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“Then after that, you will be dancing with the son of the…”
“That makes what— five ?” Lumine sighed before her eyes lifted to look up at her assistant and gave the poor girl a soft smile. “Five men I have to dance with. Five men that believe they can become my husband. Fun.” She pursed her lips to let the makeup artist finish.
“It’s the custom…it’s..”
“Tradition. I know.” There was a slight frown on her lips before she crossed her arms and slowly got up. “Let me get ready on my own now.”
“But Your highness…Your dress…”
“It wasn’t a request.” She waited until she heard the click of the closing door before getting up from her seat. “All they covet is the crown.” There was a loneliness in her voice as she stared at herself in the mirror. The picture of royalty, the makeup was soft and elegant, her golden hair curled and gently framing her face.
“Would you rather they desire your heart?” A low voice asked and she turned around swiftly to see him standing at the doorway. His hair was slicked back which meant his features looked sharper. His hands playing with the cuffs of his suit before his amber eyes lifted to look at her from the mirror, a small smirk on his lips.
“I thought I told everyone to leave.” Crossing her arms, she played with the silk sleeves of the robe she was wearing. “Or are you not everyone, Xiao?”
“I am your shadow. I do not leave your side.” He pushed himself off the wall and approached her slowly. “Unless I feel like it is inappropriate…I am afraid—“ She could feel his warm breath against her ear as he leaned down from behind her. “—You are stuck with me, Princess .”
A sharp inhale as she closed her eyes. The shiver ran down her back and she could feel his fingers lightly on her waist. “Xiao…Who am I?”
“You are the princess, the one I serve. The one I pledged my loyalty to.”
Her golden eyes opened to lock at the amber eyes that stared at her from the reflection of the mirror. He was truly testing her. Two can play that game. She clicked her tongue once before she undid the tie of her robe and let it pool around her feet. She gave him a smile over her shoulder. “I see...Is that all I am?” She saw the tightness of his jaw, the small rise of his brow.
She slipped her feet into the dress waiting for her. Pulling the soft navy sleeves over her bare shoulders, she gathered her hair and moved it away. “Zip me up?”
“As you wish.”
She felt the pad of his thumb press against the delicate fabric that covered her modesty. She held her breath as he slowly began zipping her up, closing the dress together all while holding her still with one hand on her waist. And when she felt his fingers grazing against the back of her neck, she felt her heart jump and quickly turned around to face him. That was when she noticed his dark gaze, staring at her with a want that made her breath catch at the back of her throat. “You look very beautiful, Princess.”
“Thank you, Xiao.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m going to run away or cause trouble.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time...after all, that was how we first met.”
“I was four. ” She hissed through her teeth as she pressed the flute of champagne to her lips and glared at him.
“Mmmn that doesn’t change anything.” If anyone else was looking at the two of them, they would have seen a reprimanding princess and a stoic guard. But if they knew the pair, they would have noticed the small lift in the corner of his lips, a ghost of a smile that was reserved just for his princess. The spark in her golden eyes showed how happy she was with the man in front of her.
“You will always be the princess that tried to run away and almost fell from the castle walls because she wanted to go to the festival.”
“I do recall that you ended up escorting me.”
“You also lied and told me you were a maid’s daughter.”
“Is it my fault that your father, the Captain of the Guards, never officially introduced us until that day?”
“I do remember being reprimanded severely for taking you out of the castle gates.”
“Well, that’s not my fault. You should have known that the prettiest girl you’ve ever met was the princess.”
“That’s assuming that I only found you pretty because of your title.” He said with an amused smile before he took the empty glass from her and placed it on the server’s tray. “You should know by now that even if you were the maid’s daughter, you would have been the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”
Her ears felt warm and she swiftly turned her head away from him. “Since when were you so good with your words?” Not even the suitors that wanted her could make her feel this way. No, it was because his words were sincere. He was not a man to spew flowery words and poetry just to flatter her. No, when he said that she was the prettiest girl—he meant it. He was being honest and maybe that was why it affected her so much.
“My many years as your personal guard have taught me well.” He said with a low chuckle before leaning in to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. His fingers lightly touched the edge of her jaw before quickly dropping back to his side. It was a simple gesture that would be overlooked by the public eye. “You are still the prettiest girl I’ve ever met.” He whispered.
She smiled to herself softly.
She was tired. She was tired of dancing in shoes that pinched. She was tired of smiling at people that did not care for her. She was tired of being pulled away from his side. “May I have this dance?” The third one of the hour, another gentleman that wasn’t on her list but who would pass up an opportunity to dance with a princess. Sighing inwardly as she had to put a hand on top of his and pressed a smile to her red lips.
“It would be my pleasure.” She said politely before she was swiftly taken to the dance floor.
She put a hand on his shoulder and soon felt the man’s hand on the small of her back. She moved easily, gracefully gliding across the dance floor effortlessly. He was a dancer that followed the rules of the dance, doing the motions he was probably taught since he was a child. A gentleman that wouldn't dare do anything that broke the routine. How boring. She thought as her eyes wandered. Maybe should have kept her eyes on her partner, made small talk, even if he was boring, after all this was not an opportunity that came easily.
But her golden eyes looked over the man’s shoulder for a brief moment and saw amber eyes that were fixed on her. He was watching her like he always did. A mischievous smile appeared on her lips before she broke their gaze and looked up at her dance partner. “Lift me.”
“W-what? Princess…”
“It’ll be fun.” She teased with a smile and wondered if her dance partner could feel the burn of her guard’s sharp gaze.
“That’s not part of the routine. I never even..”
“Oh come on…What are you afraid of?”
“Princess.” A cold voice cut in. Oh. He’s jealous…How fun. “You have a call.”
“Oh, do I?” She teased before she lowered her hands to link her arm with Xiao’s. “Can’t keep them waiting, let’s go, Xiao.”
She was counting down the minutes until the party was over. She wanted nothing more than to get out of this stifling dress. She stumbled to the side as she felt her feet grow tired of standing for so long. He quickly came to her side and supported her body with his.
That was when she felt his hand on the small of her back. His fingers gently pressing soothingly against her aching back. Her jaw dropped slightly and as she let out a soft sigh. Her knees felt weak as she felt his thumb lightly move against her back and when she stumbled again, his hand moved to her waist to grip her tightly against him.
“Princess .” She could feel his breath against her ear, the low timbre of his voice brought a shiver down her spine. “Are you alright?”
She licked her bottom lip and nodded slowly before shifting her gaze up to him. “I’m fine, Xiao..” She said breathlessly. “We will be leaving soon, right?”
“Yes... Oh, by the way…” He slowly released his grip around her waist before a small smile curved on his lips. “It’ll be just the two of us when we go back to the hotel. The other guards retired for the night.”
“ Just..the two of us?”
“Do you dislike it?”
“Not at all.”
“That annoys me.” She said with a glare before scooting over to sit closer to him in the limo.
“What does?”
“Your tie. It’s crooked” She said with a frown before undoing it swiftly and pulling his neck down. His eyes widened as he was pulled down. “You should be honored. You’re the only one I’d do this for.” Her tone was sharp as her hands worked quickly. Nimble fingers moving to fix the collar of his shirt before realizing their proximity.
“Kind of silly that you fixed it…after all the party is over.” He said before he cupped her face. “And it will be taken off very soon.”
Xiao had a talent of edging her while barely touching her. He had a talent for making her feel excited with just a single glance. He had a talent of making her heart jump all while keeping a poker face.
His serious expression would fill her with anticipation. From the moment he offered his hand to help her out of the car to the way his hands lingered on the small of her back, he teased her. His barely there touches that would make it very hard to concentrate on whatever conversation she was trying to maintain. How he’d let his fingers linger, give her a few gentle taps, a reminder that he was there and just as she was about to lean in and enjoy the feeling, he’d pull away. He would let his hand lightly touch hers, maybe when he felt they wouldn’t be seen, he’d link his pinky with hers and it’d take her all her willpower to not just turn her hand to hold his.
Only he could get away with tormenting a princess like this. But if it ended with him finally dropping all pretenses and kissing her properly, then it was worth the wait.
Breathy gasps. A forgotten jacket thrown onto the floor. Small hands gripped the front of his white shirt tightly. Resting his hands on the wall behind her, his lips stealing every breath from her, she felt dizzy.
Each kiss was needy and impatient. His tongue swiped against hers until he finally bit down on her lower lip. She gasped, parting her lips and welcoming his tongue. As their kiss deepened his hands slid down the wall, one cupping the side of her face as the other found its place on her hip.
Her fingers moved from clenching the front of his shirt to his tie. Pulling it sharply which earned her a soft groan from him.
Oh, how she loved that sound. To know that she could break the perfectly crafted mask he always wore.
He pulled away, letting her catch her breath before his long fingers lightly raised her chin up. “Princess.” His low and husky voice was closer to a growl and she knew what it meant. “You were playing a dangerous game.”
“Was I?” She raised a brow almost challenging him. “How so?” He raised a brow before he moved a piece of her hair that was out of place.
“Don’t act coy…You were trying to make me jealous.”
“Maybe I just wanted your attention…Is that so wrong?” She feigned innocence as she batted her eyes and he scoffed. That brought a smile to her lips before she lightly traced his jaw. Her fingers deftly moving it so that he faced her again. “I just wanted your eyes on me…”
He raised a brow before he lowered his head and pressed his lips on her neck. Her eyelids fluttered as she felt her legs grow weak under his touch. When his mouth met her skin again, she felt traces of heat, the sting of his teeth sinking into her skin. He knew where to kiss her. He knew what to do to make her lose her train of thought. He knew her so well.
“When am I not looking at you?” He said softly before licking the mark that he had made on her neck. He pressed her forehead against his and gave her a gentle smile. His amber eyes lighting up as they finally locked with golden eyes. “You’re the only one I see.”
She felt knots in her stomach, a fluttering in her chest when he looked at her like that. The pad of his thumb drew little circles before he lowered his head to capture her lips once more.
“X-Xiao.” She whined against his lips and she could practically feel his smirk against her lips. Without needing to say another word, he cut her off punishingly with a more aggressive kiss. If she wanted more, he would give it to her.
The kiss sparked a warmth throughout her entire body, building from her chest and slowly moving its way down. His body pressed against hers and she could feel something hard against her.
“Is that your gun or are you happy to see me?” She teased against his lips. He growled dangerously before he put his hands under her and picked her up swiftly. Slamming her against the wall roughly, she gasped before wrapping her legs around his waist.
“First off, the gun is kept in the back or side.” He said as he took off his holster and set it on the small table beside them. “And you know very well..that this…” His lips were close to her ear, his soft breath made her toes curl.“—is all because of you.”
He had found the zipper of her dress and pulled it down, letting it gather around her waist. His hands pulled up the bottom half, his nails running against her thighs. She whined and begged him to stop teasing her which was only answered with a low and dangerous chuckle. A chill ran down her spine.
“And here I thought you wanted me to look at only you.”
“I do…” She said as he wiped his thumb against her slightly bruised lips, wiping the smudged lipstick away.
“Then I want to see all of your pretty expressions, even the ones you might consider embarrassing. I want to hear all the sweet sounds you make…I especially want to hear you call out my name…over…and over again.”
“Idiot.” She said with a small pout. “Who else would I show these expressions to if it’s not you…”
His fingers moved through her hair, picking out the jeweled pins before setting them aside. He was gentle as he combed his fingers through her head. She stared up at him, heavily breathing as he played this game of push and pull. “You’re teasing me…” She felt his fingers lightly graze through her scalp, slow and subtle touches that made shivers run down her spine. “I want more…Touch me more….Give me more, Xiao.”
“If that’s what you want, Princess.” He put a hand around his tie before yanking it side to side before pulling it loose. He tossed it to the side before he gave her a small smirk. “Then who am I to deny you.”
Everything happened so quickly after that.
Hungry kisses that stole her breath that was only interrupted by whispers that she didn’t know what she was asking for. But she did. She ran her nails down his shoulders, she wanted more. Burying her face into his shoulder, softly moaning as his finger pressed against her wet folds.
Their clothes now litter the floor of the hotel room and his hands were everywhere. His lips marking her, leaving bites on wherever he pleased. His neat hair now a mess as she grabbed and pulled at it. He was between her legs, kissing, sucking, lapping at her desire, devouring her as he pleased.
“X-Xiao!” She chanted his name over and over again. Sometimes in breathless whispers. Sometimes muffled by his own lips. Sometimes said so loudly that she worried others would hear. “Xiao! Please!”
She jerked away from his mouth but with a hand pressed against her hip, keeping her in place before sucking hard once. His name a breathless gasp when she finally came.
He gave her a moment before pulling away, lapping her folds which only made her twitch and whine in the process. He sat up slowly, with one hand still pressed between her wet thighs. “Yes, Princess?” He asked before he pulled out his fingers from her dripping cunt. She moaned at the emptiness she now felt but then she saw him stare at the slick between his fingers.
“Don’t.” She said in a hushed whisper.
He turned his gaze back to her before licking his fingers clean. “Why would I waste something so delicious?”
Demon. She thought as she tried to glare at him through half hooded eyes. She wanted to wipe that smirk off those lips that he slowly wiped with the back of his hand.
Her eyes watched his hand slowly moved before pushing back his messy locks away from his eyes. Everything he did was purposeful, he wanted her to watch. He wanted her to see what she did to him. He wanted her to look at him just as he looked at her. To see the hunger in his amber eyes as they gazed down at her. “Pretty.”
Covered in his marks, her legs spread out in front of him, her flushed expression was hidden by her hands with only her golden eyes peeking through her fingers. “I thought I told you I wanted to see all your pretty expressions.”
“You’re so…”
“Mean?” He teased before kissing her cheek. He took her hands and pulled them away from her face. “Am I being too mean, Princess?”
“So mean…”
“Do you hate me?” He whispered he kissed the tip of her nose.
“No.”
It was then she felt something wrap around her wrists, something soft and— “Are you really tying me up with your tie!?” She gasped as she felt him finish the knot. His fingers trailing down her arm before patting the side of her face.
“I told you it was silly of you to fix it.” His fingers danced down the side of her body before slipping between her legs again. “Consider it…insurance that you won’t hide those pretty looks from me.” He whispered low before rolling her clit between his fingers. She arched her back sharply and gasped. “Like that one.”
He slowly sank down, his chest resting on top of hers before he wrapped a hand around her leg and hitch her legs up. He held her gaze the entire time before he finally pushed into her. He groaned as he felt her tightly wrap around him. Her hands tightly clenched into fists above her as she let out cried out his name.
“Princess…You feel…” He said through gritted teeth as he snapped his hips against hers finally. A wet sound joined her soft pants as she cried out for him. She could feel all of him inside of her and it felt so good. Her lips parted as she felt him move slowly inside of her. “ Perfect .”
“Faster—” She begged. Oh how she wished she didn’t have her hands tied up, she wanted to run her nails down his back, to hold him closer, to pull at his hair as he filled her. “More... Touch me more!”
“Someone is greedy.”
If she had the energy to glare at him she would. Who was it that made her this way? Was it not him and his light touches that made her remember who her heart belonged to? Was it not him that made her feel electrified with just a smile? Was it not him who—
He pulled back and snap forward harshly, leaving her gasping as she looked up at him with wide eyes. “Pay attention to me.” He said with a grunt and the pace he set after was fast and strong. The bed under them moving as he filled over and over again. She arched her back with pleasure as he pressed into her, filling her with only thoughts of him. “You’re so good. Fuck..You feel so good, Princess.”
She was hot around him as she tightly clenched around him. She was everything he could ever want. It was hard to resist touching her. To hold back. So when she permitted him to not hold back, how could he not take advantage of it.
She loudly moaned as he rolled his hips into hers. She could hear his grunts, his groans, as he whispered into her skin. He snapped his hips forward, his teeth biting down his lips as he did. He was so close, but he wanted her to become undone around him. He wanted to watch see the princess become unrestrained and without abandon scream his name.
“Xiao!” She screamed, her back arching sharply something finally snapped inside of her. He snarled as she tightened around him and his hips moving faster as he chased his own high. He groaned as he finally spilled inside of her. Falling on top of her, he pressed his lips against her shoulder and held her close as he finally came.
The air was filled with the sounds of them trying to catch their breath and the smell of sex. “Am I heavy?” he whispered softly as his hips slowly moved, still moving deeply inside of her. She shook her head slowly before her mouth opened and she frowned.
“Are you okay?”
“My arms.” She said in a broken whisper and frowned. He knew he shouldn’t be happy that she lost her voice, but if it was because it was screaming his name—how could not feel proud.
One hand moved to untie her and when he finally slid the tie away from her wrists, she set them around his neck and brought him down to kiss her. “My name.” She whispered softly against his lips before she pivoted her hips to meet his. That earned her a groan as he returned her kiss. “Say my name.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Keeper of my heart...My Princess.” There was laughter in his eyes as he gave her a short peck. He was still teasing her.
“Lumine.” He finally said. His voice was gentle and it made the knot in her stomach uncurl and her heart jump. When he said her name it sounded like the sweetest thing. When he said her name she could feel the warmth in his voice, something that he only saved for her. When he said her name, she felt the love he felt for her. He moved to lay down beside her, his smile tender as he looked at her. “My pretty Lumine.” He said as he pushed back her hair gently before kissing her sweat-covered forehead. “My lovely Lumine.”
She moved so that she can curl up into his arms, feeling them protectively wrap around her. She pressed her head on top of his chest and listened to his gentle heartbeat. A smile curled onto her lips as she closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him. Her fingers searching for his and when she found them, she intertwined their hands together.
He was her shadow. He was her guard. He was her shield. And she will let the rest of the world see him as the cold aloof Xiao, the Princess's bodyguard. But when they were alone, when they no longer had to hide their affections for one another, he was her Xiao. He was hers and only hers.
And she was just his Lumine in his arms.