing mine is after, so it’s easy to hand it over.

“I love you, Princess Giselle. Be mine, be my queen. Forever.”

“I love you, too, Karim,” she says, and throws her arms around my neck.





Chapter 9





Giselle





I hold on tight to him, unable to let go. His hands run up and down my back and then start to play with my hair. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I really am where I belong, with someone who doesn’t care if I look at the world through rose-colored glasses. He’s not asking me to change, he’s just asking me to let him be with me.

I let all the things he said sink deeper into me. I bury my face in his neck, breathing him in. He loves me. My sisters would tell me to question it. That it’s crazy to fall in love with someone in just a few hours, but I don’t care. I know it’s true love because I feel the same way about him. That’s what this feeling has to be. It’s why I let him take me without even knowing who he was. Yet it feels like I’ve known him my whole life. I never want to leave his safe arms.

I try to push aside all the things I know my family would say. I don’t want that to take this special moment from me. I want to cherish every second of our lives together and not spend it dwelling on what others might think.

I feel the car finally stop, but I only grip him tighter. “I don’t wanna let go,” I whisper to him. I don’t know where we are, and to be honest, I don’t care. I want to stay right where I am.

“No one said you had to,” he says before I hear the door open and the cool air greets my body.

Karim unfolds himself from the back of the car with me still wrapped tightly around him. He brings my legs around his waist to help me stay on. He turns his head to kiss me and slides his hands under my bottom to get a better hold of me.

“Sir?” I hear someone say, and I pull back a little to get a look at an older man standing close. He’s got pure white hair and is in a butler uniform. I instantly know we must be back at the palace.

“Albert,” Karim says in response.

“I’ll prepare the guest room?” I can hear the question in Albert’s voice, as if he’s unsure of what to do. He steals a curious look at me.

“That won’t be necessary.” Karim keeps walking, and the butler follows him as the car drives away. I watch over Karim’s shoulder, peeking out as one of his security guards follows us up the stairs with a smirk on his lips. But when we enter the home, he doesn’t come in. He stops and turns at the door, shutting it. Only Albert follows us.

“I need you to get chocolate milk, marshmallows, grapes, raspberry goat’s cheese, and crackers from the kitchen.” I look at Karim, who’s carrying me like I weigh nothing and taking the stairs two at a time. He listed off all my favorite foods. Sometimes I can go days only eating those things alone. “I’m sorry, love. I don’t know what kind of crackers you prefer.” My mouth falls open. How can he possibly know this? “Just get one box of every kind.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

I glance over at Albert, who’s taking notes on a pad while still following us.

“No one in my wing of the palace without my consent. Ever again. I don’t care if it’s you or a maid. I want to give the okay anytime this door opens,” Karim says as he flings open the door that leads to a long hallway. Albert stops at the door, nodding, a smile forming on his face.

“Of course, Your Highness,” he says, shutting the door behind us as Karim keeps up his pace.

He walks past door after door until he gets to the end of the hall and yet another set of double doors. He flings them open, showing off a massive room with a bed in the center. It’s larger than any bed I’ve ever seen.

He tosses me on it, making me laugh as I sink down into its softness. He turns back to the doors, closing them, and I hear a lock click into place. He watches me as I get up on my knees, wanting to admire the man who’s going to be my husband.

I smile at him as he strips off his shirt, and my body heats again. Just like it did the last time I was trapped in a room with him alone.

“While I was on the hunt for you I got as much information about you as I could find. Even sending someone over to your home to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.” He glances over to the side of the room, and I follow his line of sight.

I see a pile of things from my room. Books, make-up, stuffed animals, and piles of the drawing pads I love to doodle in. “You moved my stuff here?”

“Everything but your clothes and furniture. I didn’t like the idea of my men touching your clothes, so I had them leave them behind. We can go get them later, or I’ll get you all new things.”