“I love you too,” I whisper and the words linger in the darkness between us.
“Are … are you sure? Because you don’t have to. I can—like fuck right off right now if you want me to, beautiful.”
My laughter is a quiet rumble that slips away into a sad sound of realization.
He steps closer. His body envelopes mine. He holds me like I’m a forbidden secret only the two of us will ever know. The space between us doesn’t exist. His fiery scent, his warmth, his strength, it’s all around me.
“Zilo loved you first, you know?” Avain says from somewhere very close by.
My head lifts and the three of them are close now, circling me and staring down on me like they won’t ever leave this prison so long as I’m locked away inside it.
“Hardly,” Zilo says with a slow shake of his head.
His long hair is loose and hides his features from me but I see him glance my way briefly.
“It’s true,” Avain confirms with a taunting smile tilted at his friend. “I heard him confessing under the moon before everything happened.”
My eye widen but Zilo refuses to meet anyone’s questioning gaze. And we are all questioning this tall tale Avain is telling.
“I think you’re confusing cursing with confessing,” Zilo mumbles.
“No, no, no,” Roman says as he folds his arms solidly across his chest. “By all means, please tell us what you whispered to the goddess just last night about the woman you’re constantly warring with.”
We wait. All three of us hang on the silence as Zilo’s lips open and then close. He studies me then, his gaze unfiltered as he looks down his strong nose at me.
And then with a long, heavy sigh, he gives in.
“I said—I said, I know I brought her here to steal the heart of a cruel prince.” His lashes close slowly and he exhales even slower. “And I knew Avain would love her with ease. I knew Roman would fall under her spell … I just … I didn’t think I’d fall for her too.”
His gaze is heavy and unblinking. The weight of his stare sends a shiver across my arms that shakes me to my core. My heart pounds in my ears and I feel all three of them staring at me. But all I see is him.
“Zilo,” I whisper and my voice cracks. My fingers slip into his warm palm but he simply shakes his head at me.
“I don’t expect your love, Cersia.” His smile is halfhearted and hurts my heart right to the core. “You’re the most beautiful woman in all the realms and I’m—I’m a fucking guard. But what I said to our goddess is true. You’re an impossible woman, Cersia. And you’re impossible not to love. I just want you to know that.”
“As are you,” I whisper to him as my palm slides up the spine of his back ever so slowly. I pull him against me and his brows furrow together in confusion.
He’s clearly never been seduced before.
What a shame. You’re telling me no women has ever looked Zilo in his hardened eyes and thought…you’d be a fun ride to climb. If I survive.
“What are you thinking?” he asks hesitantly and all those dirty thoughts slip right out of my head as I realize he truly is confused about our closeness in this moment.
Intimacy is a bewildering sentiment to someone who’s only ever felt cruelty.
I lift against him, my palms flattening over his smooth chest as I inch little by little on my tip toes. His attention shifts over my features like he can’t possibly guess what might happen next. He doesn’t lower for me in the slightest. Why would he, after all?My fingers shove hard through those soft long locks of his. His eyes widen as if an inkling of a clue might be rattling around in his mind. I have to pull him roughly down against me. His gasp of surprise is a delicious sound that catches against my mouth.
And before he can piece it all together, I slam my lips to his.
The tension in his spine flexes before easing into calm for possibly the first time in his entire life. Big hands slide slowly down my back and he pulls me flush against his hard body.
Goddess he’s huge. Why does that thought alone make me moan against his lips?
“Fuck you’re tiny,” he growls out and I smile against his kiss as he devours me all over again.
His storming feet pound over the flooring and my back hits the cold wall before I even realize what’s happening. Warm fingers slide beneath my pants. I shove at the offensive material until they’re pushed fully from my hips by a gentler set of hands.
“Why the rush, beautiful?” Roman asks as he kneels and helps me step out while Zilo’s teeth nip along the lowest part of my neck, catching my breath with every slow press of his lips against my skin.
