Now, she let him pull away. He sat back, long arms draped over his bent knees on the bed. She didn’t mistake his posture for anything relaxed, though. His jaw was tight, his voice tense when he said, “There is no way for anyone to know we haven’t.”
She raised a brow. “Except they obviously figured it out. Carus made it seem like people would be more apt to swoop in and get rid of me if they thought we weren’treallymarried. I don’t know much about marriage traditions in Arcadia, but I’m getting the impression it’s all taken a lot more seriously than in the mortal realm.”
He sighed. “Not necessarily. Pretty sure the mortal royals are also sticklers about consummation.”
“Okay, yes, fine,” she said, rubbing at the slight ache in her neck. “All I’m saying is that it sounds pretty likely someone got Feron and his friend to do their dirty work for them. Meaning atleast a handful of people here are aware, and there are probably others eyeing my spot. The easiest way to get that to stop would be to get it over with and be obvious about it.”
“Or I could just track them down and kill them, like I did Feron and Sillas.”
A humorless laugh escaped her. “Really? You’d rather kill your own soldiers than touch me?”
“I’m fairly certain you know that not to be true, Nya.Youwere the one who just framed sex between us as something to get over with.”
“Then why?” The words came out quieter than she wanted, almost hushed.
He leaned his head forward, his hair falling in his face. “Lots of reasons. Because I never want you to think that’s expected of you. Because you were forced into this marriage. Because I’ve seen enough men use ‘duty’ as an excuse for consent—and worse.”
She took a deep breath. “You’re not your father, Morgen.”
“Perhaps not yet. I imagine it took time for him to become a ruthless tyrant who took pleasure in taking advantage of women and watching them die as a result.”
“It was always in him, I’m sure,” she whispered. “But you are not like that, and you never have been. The fact that we’re even having this conversation is proof. I know you saw far too much when you were young, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to flip a switch someday and change completely.”
He sighed deeply then surprised her by tugging her closer, his head resting against her torso. His voice was muffled when he said, “I’m sorry for what happened today.”
After a moment of stunned shock, she let herself relax into his embrace. “It wasn’t your fault.”
His arms tightened around her. “Maybe. Or maybe it was selfish not to tell you the risks.”
“I was well aware there was risk.” She laughed dryly and added, “I married you under threat, after all.”
He groaned, pressing his face to her stomach. “I’m not a good person, Nya. It’s obvious.”
“You are not,” she agreed softly, a little amazed he’d said it without pushing her away entirely. It wasn’t like him; none of this was. “But I don’t believe anyone istrulygood. They’re lying if they say they are, and you’re only hurting yourself trying to convince anyone you’re the only one in the entire world who has moral flaws.”
He let out a soft puff of air against her but didn’t respond. His lips brushed the strip of skin where her shirt had ridden up, and she inhaled sharply, threading her fingers through his hair. Her skin felt oversensitive and fragile, every light touch of his mouth and hands making her shiver.
He had come for her. And not only that—he’d made sure that those who had hurt her suffered for it.
She was still reeling and shaky, and not for the first time in her life, she wanted him to ground her. Except that, unlike all the other times before, when he’d kept a safe distance between them, he was right here, touching her, and she neededmore.
“You should rest,” he murmured, even as he nipped lightly against the thin skin at the top of her ribcage.
A soft, unbidden moan slipped past her parted lips. His hands tightened, though his touch was still achingly gentle as he slid his fingers up further to press against the undersides of her breasts. When he didn’t go further than that, she whimpered softly, moving her hips instinctively against him, seeking any friction, because she was starting toburn?—
He groaned again; this time, it was a mix of frustration and something darker that sounded exactly like what she was feeling.
He glanced up at her, eyes dark with desire and crackling with a deep shade of amber-gold.
“Please,” she whispered.
“You need?—”
“Thisis what I need.”
He searched her gaze, as if he could pull the truth from within her eyes. She was about to protest, tobeg,but she didn’t ever have to go that far, because his mouth had closed around one of her nipples, and she cried out in surprise as he flicked his tongue over the pebbled surface. Her back arched, and he pulled back, forehead against her sternum. They were both breathing fast, and through half-lidded eyes, she saw his hand was fisted in the sheets next to her.
“Morgen?”
