Tangled Web by Crista McHugh Page B

you were bound to no one,” he said quietly, “but as long as you reside in my palace, I will never share you with another man.”
    When he possessively squeezed her hand, a gasp broke free from her. Her mouth went dry. Could he possibly mean what he said? She swallowed and found her voice. “I am your concubine. No man is supposed to look at me without your permission.”
    “And I guard my treasures jealously.” He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed it.
    A jolt of fire shot up her arm. How could he unnerve her so quickly from such a simple gesture? Deep inside, she found the answer. He was the first person who actually seemed to give a damn about her. Not even Cassius had treated her like this. She had been a weapon he could train, not a treasure.
    With his free hand, Titus stroked her cheek. “What you tell me only strengthens my resolve to free the slaves. No person should be forced to do things like that.”
    He released her hand and reached for the goblet. Time seemed to stand still. Her pulse thudded in her ears. Common sense told her to sit back and let him drink the poison, but a new, raw emotion overpowered it. Fear raced down her spine, stiffening it vertebrae by vertebrae. If she didn’t kill him, she was as good as dead.
    If she did, she’d forever wonder if she’d made a mistake.
    As the goblet neared his lips, she lurched forward. Wine splattered over both of them, staining the white linen of their clothes a deep red, and the goblet landed on the tile floor with a clang. A shudder of relief ripped through her as the last of the poisoned wine dripped into the cracks. She’d stopped him.
    Then she faced him, and her breath froze. His mouth hung open. Wine dripped from his jaw and his toga. If he had been her master, she would have received at least a slap to the face for her actions. She closed her eyes and braced for her punishment.
    His warm, calloused hand covered hers. “You’re shaking.”
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to be so clumsy.”
    “Open your eyes.” Lines creased his forehead when she did. “Why are you so terrified?”
    Because I almost poisoned you . She licked her lips, unsure what to say. Her chest rose and fell with quick, shallow breaths.
    His frown returned, and his fingers tightened around her hands. Did he know what she’d almost done? “Answer me.”
    “I—” Her voice broke. She couldn’t tell him the truth—she’d be executed immediately. A rivulet of wine trickled between her breasts. “I’ve ruined your clothes and my new dress,” she finally managed to blurt out.
    “And that frightens you?” His mood lightened, and some of the blood returned to her cheeks.
    “Yes. Whatever punishment you have for me—”
    “Punishment?” He threw his head back and laughed. “Do you really think me so uncivilized that I would strike you for a simple accident?” His hand curled around her neck and pulled her closer to him so his lips grazed her forehead. “They are clothes. They can be washed or replaced.”
    The knots in her shoulders began to unwork themselves. He didn’t suspect her.
    He tucked a stray curl behind her ear while his grin grew more devious. “Of course, this gives us the perfect opportunity to lick the wine from each other’s skin.”
    He lowered his head to her breasts, but she pushed him away. Even a small amount of the poison could make him ill. “Wine tastes sweet on the lips, but bitter off the skin.” She jumped to her feet and glanced around the chambers. By the gods, she must sound like a mad woman. “You have your own bath here, don’t you?”
    “Yes,” he drawled as he stood.
    The last of her unease slipped from her muscles. She had a new plan, one that would involve both of them getting naked and removing the last traces of poison from their bodies. Maybe he’d forget about her odd behavior tonight and stop asking so many questions about her past.
    Her nipples peaked under the wet linen as she