The laugh dies in his throat. His next words are soft, almost afraid.
“I thought my truthwielding didn’t work on you. That everything we’d shared—every kiss, every touch, every confession—had been a lie. How else could you have keptso muchfrom me? I kept replaying every moment, searching for cracks. Trying to see how you’d fooled me so skiesdamnedthoroughly.”
“That’s why you said you’d never trust me again,” I whisper.
He nods, pressing his forehead to mine. “All those months, not a single lie. Not one. And then just now…” His breath hitches. “When you said you hated me—it didn’t just prickle, Mayah. It felt like someone raked a blade down my spine.”
A broken sob tears free. Zev catches it with a deep kiss, pulling me harder against the solid wall of his chest.
“Tell me another lie, baby,” he whispers against my lips.
“I never want to see you again,” I breathe, raking my fingers through his soft hair. “I want you to leave. I—I don’t love you.”
Harsh tremors ripple through him. And then his mouth crashes into mine, hungry and heartbroken.
When he draws back, his voice is wrecked. “You were telling the truth,” he says hoarsely. “When you said you wanted me. When you said you’d miss me.” A broken chuckle. “When you said you love my broody scowl. The wormbark oil. Everything. You. Love.Me.”
I nod, sobbing freely now. He wipes my tears away with aching care. His thumb brushes my lower lip. His eyes darken, body rigid against mine.
“Every time I close my eyes, Mayah, I see you on your knees—beside him.MyMayah. Mywife.”
“Are you still mad?” I breathe into the heated air between us.
“Yeah, baby. I’m still mad.” His fingers fist in my hair, yanking my head back. “But I’m going to get it all out now. Every last bit. And then we’ll never speak of it again.” Anger flashes in his eyes, but there’s also a heady heat swirling in his gray gaze. His fingers tighten in my hair almost to the point of pain. “I gave you all of me, Mayah. I loved—love—you. My life’s been split down the middle: before you and after you. Before you, I was merely existing. Going through the motions. Alone. A fucking shell. But after you?” He looses a rueful chuckle. “After you, there’sonlyyou. Since our journey, it’s only ever been you. Every moment spent thinking about you, aching for you,lovingyou. And then … everything came crashing down around me. You were with him when you weremine.”
He takes a deep, shuddering breath. “But even then, you were still mine, weren’t you, baby? When you were convinced my kingdom was responsible for your mother’s death, when you were planning a skiesdamned coup under my nose, when you left Tundrayn in love with another man. The wormbark oil was for me.”
He phrases it like a question, and I nod quickly.
“And when I returned from the border, you were planning to tell me everything.”
“Yes,” I whisper, head still arched back in his punishing grip.
“And I would’ve helped you. I’d have helped you kill them all,” he admits, his voice low and dark. “Without a second thought. You didn’t fucking needhim. Because I’ve always been yours. I have been since I met you. And you need to decide now. Because you’re either mine or you’re not. And if you choose to be mine, Mayah—” He wrenches my head back farther, and a soft whimper escapes my lips.
“I won’t be kind. I won’t be gentle. I’m going toruinyou, the way you ruined me. You will spend your nights, your mornings,any moment I can get my hands on you, begging for a mercy that will never come. You’re going toachefor me, Mayah. The way I’ve been aching for you since that first night you slapped me across the face.”
I drag in a quivering breath, fingers trailing along the sharp edge of his jaw, committing every detail to memory.
“I think,” I murmur, “it’s time we consummate our marriage.”
He leans back just enough to look me over, voice both sharp and soft, like a velvet blade. “Take off your clothes,” he growls, “and wait for me on the bed.”
I scramble off his lap, shucking off my tunic and leggings before climbing onto the thin mattress. By the time I’m settled, Zev’s disappeared into the washroom, and the sound of running water greets my ears. Anticipation skitters along my spine, through every nerve of my body. Tides, I’ve wanted this formonths.
Except Zev takes the longest shower in the history of showers. In the history of man, really. I debate wielding the water into ice, but I don’t think that’d go over well.
By the time the water shuts off, I’m practically crawling out of my skin. My husband emerges from the washroom with damp hair, water droplets clinging to his bare torso. A rush of desire pulses through my core as my eyes drink him in, all tanned skin and cut muscles. His molten gaze rakes over me. My skin pebbles beneath his heated appraisal.
A slow, wicked smile unfurls across his lips.
The kind that promises pain and pleasure all at once.
Despite all his threats of making me ache, Zev is exceedingly gentle with me.
Whispers ofI love you so fucking muchin my ears.Sweet, tender kisses feathered all over my face and jaw. Sweat-slicked skin, hot kisses on my neck, fingers laced tightly above my head. A murmuredyou’re so fucking perfect.
Slow, deep thrusts andI’m so sorry, baby.
