The Crown Thief and Her Alpha Prince

CHAPTER 8 - THE DEAL

Amelia Cooper’s Point of View

Amelia’s breath was a heavy pant as Edmund’s lips descended from her ear to her neck, his teeth grazing her tender skin. He was still hovering above her, his hands pinning hers to the ground. 

“I know you want it,” Edmund murmured against her throat. “I know you want me. I can sense it. Don’t try to deny it. You know I can give you exactly what you need. You know how good it will feel for you. Just say the words, just tell me what you need.”

Amelia shivered again, her body silently begging for more. Edmund answered her silent plea when one of his large hands let go of one of her wrists and landed on her collarbone. He caressed her, then his hand dipped lower, just under the neckline of her dress. His long fingers drew little circles there, so close to her breast but not quite touching it. A pulse had settled between Amelia’s legs, and she knew only his heat would satisfy her. 

“Amelia. Tell me. What do you want me to do?”

What was even happening? She had never felt this ache, this burning need to be with someone like that. And she barely knew the guy! And he was an arrogant prince, a jerk who probably wanted nothing more than to use his position to have his way with her then left her destitute.

Oh, but she wanted him so bad.

“What are you… Why… I… We…” she stuttered, trying to reach for a shred of sanity within her. “We can’t -”

Edmund froze over her, his warm lips leaving her skin. Amelia immediately felt cold, and regretted her words. She was about to beg him to continue, to beg him for something she needed but she did not quite understand, but he quickly stood up, taking two steps away from her. 

He looked down at her. His whole demeanor had changed. His pupils were no longer dilated, instead, his eyes shone with contemptuous mockery. The change was so sudden that it left Amelia’s head reeling. It was as if a completely different person now stood in front of her. 

“Look at you,” Edmund said, oddly not looking directly at her. “I barely touched you and just like that, you were ready to let me f**k you in the gardens. Human females are so easy to seduce, it is almost boring.”

The asshole. 

Everything was just a game for him, from allowing her in the castle despite knowing she wanted to steal the crown to whatever what just happened was. He just liked to control people. 

“I never said I wanted you, or anything to do with you,” she retorted angrily. 

“You did not need to,” Edmund smirked. “I could smell how much you wanted me.”

Amelia felt her cheeks reddening, ashamed of her body’s reaction to his. Now that there was some distance between them, the overpowering desire seemed to be fading. 

“Well, maybe I was not the only one getting caught up in your little game,” she fumed. “You might think I’m easy to seduce, but I’m not the only one who is. I’m pretty sure you were as turned on as I was.” 

“You’re wrong.”

His eyes darkened, as if stormy clouds had covered them.

“Did you really think I would sully myself by sleeping with a human maid?” Edmund scoffed, sounding frustrated. “As a prince, I can have any female I want. If I ask for her hand, I can have any wealthy, beautiful shifter princess on her knees before me. I don’t need you, nor do I want to.”

His words left her feeling cold. Of course he wanted nothing to do with her. It should not have stung but it still did. He was a gorgeous, rich prince, and she was a plain-looking orphan. Her own desire was nothing but an anomaly anyways. He was nothing she wanted in a man: he was out-of-touch and arrogant.

Her wanting him was stupid, and dangerous. She had to remember Edmund was an enemy, and that he wanted nothing but to toy with her. 

Luckily, it was easier when he acted like such an ass. 

“Besides,” Edmund continued, his tone less angry and more playful, “I would never take advantage of a female in the gardens in the middle of the night. I am a prince, therefore, a gentleman. Let me help you up.”

Amelia was still lying on the ground after their little fight. Edmund extended his hand, offering it to her to help her get up. 

“Thank you, Ed, but I’m good,” Amelia said as irreverently as she could.

She rose up on her own, ignoring his offered hand. Edmund frowned, baring his teeth.

“Show some respect. You are to call me Prince. Don’t forget your place. You are nothing but my maid. If you don’t show me a little more respect, I will have to -”

“You will have to do what exactly, your Very High Highness the Prince?” Amelia said, infusing as much sarcasm as she could in her mock-title. 

Amelia knew she was playing with fire but she was tired, at the end of her tether. In her three nights she had been at the castle, she had barely slept, too scared about what Edmund might want with her. Her mind had tried again and again to figure out why he had let her in the castle, but she could not find any good reason. The torture of the unknown stopped now. He was going to give her answers. 

“You don’t want to kill me, and you made it clear you have no desire to have me,” Amelia stated, her voice rising because of her anger. “So what? You’ll tell everyone I’m here to steal the crown and send me to prison? Then why haven’t you done so already?”

“Keep your voice down. Do you want the whole castle to hear you?” Edmund admonished her, but did not actually answer her.

“I want to know why I am here. Why did you want me to stay at the castle?”

“Because our interests align,” Edmund shrugged. 

"That does not make ANY sense. You know I'm here to steal the king's crown. It's been in your family for generations. It might even be yours someday. What would you gain by having me steal it?" Amelia asked, baffled. 

"My reasons are my own and you are not to question them,” he huffed.

“Not good enough,” she replied angrily. 

He looked completely shocked for an instant that she dared to talk back to him. Then, his eyes narrowed, angry. 

“I beg your pardon? Why would I have to explain myself to a thief?”

“Because this thief needs some insurance that you won’t sell me out in a week just for your own fun,” Amelia said, trying to keep her voice business-like. “If you have good reasons to have me steal the crown, that means I have something to offer you. That means you can’t get rid of me whenever you are bored and want someone to torture.”

“And if my reasons are not good enough, if you feel I’m too much of a danger to you, what will you do? Leave?” he raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

His golden eyes were searching hers now. Amelia’s tummy did a flip. He then took his crown off and threw it at her feet. It was made of solid silver, with big topazes the color of his eyes ornamenting it. She had never seen such big precious stones so close. Amelia knew the crown was not magical like the Golden Crown of Skavon, but it sure was worth a lot.

Edmund’s expression was still inquisitive, with a hint of challenge in his eyes.

What was he playing at now?

“You said the other night the only reason you want to steal the Golden Crown of Skavon is for money,” he stated matter-of-factly. “If that is so, take my crown, and leave. It’s obviously not worth nearly as much as the Golden Crown of Skavon, but still more money than a little peasant girl like you has ever seen in her life. Well enough that you can finish your days in a big house and eat as much as you want.”

Amelia did not move. He was serious. If she took his crown and left, he would not run after her. But the Golden Crown of Skavon would still be King Leopold’s. That meant he would still be untouchable, invincible.

That meant no one could ever make him pay for what he did to her.

She could not leave the Golden Crown to that tyrant.

“Go on,” Edmund taunted her. “Take my crown and run off into the night. I swear I will let you go. I do not care about that thing. You can have the life you dreamed of”

She could see that he knew she was not going to do that. Seconds passed in agonizing silence. Then, his mouth turned into an arrogant smirk. Edmund took back his crown, and adjusted it on his own head.

“Maybe you have not been transparent about your own reasons behind wanting to steal the Golden Crown of Skavon either, little deer,” the prince remarked. “Maybe you saying it was all about the money was a lie. Maybe there is something more personal going on here.”

“Maybe.”

Her admitting it seemed to fill him with pride at having peeled off one layer of her metaphorical armor. 

“Then maybe you can believe me when I tell you our interests align,” Edmund said seriously. “I do not wish to discuss my reasons with you. All you need to know is that I would be glad to see that damned Golden Crown disappear.”

“Okay,” she found herself agreeing.

“I won’t reveal your secret, Amelia Cooper,” he continued. “You will stay at the castle for the next month, then steal the crown, then leave the castle forever. I will let you go with the crown, unharmed. I will even help you escape if I can. You have my word.”

Amelia had never trusted anyone’s word  before. Words meant nothing. Yet, she found herself believing in the Prince. He tried to hide it, but there was anger in his eyes, and hurt. He wanted to see the King unhappy almost as much as she did. Their shared hatred for Leopold would have to do. 

She nodded, and felt like that simple gesture had concluded the unspoken contract between them. Like she had given her word that she would steal the crown, and that she would not bother the Prince ever again after that.

“You promise to protect my secret, and I promise I will steal your Father’s crown, then disappear,” she said, needing their terms to be clear. “It is a deal, Prince Edmund.”

Amelia turned, intending to go back to the castle and try to get some sleep. She was in a hurry to get away from him. He had been nothing but rude to her, demanding and commanding as if he expected her to just cower in fear. He might be a Prince, and he might be stronger than her, but she was no one’s toy. 

Then why did she trust him so? Why did a part of her, deeply hidden and dark, like it when he berated her? Why did it feel like they were both playing a dangerous game?

And why was he so devastatingly  gorgeous?

Amelia’s hand was on the door handle, when she heard the Prince’s voice behind her.

“Oh and Amelia?”

“Yes, Prince Edmund?”

“Don’t ever lie to me again or you will regret it.”