His eyes dropped, as though he couldn’t bear to meet my gaze.
"I thought you'd never want to see me again after what happened—after what myBeastdid to you,’ he said softly.“That’swhyIdidn’t go out looking for you.ThoughtheGoddessknowsIwanted to.I’vebeen thinking of you every day—dreaming about you every damn night.Missingyou so muchI’mgoing fucking crazy.”
For a momentIcould only look at him.Threemonths of grief and loneliness and sorry and pain—three months apart all because this stubborn, wonderful man had convinced himselfIhated him.
My hands came up to cup his face.
"Oh,Kor,”Iwhispered but then the tears started again.
“Baby,” he rumbled, stroking my hair.“God, you don’t know how sorryIam.IsworeI’dprotect you from that side of myself.Andthen instead of protecting you,Ilet him?—”
“Stop.”Iswiped at my eyes and put a finger to his lips.“Don’tsay it,”Itold him, glaring through my tears.
“Don’t say what?”Hefrowned.
“You were about to compare what yourBeastdid to whatCarterused to do to me,”Isaid.“Weren’tyou?”
He frowned andIsaw a flash of self-hatred on his face.
“How is it different?”he demanded.
“BecauseIwasn’t inHeatwhenCartertook me—never, not really,”Isaid.“YourBeastwas scary, but he gave me what my body needed.Andhe didn’t hurt me likeCarterdid, either.”
“Didn’t hurt you?”Heshook his head disbelievingly.“Vivienne, he’s huge—and you’re so small!”
“He took his time—he got me ready,”Itold him.“He, er, came in me first to help me stretch.”Icould feel myself blushing asIsaid it, butIwanted to be sure he understood thatIdidn’t blame hisBeastfor anything that had happened between us that night.
Kor got a stubborn look on his face.
“But he still forced you.”
“Was it one hundred percent voluntary on my part?No,”Itold him.“Butagain, it was what my body needed.IfIhadn’t been at the peak of myHeatCycle,Imight have felt differently.ButIwas burning up with need,Kor—you never got to knot me the night before, remember?IftheBeasthadn’t’ done what he did,Imight have gone intoHeatFeverand died.”
He frowned at me uncertainly.
“So…you really don’t hate me?”
“No, of course not, silly!”Idragged his head down and kissed him hard on the mouth.
He froze for a moment, then he kissed me back—urgently, almost desperately as though he couldn’t believe he was really holding me.
“I’ve been hating myself and hating myBeastand missing you so damn muchIcan’t see straight, baby,” he said at last, when we came up for air.“God, please tell me we never have to be apart again.”
“Well…that depends,”Isaid playfully.
“Depends on what?”he demanded hoarsely.“Anykind of conditions you have, just tell me.I’lldo anything to be with you, sweetheart—anything at all.”
“Will you help me raise a baby?”Iasked, arching an eyebrow at him.
“A baby?”Hefrowned.“Idon’t understand.Areyou planning to adopt?”
“Not exactly.”Itook his hand and placed it on my belly, right where it was just beginning to swell.
Comprehension dawned in his deep brown eyes, and he looked at me with growing joy.
“Oh sweetheart, really?”Hisvoice was choked with emotion.“You’repregnant?”
“Mm-hmm.”Ismiled at him.“You’regoing to be a dad.”
