It hit me then. I had failed. A crushing weight returned even though the chain was on the floor, halfway across the room from me. I hadn't proved myself to Vax. Now, he might never forgive me.
“I'm sorry, Your Majesty,” I said. “Can we try again? Please? I can do better. I wasn't prepared. Now, I am. Put the collar back on. I promise not to scream. I'll do whatever you want.”
Vax yanked me closer and buried his face in my hair. Strange, wounded sounds came from him before he said, “No, sweetheart. You are never going to be chained again. You will never wear a collar. You are no one's slave. You never were.”
“But I can do it. For you. I'll do it.”
Vax made a broken cry and clutched me tighter. “Damn you, Zix! Why did you leave me?”
“You know why. I told you. I left because I was scared. I didn't trust your offer. It was too good for someone like me. I left because my loyalty to Teng has always come first. I left because I didn't know that I was in love with you.”
Vax went still. He lifted his head and met my stare. “You love me?”
“Do you think I'd go through all of this if I didn't? I mean, you're good in bed, but not that good.”
Vaxarion snorted a laugh. But then his expression went soft. “I love you too.”
“I know.” I smirked. “I figured it out.”
“You little shit,” he growled.
I yanked Vax into a kiss and that stopped his ire. Transformed it into something wonderful. Loving. Holy shit. I had just told the Sea King I loved him. And he said he loved me in return. He had forgiven me at last. Now, we just had to find a way to make a romance between a king and a pirate work. But I suppose stranger things had happened.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Once freed, I realized how fun it was to be Vaxarion's slave. So, I kept it up a little longer. It was so much better to pretend that I had to obey him than actually have to obey him. And the lack of a collar helped.
We decided to stay in his apartments for one more day. Vax sent for breakfast and we ate in bed. I fed him as usual, but this time, he also fed me, taking delight in holding the food to my lips and letting me suck it from his fingers. We were both blissful, smiling non-stop. We kissed in between bites and swigged cool water, sweetened with the juice of sea berries. The food was fit for royalty, but we ate it like pirates. Here was the merging of worlds I worried about. So far, so good.
Vax smoothed my hair back and said, “I didn't know it would hurt you like that. I didn't fully understand what I asked of you.”
I sighed. “Because I didn't tell you all of it. I guess I assumed what I did tell you was enough. That you would know how much the thought of being a slave again scared me. It was why I offered myself to you in that way. It was the biggest sacrifice I could make.”
“I know that now.” He kissed my cheek. “And I should have known it before. I mean, I assumed it wouldbe uncomfortable for you, but you'd been wearing the collar without issue. I didn't think the chain would make that much of a difference.”
“I knew,” I muttered.
“You could have said no.”
I held his stare as I said, “No, I couldn't have.”
“Zix,” Vax's tone went tender. “I'm so sorry.”
“So am I. I never intended to humiliate you.”
He pressed his forehead to mine, breathing with me, then eased back. “I can't see you like that again. Your pain nearly broke me.”
“No problem. Just don't chain me.”
Vax snorted. “I vowed it, didn't I? No one will ever chain you again. I'll make sure of it.”
“So your anger is appeased?”
“My anger died in the flames of your past. You burned away those stupid walls I'd built between us and showed me what was important—that you had come back to me. I'm so sorry I didn't welcome you as I should have. I wanted to. But I was so hurt.”
“Let's not linger on our pain. It's over.” I smirked. “And that's a relief. Cause, babe, your anger is epic. I can't believe what you did to this room. And that poor garden.”
Vax sighed and set the tray aside. “There's something I need to tell you.”
