Chapter 258: Out of Control

The Red Star Empress seemed utterly powerless to answer Richard’s relentless questions. She was panting, her breath hitching just at the thought of a reply. She remained torn; she simply couldn’t bring herself to refuse him, but that didn’t necessarily mean she had agreed.

Many women are like this—they don’t say "no," but they look for a way to make the man stop. Yet, after being kissed, the Empress wasn’t entirely sure she wanted him to stop. To her, the experience felt beautiful, even sensational.

"Richard..." she whispered.

She called his name but couldn’t find the words to follow it, falling into silence once more. Richard, waiting for her response, raised an eyebrow before a slow smile spread across his face.

"I will hold back until you are ready, but let me kiss you again," he said. He immediately claimed her lips once more, kissing her deeply while pressing his body firmly against hers.

Instantly, the Empress’s breath turned hot. She trembled anew as Richard’s hand began to stroke her thigh through the slit of her gown. Between his touch and the wine coursing through her veins, she couldn’t deny the heat rising within her. There was a sudden, desperate urge to throw her arms around him, but she was far too bashful for such a bold move. Instead, she remained passive, surrendering to the sensation of his lips and his touch.

At this point, a verbal answer didn’t matter to Richard. This was a far clearer form of acceptance.

Only when the Empress seemed completely spent did Richard finally pull away. He stepped back, allowing her to sit back on the edge of the table. Her face was flushed deep crimson, and she looked at him with an expression of profound shyness.

She slipped off the table, murmuring, "I’ll clean this up!"

She gathered the plates with hurried movements, carrying them over to the sink. Richard watched her, letting her find her composure through the task. Once she had calmed down, she suddenly turned to him.

"Are you certain you want me? Why would you want a woman like me—someone older, a widow with a child?"

Richard hadn’t expected such a question. "I could have many young women from the great clans, but what if my heart wants you?"

"You might need to question your taste, then," she countered.

"In that case, do you think all the men who admire you—men like Dasmond—have poor taste as well?"

The Empress rolled her eyes. "That’s not what I meant."

"No need to explain," Richard replied, standing up and approaching her. She grew restless as he drew near, but she didn’t try to move away. He stepped behind her and pulled her into a back hug.

The Empress took a sharp, deep breath at the contact.

"Tomorrow, let’s go to Boundless City for a holiday," Richard whispered.

She froze, though her eyes searched his. A holiday? It wouldn’t be just a holiday; it was clearly a honeymoon he was after. In Boundless City, with no one to watch them, they would be practically free.

"Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you," Richard added. He reached out and pulled the tie from her hair, letting her wavy, slightly curled red locks cascade down her back. "I still want to be with you."

He lifted her by the waist and carried her into the living room. At this point, she finally turned her body toward him, looking as though she wanted to say something but found herself helpless once more.

In the living room, Richard sat on the sofa and pulled her onto his lap. The softness of her weight gave him an indescribable sensation.

"If the King knew what you were doing, he would hunt you to the ends of the earth," she whispered.

"Believe me, I am not like your other suitors. Even if the King were still alive, I would take you from him," Richard replied. "I’m curious, though—if that were the case, would you choose me? I heard your relationship with him was cold, nothing more than a political arrangement."

"How can you speak of such things so easily?" she said, rolling her eyes again.

"Don’t think it was easy for me to confess everything. But you’ve accepted me now, so I feel comfortable being honest."

The Empress remained silent.

"You don’t need to keep being shy. I am your man now—someone you can enjoy!" Richard said before kissing her again, his embrace tightening. He was aggressive, his tongue tracing her lips.

After his words of encouragement, Richard finally saw a clear response. She began to kiss him back, her hands finding his shoulders. It wasn’t the time for everything, but they were lost in a deep, lingering make-out session. Naturally, Richard’s hand strayed, sliding a strap down to expose her breast again, which he immediately cupped.

Bit by bit, the Empress grew bolder. Her hands moved from his shoulders to wrap around his neck, allowing him to let go of her waist without breaking their proximity. His other hand stroked her thigh.

Richard’s lips moved from her mouth to her neck. As he kissed her there, she began to sigh softly, no longer trying to hold back. When his lips traveled further down, they returned to her breast. He took her nipple into his mouth again, drawing a loud, sharp moan from her. She didn’t stop him; instead, she guided his head closer.

Richard continued until he was satisfied before finally stopping. "You are truly enchanting, Your Majesty," he said, gazing at her.

"You still call me that..." she murmured, looking embarrassed. "Stop now... I don’t want anything more to happen here." She quickly pulled her strap back up and slid off his lap.

Her fear was justified. In this city, a scandal would be ruinous. It wouldn’t just be about Richard cheating on Queen Lilith; it would be a firestorm involving the Red Star Empress, the widow of the late King. The King’s loyalists would be beyond furious.

"I’ll be going then," Richard said, standing up and heading for the door. He found it easy enough to control his urges, having spent his passion with Lilith the night before.

The Empress watched his retreating back with a flurry of emotions. She unconsciously touched the breast Richard had just been intimate with. The sensation lingered, and she realized she would never be able to forget the sight of him looking at her that way. Everything had happened so fast, but she couldn’t deny one thing: she had thoroughly enjoyed it.

The moment he was gone, a part of her wanted to call him back.

However, as Richard stepped through the gates of the residence, he ran right into Prince Alex, who was just returning. The Prince looked startled to see Richard at his home yet again.

"Richard," Alex blurted out, eyeing him from head to toe. The Prince seemed increasingly bewildered by how often Richard was coming around to see his mother.