Everything with her had always felt different. He’d had sex with countless females, countless times. And yet, he felt untried with her, discovering everything again for the first time. And they hadn’t evenhadsex yet.
He wanted to discover everything with her, including a new life, one they would build together. He wanted a family with her, he wanted to see her big with their child.
Dravka growled at that thought, feeling his cock twitch between them.
Valerie sighed then gave him a small, sad smile, one that set warning bells off in his head.
“I went to the Coms building in the Downtown District today,” she told him quietly, her eyes tracing over his face, lingering on his lips.
His brow furrowed.
“I managed to get in contact with Eve.”
Dravka stiffened underneath her.
“You talked to her?” he asked, pulling back to study her face properly. “You talked to Khiva?”
“Not Khiva,” she told him. “He was working apparently. On the firestones. They have a workshop, one they are hoping to expand.”
“Tell me everything.”
“They like Dumera,” Valerie said. It broke Dravka’s hearts that she kept her expression neutral, though he sensed a deep sadness within her. She was trying not to show him her despair because she believed she’d never see Dumera. “Eve…she’spregnant.”
A shocked breath whistled out of him. Though, he supposed that the contraceptive injection Madame Allegria gave them every year would’ve worn off for Khiva already.
That was when Valerie’s lip trembled. Just slightly.
“Ohmellkia,” he rasped, pulling her forward until her face landed in the crook of his neck.
His chest ached for her. He knew how much she wanted children. A family. Though she was undoubtedly happy for Eve, it was obvious to him how much that knowledge might hurt her. Because Eve had been able to leave Everton with Khiva. They were living happily on a far-away neutral colony. They were building a family.
It was everything Val wanted, everything Dravka wanted.
And she believed she would never have that future.
“I’m s-sorry,” she whispered. “Do…do you ever…?”
“Kruvu?” he murmured, keeping his touch gentle on her back. “Tell me.”
What he didn’t expect her to ask was, “Do you ever resent me?”
“Kruvu?” he rasped, his brow furrowing.
When she pulled back, her eyes were shimmering with tears. “Do you ever resent me…for not trying harder? For not trying to expose her more? For not trying to—”
“Stop,” he growled. “Of course not, Val! How can you even ask that? Youdidtry. Look what she did in retaliation.”
Her head dropped again, but he tilted her face up until she was forced to meet his eyes.
“I have never and will never resent you, Val,” he told her firmly, his brow furrowed. Wasthiswhat she thought? What she worried about? He pressed his lips to hers and murmured, “Ever.”
Relief filled him when eventually, he felt her slight nod.
“Pax?” he rasped, regarding her carefully.
She nodded again.
“Pax,” she whispered.
