Rian blinked, then spotted my grin and burst out laughing. The laughter quickly subsided into a soft smile. “I thought I'd never laugh again.”
“I'm sorry.”
“No, don't apologize anymore, Mate. I know what I did. I see it clearly now.” He led me to a bench beside the enormous tub and sat down with me. “I had enough time to go over it in my head.” He grimaced. “You told me what you needed at the very start, and I saw the damage that had been done to you firsthand. What I did is unforgivable, a betrayal of your trust and love. I just hope you know that I didn't choose to do it, and I will never treat you that way again.”
“I do know that now. You're not Dhrostan, nor are you Rontor. You're Rian, and you're a better man than both of them. I don't just love you now. I trust you. I should have trusted you before. When you gave me a piece of your soul, I felt the goodness in you. I felt your need to protect me. You would never knowingly harm me.” I shook my head. “You've shown me that without a doubt. It's astounding that I could have ever thought you were capable of hurting me, even if it was just through dominance.”
Rian clutched my hand. “I know what you need, Galin. I can be that for you. Whatever you want.”
“What I want is to be with you.” I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. “I think we've both wasted too much time trying to please other people. As long as you respect me and treat me well, I don't care about the rest.” With a sudden epiphany, I realized it was true. So, I gave voice to those new truths, “I don't need to play games anymore. I don't need you to dominate me to make me feel safe. I have you. The absolute certainty of us. In that certainty, there is more security than any command, any silly game. So, behave exactly as you wish.”
With a twinkle in his eye, he asked, “Just don't demand to be called master?”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. “No. Never again. But if you do want to play with me, just a little, I wouldn't mind some roughness now and then.”
“Roughness?” Rian frowned.
“Nothing abusive, just . . . forceful,” my voice went low and so did my stare.
When I lifted my gaze, Rian's matched mine in intensity.
“Forceful, eh?” his voice changed as well, going lower, more rumbly.
“Yes. I liked the way you pushed me over the counter.”
“You did?” He grinned.
I stood up abruptly. “Yes, but don't get too excited yet, Your Majesty. We need to get you clean first.” I hurried to thedeep tub, set on a pedestal like his bed, and turned on the taps. “Geris was right. You stink.”
Rian chuckled and then there came the sound of fabric shifting. When I finished with the taps and turned back around, I found him striding toward me, naked, his erection like a divining rod, leading him to me. He was as glorious as ever, even with the blood and dirt covering him. I'd thought he was withered, but it was just the way he'd been holding himself, all hunched inward. Now, he walked with his shoulders back and chin lifted. It put his glorious muscles on display, stretching them to their proper placement. Such a virile, vibrant man.
And he was mine.
“You'd better hurry, my jewel,” the Dragon King growled.
“Hurry?” I blinked, coming out of my Rian-daze.
“And get undressed.” He grinned wickedly. “Or I may just get you in the tub fully clothed. I know how you like it when I get rough.”
I grinned as my hands flew to the buttons of my shirt.
Chapter Fifty
Rian had done more than send the beetle trap off with Geris before he imprisoned himself. He had also closed my shop and seen to my employees, paying them to keep the place clean just in case I ever returned. The day after my return, I stopped by to see Raef and Arena, but I didn't have much time. I had a presentation to prepare for. They were ecstatic to see me, especially when I handed them each a royal invitation to the celebration that would follow my presentation to the Sken Dread. Hopefully, it would be a celebration.
There was much to do. But Rian and I faced it together. We had to organize the party, including instructing the royal scribes on who to invite (the entire Argaiv community, but also Furn, Hud, and my suppliers). There were menus to approve, rooms to be freshened, and clothing to be tailored. But the main work came when the Sken Dread began to arrive at the castle.
This wasn't just my presentation. It was also a display of Rian's competence. I was worried more than he was. Rian was brimming with confidence now that we were together. All he'd been worried about was how I'd handle moving in with him. He fussed over me my first night there—after I bathed him, then fed him. But in the morning, when I awoke with a smile, Rian smiledback and whooped, over his anxiety once assured that mine had been abolished.
But back to my presentation. For the last several days, we'd been prancing about the castle, speaking with every member of Rian's dread, putting on the performance of our lives. We laughed and joked with the Dragons, and Rian spoke on important matters with wisdom and ease. It was all going well, but I wasn't sure that the Sken Dread was convinced. Would they take the risk of an unstable monarch or would they use this opportunity to get rid of him? Now that Rian was back to himself, this was their only chance to get him off the throne. And all they had to do was reject me. Just one of them. Yup, the vote had to be unanimous or Rian would be forced to choose between the kingdom and me. And he'd proven without a doubt who he'd choose.
But it would all be over in a few hours.
“Are you ready?” Rian asked me.
We stood outside the throne room, staring at the closed double doors while the doormen waited for Rian to give the order to open them. Inside was the Sken Dread, hundreds of Dragons waiting to pass judgment on me. My people weren't allowed inside, not even my family, who had arrived the day before. They were waiting in the dining hall with the rest of the non-Dragon guests, having cocktails and appetizers until we announced whether it was to be a celebration of my new status or a farewell party for Rian.
My stomach rolled over.
