Page 18 of King of Ashes
He presses his forehead to mine, his mouth a breath away. “Don’t tempt fate, wife. It always wins.”
It doesn’t escape me that he didn’t agree to my condition. Instead, he gathers me in his arms and carries me into his bedroom.
This day has been a rollercoaster, and I am afraid once I step off the wild ride, the dizziness won’t fade.
Placing me on my feet by the bed, he palms my face, brushing his thumbs along my cheekbones. “Let him have your heart, but your body is mine.”
Damn. I am screwed.
5
VIAN
The sun sets in the background, casting her in a golden glow—a divine gift, a goddess for me to unwrap, making it hard to discern dream from reality. Fuck, it wouldn’t be the first time.
A shot of fiery lust tears through my veins, making me burn for her. My fingers shake as I brush my knuckles against her soft cheek. Trying to keep my feelings contained borders on impossible, threatening to erupt from the pressurized keg I sealed a long time ago.
A little moan escapes her lush mouth, her eyes drowning in desire from just a touch.
Our chemistry sparked the first time we locked eyes. Our entire relationship dripped with passion, coated in endless layers of love. We were perfect together until we weren’t.
We gave in to each other like it was our destiny. No wonder I have cursed fate since it tore us apart. Yet it delivered her back to me.
Take it easy,I urge myself.
“You’re breathtaking,” I rasp, my voice overcome by raw emotion.
“I like the way you look at me,” she says, swallowing and her breath hitches.
“Like what?”
“Like you’ve been drowning and I am your first breath of air,” she whispers, her delicate brows furrowing.
Fuck, I am treading on a very fine line.
“I haven’t been with a woman in years,” I confess, hoping to redirect her thoughts somewhere else.
My distraction tactic works because her eyes widen, surprise etched in them.
A deep sigh rolls out of her delicate throat, and she offers me a small smile. “You must have really loved her.”
I gulp down the lump of emotion stuck in my throat. “With everything in me. I will never stop loving her.”
My eyes plead with that part of her she buried. It’s agonizing watching the woman you love stare back at you with no flicker of recognition. But I’ll take her any way I can.
“Good thing we don’t love each other. I am territorial,” she says, but there’s a question in her reply, as if she doesn’t know for sure.
She’s territorial, all right. We never gave each other a reason for jealousy. But between my possessive side and hers, it would have ended up deadly for anyone who even tried to come between us.
“I will be faithful to you,” I say, voice tinged with unwavering assurance.
“It’s just a marriage of convenience.” She tilts her head, not sounding sure.
Her internal conflict helps me preserve the small hope that her soul recognizes its mate.
“I expect loyalty from you too, so it would only be fair.”
Her face twists into a contrite expression. “Didn’t expect you to be…”
