She kisses me back with the same desire to breathe and live.
For what seems like an eternity, there’s nothing but us, our mouths, our connection.
Loving her hurts so much.
After spending the entire night with Eve, we have to leave the Thermal Nebula Chamber. Reluctantly, we return to our suite, so that I can shower and dress, and prepare for three weeks of pretending that I am okay while managing our business out in the galaxy. When, in fact, everything is far from okay. I own the woman I would choose as my wife, if the laws weren’t as they are. I have to humiliate her daily according to the law, and it’s literally killing Lorian and me. It’s testing even our brotherly bonds.
When it’s time to say goodbye, I slide my silver ring off my finger. The one I’ve worn since the day our mother acknowledged Lorian and me as heirs to the Ascendant Alliance. The metal is warm from my skin, etched with the faint sigil of Reima Two.
“Hold out your hand.”
She hesitates, then obeys. Her fingers tremble as I drop the ring into her palm.
“I can’t take this.” She tries to give it back to me, but I wrap my hands around hers, pressing it into her palm.
“Keep it as a reminder that you’re under my protection, even when I’m not here.”
“It’s heavy,” she says, putting it on her thumb, and even there it’s too big.
“It should be. Everything worth carrying is.” I watch her look at the ring on her hand. “Keep it and yourself safe.”
“Lorian will take care of me.”
“Of course, he will do the best he can,” I say, and then I have to force myself to turn and walk away before I change my mind about leaving.
58
BEAUTIFUL SINNER, LORIAN
With Rafe gone,the air between Eve and me has shifted. Without his moderating presence, we're left with what remains.
Master and slave.
"Come with me, Eve," I say, holding her leash. "We're going to the shrine."
Eve gets up from her chair and allows me to clip the leash onto her collar and then follows me out the door without question, walking behind me as required.
As we enter the shrine, it welcomes us with the scent of incense, and the twelve goddesses in their silver holographic forms rotating slowly watching us. I seal the doors and activate the privacy protocols that will keep even the Starlight Array from being able to monitor us.
"Strip," I command Eve.
She obeys, letting the thin pet clothing pool at her feet, and I notice Rafe's silver ring glinting on her thumb.
"Do you know why I brought you to the shrine?" I ask, running a hand through her long brown hair.
"To atone."
"To atone for what?" I ask wondering what she’s done now.
"Everything." Her voice is steady. "For the lives I saved that cost you millions. For the love I feel that I shouldn't. For wanting things that make me a hypocrite. But I can’t truly atone here. These are not my goddesses; they’re yours, and they can’t grant me salvation."
I trail one grey finger along her collar. "You pray to the wrong god. You know how I know?”
She doesn’t answer me.
“Only goddesses can give birth.”
“My God said he created us.”
