Free My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley

bleak truth was, he didn't really care anymore about sex or women or anything. All that mattered was killing Prometheans.
    He had all but accepted the fact that his once-splendid manhood, which had brought delight to so many was defunct, a poor fallen soldier who would not rise again.
    But lo and behold, he had discovered that he was wrong. He held hard evidence to the contrary in his hand. He gave it a welcome-back squeeze through his trousers: aye, a full-fledged and extremely needy erection.
    Well! It would seem his ol' fella had come raging back to life on account of the lovely Emily.
    Rather delighted by this surprising upward turn of events, he removed his hand from his crotch. Even his own touch felt wonderful after all that time, but he didn't dare push his luck.
    It occurred to him that this unforeseen and still tentative, instantaneous, nay, magical repair to his member could be of use if he could not get Emily to leave. If it was her virginity that could put her in danger from the Prometheans, perhaps they could do something about that, the two of them--only as a last resort, of course.
    He had been warned since boyhood in the most dire terms not to touch her, that if he misbehaved where his whimsical little playmate was concerned, her father would be dismissed from his post, and both Jack Harper and his violet-eyed daughter would be sent packing.
    Drake had obeyed his parents in this, all the more so when he grew old enough to understand the duty of a gentleman not to molest the females under his employ.
    Nor had he ever wanted to behave in a way that made Emily lose respect for him or cease to trust him. Quite in contrast to his many casual bed partners, she had become a necessity to him over the years, one of the few constant pillars of his life. She was always there for him to go home to whenever his work for the Order started steering him into a dark place in his head. She never had to say much. Just being around her soothing, quiet simplicity helped him sort things out in his own mind.
    So deeply was it ingrained in him to treat her as chastely as a brother that he barely dared allow himself to imagine what it would be like to make love to her.
    Still, if it came to a question of keeping her safe from these bastards and their sick hunt for a virgin sacrifice, perhaps there was something the two of them could do about that.
    The easiest way to guard her from the threat would be to make their ruse a reality. He could seduce her . . .
    His cock was alive and well, indeed, throbbing at the possibility. Drake slowly turned and peered over his shoulder into the room through the open balcony doors. Emily lay curled up on the edge of his bed, staring into the small fire she had built in the hearth before his arrival.
    His pulse pounded. He did not want her to cry. He did not want her to be sad or to doubt him or to see him as a traitor. Her opinion of him was one of the last things he still cared about in life. The temptation was strong.
    How easy it would be to go back in there and comfort her. Tell her it would be all right. She would believe him. She always did. He could touch her at last, and let her take him into her exquisite arms. Lay her down.
    He knew in his blood she wanted him, too.
    Then they could have what they both had longed for and fantasized over and totally pretended to ignore for so long, playing innocent, as if they were not in love, no matter who forbade it. At last, they could become lovers.
    Drake stared at the curve of her hip, his chest rising and falling with each deep breath in the hunger that gripped him. His blood was on fire.
    Yes, why not? he thought with a hard swallow, his pulse racing.
    But then came the grim reminder from his worldly, warrior half. Because you're going to die, it said. Remember what you're here for. She's already lost you once.
    You've already put her through enough.
    Well, that put rather a damper on his enthusiasm.
    He let out a cynical sigh and looked forward