Page 119 of The Governess and the Orc
Oh. Cecily had claimed to be guilty of Rathgarr’s theft… for them. To protect them, at risk to herself. And so she would never be able to return to the Fitzwalds’. So she could stay with them here, safe, for always.
And without quite noticing how, Geva was clutching Cecily close, swaying her back and forth, while Rathgarr’s strong arms circled tight around them both. “Oh, sweetheart,” Geva said thickly. “But that’s such a risk for you. And what if you change your mind about going back someday?”
“I won’t,” Cecily choked, into Geva’s shoulder. “I hated living there. And Iwantmy horrible aunt to spend the rest of her life digging for her ugly jewelry in that well, and hopefully she’ll fall in while she’s at it, too!”
Her voice had gone surprisingly vicious, and if Geva wasn’t mistaken, that was a soft, affectionate little chuckle from Rathgarr against them. “Ach, I should long to see this also, daughter,” he said, with marked approval in his voice. “The only trick is, I ken, I stole so much that your aunt shall no doubt next have the well dug. Mayhap by teams of men.”
Cecily instantly yanked back from them again, her hands clapped over her mouth. “Oh noooo,” she moaned. “And if they don’t find anything, she’ll go back to suspecting you, after all! My good Ash-Kai scheme is all afailure!”
Both Sune and Timo were looking deeply alarmed too, glancing urgently between Geva and Rathgarr. But Rathgarr was looking up beyond them, toward where Ulfarr was looming nearby, a ghastly scowl on his face.
“You yet have some of these jewels, then?” Ulfarr demanded at Rathgarr. “In that foolish trove-room of yours?”
Rathgarr blinked, but then nodded, a slow, satisfied grin stealing across his mouth. “It was far too unsightly to wear,” he said smugly. “Keep a trinket or two to sell as you wish, ach, brother?”
Ulfarr jerked a nod and stalked off, leaving Cecily staring in awestruck wonder after him, and then glancing excitedly toward Sune. “Does he mean — your heart-father’s going to go all the way there to throw the jewels down the well for us?” she squeaked at him. “You Skai are sothoughtful, Sune!”
Sune’s face reddened, but he was looking decidedly pleased, too, and Rathgarr reached over to give him a cheerful clap on the shoulder. “No good Ash-Kai scheme comes about without the help of a loyal Skai, ach? And” — he clapped at Timo’s shoulder, too — “very oft a thoughtful Grisk, also. It was very wise of you, Timo, to guide your sister to speak to us thus, for now her clever scheme shall be saved, after all.”
Timo, who had been looking rather put out, was proudly grinning again, and soon the three of them had taken off toward the corridor, happily chattering and signing together as they went. Leaving Geva and Rathgarr behind in the far quieter schoolroom, occupied now only by a few lingering Ka-esh and Ash-Kai, as well as Kalfr, who was very intently wiping off the crumb-strewn tables.
Geva’s smile faded as she watched him, because of course, Kalfr’s son had been one of their very first diplomatic visits together. But it had been a frustrating disappointment from start to end, and they’d been firmly sent on their way without a single short conversation, or even a glimpse of Kalfr’s son. Two follow-up visits had met the exact same result, and by this point, Geva was sorely tempted to propose a proper Ash-Kai kidnapping scheme, after all.
But she knew Rathgarr had been frequently thinking of Kalfr’s son, too, and she wasn’t surprised when he strode over to Kalfr, and slung an arm over his slumped shoulder. “Do not lose hope yet, brother,” he said firmly. “I have a new scheme hatching, ach?”
Kalfr didn’t look overly comforted by this, but Geva was already feeling decidedly reassured as she and Rathgarr left the room together, his hand suggestively lingering on her arse. “A new scheme, hmmm?” she asked lightly, glancing up toward his smug, satisfied face. “I don’t suppose you were planning to tell me about this anytime soon?”
“Not yet, poppet,” Rathgarr replied, just as lightly, as he steered her down the corridor toward their bedroom. “An Ash-Kai always needs a few secrets.”
Geva rolled her eyes at him, but didn’t actually bother arguing, and once he’d led her into their room, and begun taking off their clothes, she willingly leaned into the warmth of his touch, the spread of his hungry fingers. Because yes, perhaps Rathgarr would always be his devious, enraging, secretive self… but in all the ways that mattered, he was still hers. Hers, with his generosity and his greed, his secrets and his confidences, his commands and his worship. His trust.
And hers, in the way he spread her out on their bed for him, fully bared, but for his beads and jewels. While he knelt before her clad in only his wedding-ring, his eyes shimmering bright as he bent to kiss the smooth brown swell of her waist.
“I love you, my Geva Okoro,” he whispered, as he gently kissed up her belly, between her breasts, until he’d found her mouth. Meeting her so soft and sweet, his tongue curling with careful, tender reverence. “My clever schoolmarm, my pretty poppet, my fierce Ash-Kai mate.Mine. Ach?”
He still said it so often with the question — even now, as he parted her thighs with his, and slid himself up deep between, watching with those greedy, glinting eyes as she arched and gasped upon him. Needing to hear her say it, to know she still meant it, no matter how selfish he was, or how many secrets he kept. Needing to know that he could just be, just as he was, and still hoard her body, her heart, as his own.
But yes, he could, he would, he always, always had, because he washers, and she trusted him, just as he trusted her. And Geva revelled in the truth of it, wrapped herself around him, met his kiss with hers. Not thinking forward, or back, but just… this. Her own brightest jewel, her own hoard, here, beneath her own greedy fingers. Hers.
“Yes, Rathgarr of Clan Ash-Kai,” she whispered back. “For always.”
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THE END
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