As the keyturned in the lock, that was the first day of my prison sentence, and when I met her today, I was a free woman. Julius has given me the courage to face my fears because for so many years now my greatest one went by the name of Morgan Sorcusi. Now it appears my greatest fear has changed because the most fearful thing in my life right now is losing him.
When I reach our room,it already feels like home. Julius is all around me, from the dark beauty of the furnishings to the scent he wears lingering in the air. I wander through his closet, surrounding myself with his aura, and as I drift into the bathroom, I smile as I gaze at the tub, remembering the one in France, the one where I believe I fell in love with him.
I sit on the edge and smile, thinking back on the best time of my life. We were normal back then. Two people fleeing all of this. People like us, yet back there we were normal.
“Hey.”
His husky voice interrupts me, and my gaze softens when I see him.
“Hey.”
My smile is happy but still doesn’t quite reach my eyes, and he appears concerned about that.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing really, just–” I heave a sigh.
“I remembered France and how happy I was in that crumbling gîte. Who would have thought I’d crave that when you have brought me to a place like this.”
He crosses the room and sits beside me on the edge of the tub and laces his fingers with mine.
“It was a special time.”
“It was.”
I love how our hands fit together, the rings reminding us of our impetuous decision.
“I’m sorry if I ruined your life, Julius.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The fact you were instructed to marry me for my fortune and, as it turns out, there isn’t one.”
“I’m not so sure about that, and for the record–”
He grasps my face and turns it to face him, and the desire glittering in his eyes causes my breath to hitch.
“I would marry you even if you had nothing, Rose, because to me you are already everything.”
It’s as if the continent moves and the cracks reveal a little of the humanity inside him, and I can’t tear my gaze away as he lowers his lips to mine. The kiss is sweet, not passionate, merely loving, causing my pulse to race as something shifts between us.
This kiss is the sweetest as he cups my face in his hands and deepens it, leaving me in no doubt that he means every part of it. My heart actually flutters as I kiss him back, giving it everything,himeverything, and as he pulls away, he jerks his head toward the bedroom.
“Come, let’s go and make that baby again.”
My smile is bright and my heart full as I follow him, all thoughts of my birthright firmly pushed away for another day. All that matters now is being with the man I love, and I wonder when I’ll tell him that.
41
JULIUS
Rose has somehow become the most important person in my life and deserves to be treated as such. I’m usually a man who takes rather than asks, and yet it’s important to me to make her my queen. I love how she hides her devilish spirit wrapped in an innocent one, and kissing Rose is a pleasure that I could indulge in for most of the day.
We take it slower this time and as we fall onto the bed, naked and desperate, I marvel at how far I’ve come. It’s as if she shines a light on my dark soul, enabling me to see more clearly.
I will be the biggest bastard to anyone who attempts to interfere with what we have, and if anything she has made me even stronger, more deadly, more brutal and for a man who has ruined many things in his life, Rose has taught me that if you love someone with all your heart, it only makes you more powerful.
I accept that I love her. There can be no other explanation for the passion inside me when she merely looks in my direction. I wonder if I will ever tell her that. Those wordsdon’t sound right when I voice them in my head because emotion is something I’m uncomfortable with. But my heart is full of it, and that is fine by me as long as it keeps my secret. Loving Rose has crept up on me in a surprise attack, and I will do anything to make her happy.
