Kept: An Erotic Anthology by Holly Roberts, Leia Shaw, Cari Silverwood, Sorcha Black, Angela Castle, C. L. Scholey Page A

of the show venue, he set her down and she swayed a little as she tried to gather her wits and figure out what the heck was going on.
    She met his intense blue gaze, her cheeks heating enough to fry eggs.
    “I only just remembered.”
    His gaze softened; his arm like an iron band around her waist. “Everything?”
    Her cheeks went supernova, and her throat closed up, leaving her capable only of nodding.
    His face morphed into a lustful, yet calculating grin. “Are you disappointed, my wife?”
    “I uh…”
    How could anyone be disappointed in marrying a six and a half foot, Greek god with sparkling, blue eyes and inky, black hair, not to mention he was really built and easily lifted her size sixteen body without even sounding puffed. She should be jumping into his arms and begging for him to 'take me, take me' instead of glaring at him and demanding… “Why me?”
    He smiled again. She struggled not to melt into a puddle of goo, and sigh at how sexy he was. He reached around her neck, freeing her hair from its clasp as if he had every right to do so, and it fell in soft waves around her shoulders. He stroked the back of his hand across her cheek in a soft caress.
    “I shouldn’t have left you alone. Giving you time to adjust was my mistake. I know you have questions and I have answers, but for now, let’s say you are irresistible to me.”
    Suspicion grew within her at his words. Men as drop dead gorgeous as the man holding her didn’t marry frumpy, fat girls from Australia, unless…
    “Your Highness, the human security forces are coming. We must move now.”
    She blinked, her eyes widening at the implication of the other man’s words.
    “Your Highness?”
    “I am the King of half the known galaxy, sweetheart, which makes you my Queen.”
    He nodded to someone behind her, guiding her through the casino floor towards the elevator.
    He is a king, a frickkin king! Of what—the mental asylum ?
    None of this made sense. Her confusion sparked into anger, forcing her to dig in her heel and try to pull out of his arms. Where was he taking her, now?
    “Wait! I’m not going anywhere, yet. I know you're good looking, and frankly I don’t care if you are a King. I don’t know you from Adam, and I’m not going anywhere with you.”
    “Adam? Frankly? Who are these men? I don’t want to hear of your past lovers. You married me last night, not them.”
    Ash’s mouth opened and closed like a guppy out of the water. Who the hell was this wacko, and what planet has he been living on? Sure, he switched on her body and made her burn hotter than Guy Fawke’s day, but he was clearly nuts.
    “That doesn’t count. I was drunk and not in my right state of mind. I would have married King Kong last night.”
    “You are mine not King Kong’s!” The sheer, possessive jealousy flashed in his eyes, and his fingers bit into the flesh at her waist, tugging her tighter against him.
    “Your Highness, if I may, she didn’t mean—”
    Ash turned her head to see Lance standing there. He kind of looked different—taller and more imposing than he was behind the bar.
    “You!" She shot daggers at the bartender. "This is your fault, setting me up with…with…him!”
    Lance shrugged sheepishly. “I was only doing my job, honey, he’s not so bad, really.”
    His job? Ash’s stomach twisted when the realization hit, she was set up.
    “Did my stepmother, or sister put you up to this? They’re always trying to humiliate me. I’ve had enough, you hear me! Enough, let me go!” She again struggled in the so-called King’s arms.
    “Lance, stay out of this,” growled King Psycho.
    Swamped with a mixture of panic and anger, Ash snapped and lashed out, screaming and kicking to get free. She wanted a piece of that smug bartender.
    “We have to move now, your highness.” There was an urgency in one of the other man’s tone as the group moved in to surround both her and K'marr while he gripped her wrists and pinned them to her