Page 87 of Broken Hearted
Adrien shifted, and I felt the press of his lips as they whispered over my forehead in a gentle kiss. “Having regrets?” he asked, his voice light and laced with humor, but he tensed when I didn’t immediately respond.
I pressed against his chest, forcing some space between us so I could look into his eyes. I saw concern and doubt there, and my heart squeezed.
Of course I had no regrets. I hadn’t meant to make him insecure about my feelings for him, but I wanted to be looking in his eyes when I told him that so he could see the truth as well as hear it.
Reaching up, I placed a hand against his cheek and ran my thumb over his full bottom lip, enjoying the smooth contrast to the rough stubble against my palm. His eyes became heavy and dark with desire, which sent a sudden bolt of awareness through me that I tried my best to ignore.
“Adrien,” I said, speaking deliberately. “I know I was scared before, but hear me when I say there’s nothing in this realm or any other that can make me regret the decision to be your wife.”
He released a heavy sigh, his relief clear as a soft smile turned up the corners of his mouth. But I wasn’t done.
“We don’t know what the future brings,” I admitted. “But whether we have a lifetime together or just a few more days, marrying you will always be the best thing I ever did.”
Adrien growled low in his throat and tugged me closer. “Wewillhave a lifetime together,” he vowed, his voice deep and dripping with conviction. “I won’t allow anything less.”
“And I look forward to every single day of it,” I said as I smiled up at him.
I loved seeing the fire stoke in his gaze as I ran my fingers slowly down the column of his neck until my hand rested over his heart once again. This time, it beat a furious pace under my palm.
He let out another low noise that was half growl, half moan. “Do you think we have time to find that sleeper car?”
I grinned, liking where his mind was going. I opened mymouth to tell him it was worth a try when the train whistle blasted, interrupting me.
“We’re fifteen minutes from the station,” Zane called from somewhere behind me, and Adrien heaved a frustrated sigh, looking up at the roof of the train car before tipping his head back down to me.
Reaching out, he traced my upper lip and then lower lip with the tip of his finger, his gaze following the path. His attention made my mouth feel extra sensitive, and I wanted nothing more than for him to kiss me, and kiss me hard.
“As anxious as I am to get you alone,” he said, his voice dropping an octave and making a delicious thrill run through me, “what I have planned for you will undoubtedly take longer than a quarter of an hour.”
His words caused a fire to stoke low in my gut, and it was my turn to smother a groan.
A smile broke out on Adrien’s face at my reaction. Leaning down, he placed a feather-light kiss on my lips that in no way satiated the desire now running through me before pulling back again. “The wait will be worth it.”
“Do you promise?” I asked breathlessly, even though I’d done no physical activity.
“Always.”
* * *
It was a flurry of activity when we reached the station in Windreum. Stryker and Aribella had arrived only a few hours before us in themiddle of the night. The sun was just starting to crest the horizon as we traveled through the city to Zane’s castle. Once we arrived, even though it was early, we all went to meet Stryker and Aribella in Zane’s drawing room.
I wasn’t as close to the Fall Court princess as I was to Dawn, but our reunion was still a warm one. We hugged and her face beamed when she heard that Adrien and I were married. She introduced me to her husband, Stryker, who was as handsome and fearsome in person as I remember him being when he’d appeared in my room with the rest of them.
Stryker didn’t come off as a particularly warm fae. I could tell it would take more than one interaction to feel at ease with the brooding lord, but what sold me on him was how he looked at Aribella. The way his eyes lit up with unveiled love and his face softened told me everything I needed to know. There was no doubt in my mind that he loved her deeply, and that was enough for me.
After strategizing the whole morning and listening to Zane argue with his brothers again about trying to make a portal immediately, we all finally convinced Zane to wait another day. Yet the compromise was that he would leave at first light and not a moment later.
Assuming this portal he and his brothers intended to make even worked. He hadn’t explained much in detail, just that with their combined magic they should be able to do it and it would leave them all weak for a day afterward. I just trusted that they knew what they were doing.
We disbanded after that, Zane going to gather what he needed for his journey. Since we’d all been traveling and were tired, Dawn,Zander, Aribella and Stryker retired to their rooms to rest. Before resting myself, I wanted to check in on my sister and explain to her about my marriage to Adrien. It was going to be a shock to her to find out that I’d married the Ethereum lord, and I didn’t want her to hear about it from anyone else.
I told Adrien I also wanted to clean up. I wasn’t a particularly fussy princess with regards to fashion and appearance, but my hair felt like a litter of squirrels had made their home in it and my clothes were stiff and uncomfortable. And if I were being honest, less than fresh smelling.
Adrien was gracious about my wanting to visit my sister, and gave me a toe-curling kiss before letting me go that almost had me abandoning my plans.
I went as far as to turn to follow him when my name was called, snapping me out of it.
When I glanced over my shoulder I saw my sister running up the stairs to meet me, her dark hair streaming behind her. Zane’s healer must have been one of the best because the color had returned to her face, and since she was running, she didn’t appear to have any lasting physical effects from her ordeal.
