Catherine saw that dangerous smile, and for a fleeting second, it dragged her back to another lifetime.
Her lips parted before she realized she was biting them.
It wasn't just memory. It was her body, too, that responded to him. For a moment, her thoughts felt scattered, dulled by a warmth that wasn't rational.
Of course, Maximilian could do this.
If he had a goal, he would move mountains to reach it. She knew that better than anyone. He had been a king who won wars not just with strength, but with a mind that saw ten steps ahead of everyone else. Calculated. Patient. Relentless.
A terrifying enemy to have.
The only thing that should surprise her now was the scale of his power in this life. A mere history professor could not orchestrate something like this in a matter of hours.
"I told you she'd come to us," he said evenly. "She's not easy to break. She won't bend that quickly."
Catherine studied him… really studied him.
