The End Of Con. Book 5 of the royal series

her jib is done 52

chapter 52

Draya pov

He didn’t answer me right away.

He just stood there, eyes darkening, jaw tightening slightly like he was trying to hold himself back. Good. Let him feel that pull. Let him think it was his idea..Then slowly, deliberately, he stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

“Oh, I’m coming,” Con said, voice low, rougher than before.

The air shifted the second the shower turned on. Steam began to curl around us, softening the sharp lines of the room. I could hear the water hitting the tile, and smell his skin warming beneath it. My thirst stirred again..but not for blood this time. For control. For power…He stepped under the spray first, letting the water roll down his chest, his shoulders. His eyes never left me.

“You look nervous,” he murmured.

I tilted my head slightly, letting a slow smile curve my lips.

“Do I?”

Inside, I was calculating. Every move mattered. Every breath. The trance would still be woven into him, subtle threads in his mind.. but men like Con didn’t like to feel manipulated. They liked to believe they were in control…He reached for me, fingers brushing my wrist first. Testing…I let him pull me closer.

The water was hot against my skin. His hand slid to my waist, firm, possessive. He leaned in, mouth brushing near my ear.

“You’re different this morning,” he said quietly. “Softer.”

That almost made me laugh…Softer? No. I was sharper than ever.

“I told you,” I whispered back, letting my fingers trail lightly down his chest, “I care about you.”

His breathing changed. Slower. Heavier.. For a split second, something flickered in his eyes.. something real. Not lust. Not just satisfaction…Vulnerability…That was dangerous.

Because vulnerability could turn into attachment. And attachment could turn into obsession…Good.

But as his forehead rested briefly against mine, as his thumb brushed my jaw in a way that felt almost… gentle… something inside me tightened…This wasn’t supposed to feel like this.

I was supposed to be playing him…So why did my pulse skip?

Why did I feel that strange pull in my chest when he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world?..He tilted my chin up. “You’re staying tonight, right?”..There it was. The hook.

I traced a line down his arm slowly, deliberately. “If you want me to.”

“I do.”

The certainty in his voice sent a ripple through me…Good. He’s falling…But the queen’s warning echoed in my head. Don’t get distracted. Don’t get attached. Don’t lose sight of the mission.

He pulled me closer again, and this time, I let myself lean into him just enough to make it believable.. Just enough.

“I’ll cook for you tonight,” I said softly. “After work.”

His lips brushed mine..slow, lingering, not rushed like a man desperate for more. This kiss was claiming…And that unsettled me more than anything…Because if he started wanting more than my body…If he started wanting my heart…That would complicate everything.

As he finally stepped back to rinse off, I watched him carefully through the steam…He thought last night had been real.

He thought he’d satisfied me…He thought he’d won something.

But this was only the beginning…And yet…

As I reached for a towel, I couldn’t ignore the faint, dangerous whisper in my own mind:..Be careful, Draya…You might be the one getting caught.

Con pov

I hated that the alarm went off so early.

For a second, I thought about ignoring it. About calling in late. About staying right where I was… warm sheets, her body beside mine, her scent still on my skin.

I rolled over and pulled her closer, wrapping my arm around her waist. She fit against me too easily. Too perfect.

“Last night was amazing,” I murmured against her shoulder. “First time in a long time I slept all the way through. Usually I wake up… restless.” My fingers traced lazy circles along her arm. “But you gave me something different. Something I didn’t even know I was missing.”

That part was true…and that irritated me.

She shifted carefully, turning to face me. Her eyes searched mine like she was looking for something real in them.

“You can have me anytime you want,” she said softly. “I told you before, I care about you, Con. Last night proved it… I hope.”

There it was…Hope…Dangerous words.

I chuckled and brushed my lips against hers, just enough to keep her hooked.

“It proved something,” I said, letting my tone stay low, intimate. Ambiguous.

She winced slightly when she moved, trying to hide it, but I noticed.

Good.

“Join me in the shower,” I added, watching her carefully. “Show me again how much you care.”

For a moment, she hesitated. Just a flicker. Like she was debating something inside her own head.

Then she swung her legs over the bed and tossed her shirt at me.

“Are you coming,” she teased, “or are you just going to stand there staring?”

I smirked and followed her…The shower was already running by the time I stepped inside. Steam filled the space, thick and warm. She stood beneath the falling water, strong, confident.. but I saw the way her shoulders tightened when I got close. She wrapped herself around me like she always did. Like she needed to…And maybe she did…Her head tipped back, whispering my name like it meant something sacred…But while she held on to me like I was everything…I was already thinking about my schedule.

When it was over, I stepped back first…She stayed still for a moment longer before reaching for soap, like she was trying to pretend the shift in energy didn’t sting…We finished in silence…I dried off quickly, already mentally stepping into the rest of my day. Suit. Watch. Phone. Control…I didn’t look at her when I dressed…Didn’t kiss her goodbye…Didn’t say her name…I just walked out the door…Because she served her purpose this morning…And I wasn’t the kind of man who confused satisfaction with attachment.