The Crown and The Rose
Chapter 73: Chuckle

Chapter 73: Chuckle

The Crown

My heart twists and a shiver rolls down my spine as the butterflies inside my stomach give me a tweak when Vermilion’s husky voice slashes through the chilly environment of the night. All my hormones are dancing at the end of my nerves and telling me to leap in and wrap my arms around that perfect masculine body of his. But I keep all the emotions in check as I lift my chin to match his gaze.

I stifle a shudder that rolls through me as my blue eyes meet his cool red ones. He looks absolutely downright devastating under the moonlight.

"We don’t have anything to talk about, My Lord." I fail to hide the slight tremble in my voice as I speak these words to him. Thank Gods I sent Zhen Xin to rest a few moments ago, or I would have died of embarrassment.

"Are you the one to decide that for me, Your Highnesses?" His voice is so seductive that it’s doing things to me that it shouldn’t be. He lowers himself so that he is at eye level, his face mere inches away from me. I can almost smell the coolness and spicy scent wafting off of him. "I am the one in charge here, Your Highnesses."

Oh Gods... He is just speaking but how is he managing to look this damn attractive and tempting at the same time?

My stomach clenches and I swipe my tongue over my dry bottom lip to lubricate it. Vermilion’s eyes drop to my mouth. The small, yet undeniable action sends wave after wave of butterflies swarming inside my stomach.

"My Lord sent me away..." This is all I manage to tumble out. My voice is so soft and so full of hurt that I am almost surprised.

I am hurt. And I am not afraid to admit it. Vermilion has to make it up to me before he demands anything from me.

My bottom lip pushes out into a small unintended pout. Vermilion looks almost amused as he opens his mouth to say something but is cut off by the sudden appearance of my uninvited best friend.

"Lush, I need you in the library with me." Rosalia approaches us, flipping through a thick book. She lifts her head from the book and her eyes dart between us. Her expression twitches.

Vermilion straightens up and takes a huge step back. I blow out a quiet disappointed sigh.

"Did I interrupt something?" Rosalia blinks, she knows damn well that she did.

"Not really." I run my clammy hands on my hips and take a quick breath in and out to calm the skyrocketing beats of my heart. "Why are you here by the way?" My lips stretch to a strained smile across my face.

"I have found a book that might as well help you." She flips shut her book, her eyes still lingering on Vermilion’s form. His presence is unignorable no matter how much you try not to pay attention to it. "But it’s so high up in the self that I can’t get it down. So I need your help with it."

"Sure." I cast a last glance toward Vermilion’s way before I start to follow Rosalia out of the yard, my heart rattling inside my chest.

Rosalia suddenly halts, and I bump into her. But before I can hit her, someone wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me backward. My back hits a solid, smooth surface of packed muscles and warmth. My breath stutters, and a small gasp wings out of my throat.

"Lord Vermilion, I wasn’t aware that you were willing to accompany us." Rosalia’s eyebrows are drawn together as she eyes Vermilion.

My poor heart is still palpating inside my chest as Vermilion lets go of me but he doesn’t step away, leaving a tingling feeling in his wake. Every nerve ending inside my body is yearning for his touch.

"Yes, crown princess." Vermilion’s eyes zero on her form.

Rosalia nods after a moment and then starts to move again. I quickly scurry after her, not wanting anyone to know how fast my heart is racing at the proximity of Vermilion’s presence. I am hyper-aware of Vermilion all the while.

***

The royal library of the Red Empire is huge but nowhere near to what Vermilion’s palace has. But it is still big. The walls are hidden behind the large bookshelves lining the walls. The books are neatly ordered in them.

"Where is the book that you spoke of?" I look around the library, reviling at the smell of books and the warmth radiating off of them.

"It’s there." Rosalia points at the corner of the shelves that is at least ten feet above the ground.

My jaw drops. "How the hell am I supposed to get it from there?" I snap my head towards her, "You don’t have a ladder?"

Rosalia disappears behind a few bookshelves and almost instantly pushes out a long ladder. "I can’t climb it. This is why I asked you to do it. Duh."

I grimace and scratch my nose before taking the ladder from Rosalia. Vermilion just stands around silently all the time as I position the ladder and start to climb it. Suddenly his long arm shoots out, grabbing me by my bicep and pulling me down, making me yelp. My heart gallops and my stomach flips as the support of the ladder slips out beneath me.

"W-What the hell...?!" I go crushing to his chest, his grip firm on me.

Vermilion doesn’t say anything as he holds out his free hand and the book from the top shelf drops on his palm. "Here." He passes the book to me, his expression as bland and smooth as ever.

I blink a few times dumbfoundedly, my mind racing to process what just happened, "Huh?"

And for the first time, making my heart completely stop for a few good seconds, Vermilion chuckles.

Vermilion chuckles. I mean he chuckles.