Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3) (24 page)

"Jacinda..." The word barely made it past his suddenly numb lips.

"The report states that she was not seriously injured," Deffand hurriedly informed him. "Only bumped and bruised. She refused to go to the hospital and Danton drove her home."

"She's alive?"

"Yes, Majesty!"

Jotham turned to his comm, refusing to let his fingers tremble as he punched in the code that would connect him to Jacinda, cursing at the time it took for someone to answer.

"Hello?"

The voice he'd been praying to hear came across the comm, but the screen remained dark.

"Unblock the feed, Jacinda!" he demanded.

"Jotham?"

"Who else would it be! Un. Block. The. Feed."

"Jotham, now's not really the best time."

"
Damn it, Jacinda!
" He slammed his fist down on his desk. "I know about the accident! Let me see you before I go out of my mind!"

As the blank screen dissolved, Jotham's breath caught. Before him, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen sat, her hair loose, a lump the size of an Alder egg on her forehead and an eye starting to turn black.

"Jacinda..."

"I know. I look hideous, that's why I didn't want you to see me."

"Do you think I fucking care how you
look
? Why haven't you seen a doctor? Why aren't you in the hospital? Why did I have to find out about it from
Deffand
?"

With each sentence, Jotham's rage grew louder until it echoed off the walls.

"Jotham..."

"I'll be there shortly, Jacinda."

"What? Wait! No! Jotham, I'm fine! There's no reason for you to come here."

"No reason," Jotham's hard gaze traveled over her face on the screen as he spit out his next words. "For an intelligent woman, there are times when you are just plain
stupid,
Jacinda!" And with that he disconnected the call.

"Deffand, have my limisin readied," Jotham ordered as he rounded his desk heading for the door.

"It already is, Majesty, as are extra guards."

Entering the outer office Jotham ignored the Assemblymen, his gaze zeroing in on Chesney.

"Clear my day, Chesney."

"Already working on it, Majesty." But Jotham didn't hear him, he was already gone.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jacinda let her head fall to the back of her chair when Jotham disconnected. She'd never seen him so irate. Or so... scared, for that's what she'd seen in his eyes, hiding behind the anger. Fear. For her.

How could she have been so stupid not to realize the accident would be reported to the Palace? Not because of the budding relationship between her and Jotham because no one knew about that. But because anything involving an Assemblyman or a member of his family was always reported to the Palace. She hadn't thought about it since Stephan was dead, but Danton was now an Assemblyman and as his mother it would be reported.

Maybe the accident had rattled her brain more than she'd thought. Now Jotham had found out second-hand and, of course, it had to have brought back memories of Lata. Of the transport accident, she'd been killed in.

She should have called Chesney so he could let Jotham know what had happened, but it had taken her hours to convince Danton she was okay even after Dr. Portman left, and by then he'd already contacted Ethan and Stephanie so she'd had to reassure them too.

Carina's first sun was just starting to rise when she'd finally been able to climb into her bed and collapse. She was only half way through her first cup of coffee when Jotham had called.

She had recognized his code immediately and blocked the live feed hoping to get away with the old ploy of saying she'd yet to fix her face. True but still.... She should have known better, this was Jotham she was talking about, and he knew her better than that.

Her stalling had only made it worse for him when that was what she'd been trying to avoid. Well, there was nothing she could do about it now. Rising she went to the kitchen, refilled her cup and poured a second before returning to the living room to wait.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jotham's finger's strummed impatiently on the seat of the limisin as it drove through Pechora. What could she have possibly been thinking, trying to keep this from him! Did she think he wouldn't find out? That he wouldn't care? She could have been killed, and he would have had to find out the same way he had with Lata.

No, he wasn't going there. He wasn't going to lose someone else he loved that way!

His fingers stilled.

Loved?

Where had that word come from?

It wasn't possible. Yes, he cared a great deal about Jacinda but love.... It was for the young. For those who hadn't found their life mates and failed them. He couldn't love Jacinda.

"Majesty."

Deffand’s voice broke through Jotham's thoughts.

"We are here, Sire."

Jotham looked out his window to see that indeed, they had arrived at Jacinda's house. He could tell it was her house, although he had never been here before. It was stylish and naturally elegant just like its owner.

"I have guards stationed throughout the neighborhood and around the house. Just notify me when you are ready to leave." With that, Deffand stepped out putting his body between his King and the open area on the other side of the door.

Jotham stepped out of the limisin and strode up the walkway that led to the door that was opening as he approached.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jacinda rose as she heard the sound of multiple transports pulling into her drive. She knew one would be Jotham’s limisin while the rest would be the large special transports that carried his security. Oh, Madame Nitzschke was going to have a field day with this.

Opening the door, she felt her breath catch at the imposing figure Jotham made striding so confidently and so angrily up her walk. Stepping back, she allowed him to enter before closing the door and shutting the rest of the world out.

"I've got coffee in the..." she trailed off as she turned to find him standing mere inches from her.

"Why didn't you call me?" The whispered words were made even more poignant by the trembling hand that carefully reached out to gently touch the bump on her forehead.

"I'm sorry," and she truly was. "I just wasn't thinking. They wanted me to go to the hospital, but I refused."

"Which was stupid!" While his voice was harsh, his touch remained gentle.

"It wasn't. I knew I was fine."

"You just said you weren't thinking straight!"

"About
calling
you, not how I
was
. I couldn't drive my transport home so I called Danton."

"You should have called
me
!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" She gave him a disbelieving look as she took a step back. "I couldn't have called
you
to come pick me up."

Jotham grabbed both of her arms, pulling her to her toes demanding, "Why the fuck not?"

Her gasp of pain had him paling and instantly he eased his grip, although he didn't let her go. "You’re hurt worse than you said. Come on, you’re going to see a doctor."

"No! Jotham, I'm fine! And I have seen a doctor."

"What? The report said you refused to go to the hospital."

"I did, but that doesn't mean I didn't call my personal doctor." She saw the relief in his eyes. "I just didn't want to be poked and prodded by a bunch of strangers. Dr. Portman has been my doctor for over twenty cycles and before him, his father was. I knew he would give me an honest assessment and he did. I have an alder egg-sized bump on my head but thanks to said head's hardness, it did no permanent damage. It's just going to leave a lovely, multicolored-bruise that will also affect my eye. I also have an assortment of bruises, mostly from my seat restraint, that will be sore for several days. Otherwise, I'm fine."

"Is that what he really said?" Jotham would be contacting him.

"Yes. Do you really think Danton would have left me alone if he hadn't?"

"That depends on whether you told him that or Dr. Portman did."

Jacinda laughed then grimaced when it caused her head to ache. "My son would never have fallen for that, Jotham. He had to hear it directly from Portman."

"So he wouldn't take your word for it."

"No more than you will. Would you like Portman's code or will you just have Chesney find it for you?"

Jotham had the grace to look guilty but still said, "I'll take the code."

"Men."

Jacinda waved her hands up in mock disgust, but Jotham noticed they didn't go as high nor were they as animated as they normally were. Jotham again asked the question she didn't answer.

Leading her to the couch, he carefully positioned her so she was facing him, making sure it caused her no pain. Then he framed her face in his hands, kissing first the bump on her forehead, then the darkening bruise around her eye before asking, "Why couldn't you call me, Jacinda?"

Looking at him she felt all his concern, all his fear, and also all his confusion. He really didn't understand. "Oh, Jotham," she let the uninjured side of her forehead rest against his while her hands rubbed his chest, trying to sooth him. "You are the King. I couldn't just call you even if I wanted to."

"Why not?" His voice broke on the last word.

"Because... I don't have your code."

She felt him jerk back as if shot by a stunner. "What? What do you mean? I've called you."

"Yes, but you don't really believe that just because you call someone that they would be able to call you back, do you?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Your code is always blocked, Jotham. If it wasn't, you'd have thousands of calls a day."

"I..."

"You'd forgotten that, hadn't you?"

"I... yes, I guess I had. I'll make sure that is corrected. I want you to be able to call me, Jacinda. Whenever you want, whenever you need. I never want to experience what I did this morning again. It was too much like..." he couldn't finish.

But she knew he was referring to Lata's death. "I'm sorry." Leaning forward, she kissed him gently. "So sorry." She kissed him again trying to convey all her regret for what he had gone through, trying to make him understand that she would never willingly put him through that.

Chapter Fourteen

Jotham closed his eyes and sank into the kiss.

He thought he had lost this.

Again.

Another transport accident.

Another woman he loved.

But she wasn't lost. She was in his arms. Kissing him and he was never going to let her out of them again. It seems Will had been right. When he decided on a woman that was it. His heart had decided on Jacinda and he wasn't going to waste one more precious moment of their time together.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jacinda felt the shift. Suddenly, a kiss she started went from her trying to comfort Jotham to him swamping her with a need so powerful it stole her breath. Her hands fisted into his shirt as her world began to tilt.

Suddenly, she realized the world wasn't tilting;
she was
.

Jotham had lifted her off the couch and into his arms.

"Where's your bedroom?" he demanded against her lips.

"Down the hall and to the left." She found herself instantly answering him.

Jotham wasted no time carrying her down the hall. He'd wasted enough of it because of his pride and insecurity. He was done with that. He wasn't just going after what he wanted. He was going to get it.

Moving to the foot of the bed, he shifted his grip letting her slide down his body as he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue between her lips. Truly tasting her for the first time and she tasted better than Fudge Torta.

Carefully, remembering her bruises, he ran his hands up her back keeping her flush against him. He enjoyed the silky feel of whatever she was wearing. He vaguely remembered it being long, black and clingy when she had opened the front door. He had other concerns then.

Now he just wanted it off so he could touch her skin.

As his hands reached her neck, he pulled back slightly breaking the kiss to look down at her. Jacinda's face was tilted up to his, her lips moist from his kiss, her blue-green eyes full of desire and even bruised, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Slowly, watching her the whole time, his fingers slid down the soft skin on either side of her neck to slip under the silky material, slowly moving it aside, exposing the beautiful skin of her shoulders before it fell away. What it had been concealing was breathtaking.

Lace straps graced her shoulders moving down to a modest bodice of more lace that perfectly conformed to her large, full breasts before the silky material returned flowing to the floor.

"Beautiful." Leaning down slightly, he kissed the soft skin where her neck and shoulder met and felt her tremble slightly. "Shh," he whispered against her skin. "It’s alright, Jacinda."

"I know," she said and tipped her head to the side, giving his lips easier access to the area they wanted.

Kissing his way down along her shoulder, his fingers slid the straps out of the way then pulled them down her arms taking the bodice with it.

And it was his turn to tremble because of the bruising he revealed.

"Jacinda..."

Carefully, so carefully, he kissed the offensive bruise that slashed its way across her body. It started at her shoulder, traveling between her breasts on down to disappear around her waist. He knew it came from the transport restraint that had kept her safe.

"It's fine, Jotham."

"It's not," the anger in his voice at odds with the softness of his lips, "but at least you are safe."

He continued to kiss his way along the mark, leaving the dark path only when he reached the inside curve of a breast. Using his nose, he nuzzled the abundant globe, drawing in the unique scent that was Jacinda. Sweetness, warmth, and just the hint of roses. He would never smell a rose again and not think of her.

He continued to circle the golden flesh, kissing, licking and nipping his away around it until he finally reached its high, taut summit. He paused for only a moment, his hot breath bathing the dark, turgid peak before he consumed it.