Page 78 of The Bride of Lycaster
“Do you stilllove him?”
The flame flickered again and then snuffed itself out. The dim moonlight and Riyan’s breath were the only signs of life in the room. I closed my eyes and savored the touch of his gentle hands as they smoothed my hair. His hands fell and I betrayed my sense by wishing he wouldkeep going.
As if he heard my foolish plea, his touch returned. I took in a shuddering breath as his fingertips grazed my temples, my cheekbones, my jaw, my neck, and finally my collarbone. The cracks in my granite heart grew bigger and a warm light glowed out ofthe seams.
Time stopped again. Riyan and I were alone in the darkness. No one else in the world existed. I could be honest. I let out my fear with my breath as his hands left my body, ready to give him the answer he had waited for sinceyesterday evening.
“No,” I replied. “Inever did.”
Riyan exhaled and his breath warmed my shoulders to match the warmth of my chest. I twisted in the chair to face him and we finally looked each other in the eye at the same height. Riyan’s eyebrows were slightly knitted and his lower lip trembled. His mouth was silent, but his chest rose and fell as the moonlight glowed inhis eyes.
He did not say it, but I still understood—he realized that he never brokemy heart.
My breath stilled, waiting for the fallout from my dishonesty, but Riyan’s face softened. He was not angry with me for lying,he was…relieved.
All he wanted from mewas honesty.
The warm glow around my heart burned brighter, but my stomach knotted in fear of what could come out of my mouth next. I was freeing my secrets like finches from an iron cage and I did not know what else I washolding in.
Riyan broke the silence before any more truths could escapemy heart.
“I…I want to make you happy, Serafina,” he said breathlessly. “I wanted to send you back to Hyton as quickly as I could, but if you want to be with…if you want tostay here…”
Before I knew it, I was on my feet and out of the chair, the light in my chest glowing brighter and warmer. My head was higher than his. Riyan did not speak, but he did not need to—his glistening eyes spokefor him.
My heart pressed into my ribs toward Riyan. The drops of magic in my blood sang out for me to touch him. I began to reach for him, but then stopped myself and drew myhand back.
No—it was too much, too fast. Damn the magic of the blood bond, I couldnot just…
But like the rays of sun from a breaking dawn, the golden warmth flowed through my veins to my fingertips and won over my fear. I reached over with bravery and hope pulsing through my blood and gently brushed the stray hair out of the middle ofRiyan’s forehead.
Riyan held his breath as I let my fingertips linger on his temple for a heartbeat. He was so damn warm. Ineeded more.
I lowered my hand and gently traced his cheekbone. I caressed the hard lines of his face like I was charting a new world. Riyan let me explore, his eyelashes only fluttering down a few times—as if he did not want to take his eyes off me for asingle blink.
I had already surrendered to the fact that he was handsome, but I suddenly had a deeper appreciation for him that I could notquite grasp.
His soft breath on the inside of my wrist nearly made me jump as I realized why I was having such a strong connection with him. I was not seeing him as the Beast, the monster, the hero, the pitiful child of magic, or just as my husband—I was finally seeing him asa person.
I let my fingertips rest on his strong jaw. As if my touch had given him the bravery he needed, Riyan let out a whisper. “I want to make our marriage work, I just don’tknow how.”
My breath was so heavy, but I needed to answer. “Me neither.” I let my hand drop from his face. “You arenot alone.”
Riyan caught my hand with his own. The skin on his palms was rough but his touch was soft. My cheeks burned as his heat traveled through his handinto mine.
“You know…a gentleman is supposed to kiss a lady’s hand,”I said.
“Really? Why?” Riyan asked witha chuckle.
“I…well, no one ever explained why,” I replied. “I suppose gentlemen do it to show affectionand respect.”
Riyan’s eyes twinkled. He brought my hand up to his massive lips and gave it a soft kiss. The light in my veins sparked even brighter. Sunspots danced in my head as heat surged upmy arm.
“This is what you want?” Riyan asked with a half-smile and a raised eyebrow, the heat of his breath kissing my hand as he spoke. “You want me to pretend to bea gentleman?”
Good question. WhatdidIactually want?
“A gentleman is better than a brute who throws blades.” I gave him a smile as I tried to tame the restless energy beneathmy ribs.
