Page 162 of The Darkness is Calling

“Children?” she asks, smiling more now, though still skeptical.

“Three. That’s all I want.”

This time, her crystal-clear laugh throws me into a euphoric state of fascination.

“That’s all?”

I don’t miss her irony, but I ignore it.

“So you better start thinking about the gift you want after the first birth. I was thinking of a summer house, two red luxury cars, three rare-edition Hermes bags, and a lot of diamond jewelry from Cartier and Van Cleef.”

She is laughing, but I am completely serious. She has no idea I’ve already found the house.

“I have an even better idea.”

I don’t even blink, waiting for her answer.

“A vacation together, far away from everything, where the phone doesn’t ring and we cut ourselves off from all the organization’s problems.”

I frown.

“We’ll do that as often as possible anyway. It has nothing to do with the gift a mother should receive after giving birth.”

“I’ve heard of that custom before, but not where we’re from.”

“Whoever wants to practice it does,” I inform her, remembering the stories a sheikh told me at the Christmas party. “And I want to give you everything you desire.”

“Right now, all I want is for you to kiss me, but carefully, so you don’t hurt your lip.”

I grin.

“You think I care about my lip? It will be my absolute pleasure to stain you with my blood, dusha moya.”

I lean down to press my lips to hers, but she places her palm against my chest and stops me, immediately moving a few centimeters back. She fixes me with her azure eyes – the ones I lose myself in every time.

“Now tell me why you’ve called me that since I first came to your house.”

I don’t even try to hide my smile.

“Because since Christmas, I’ve been a little obsessed with you. And when I saw you again, in my house, I felt you were the piece missing from the puzzle that should have formed my heart. You brought peace to my soul and silenced all my voices with your music. You have come to hold more power over me than I do.”

I pull her closer again. I don’t like her being away from me, not even by a few inches.

“If people knew how much I love you, they’d be terrified. Some would try to hurt us right here, but the smarter ones will know is better for them to run. Soon, the whole world will know what happens to those who touch my wife.”

She frowns a little. “There’s someone I don’t want you to hurt, though. Oliver’s sister. She’s innocent, and believe me, she’s completely different from everyone in that family. I don’t want anything to happen to her, especially since she was the only one who seemed to be on my side.”

“There are no innocent people, my soul.”

“Maybe some deserve a second chance.”

This is not the moment to argue with her, so I choose to let go this subject that has no place in our bed.

“You’re too good for this world,” I say, bringing my lips closer to hers. “Good thing I’m here to bring you onto the right path.”

She giggles, just as an older curiosity returns to my tongue, and now it’s my turn to pull back slightly.

“Why did you dye your hair?”