She’s looking away, but I see her eyes widen slightly.
“I want you to have my children,” I continue, my voice quieter now, but no less sure. “And I want you to raise them to be strong… and smart, like you.”
Silence settles between us, and it’s deeper than desire.
“I don’t just want your body,” I say. “I want all of you.” My gaze holds hers, unwavering.
“I wanted your surrender to mean something.”
A beat passes before I add, softer now, “I told you that.”
She turns to look at me, and there are tears on her face. “But you killed someone. Or had him killed. Same thing. So you’ll respect my no but not his?”
“He had a choice. He chose to betray us. He knew the consequences. You didn’t choose to be here, Valentina. I took that choice from you. The least I can do is give you the choice about your body.”
“You’re drawing lines in the sand. Deciding which violence is acceptable and which isn’t.”
“Yes. Everyone draws lines,” I say calmly. “Mine are simply in different places than most people’s.”
“And where exactly is the line when it comes to me?”
I reach out slowly, giving her time to pull away. When she doesn’t, I brush my fingers lightly along her arm.
“There isn’t one.” Her brows knit slightly.
“There are no lines you could ever cross that would make me turn away from you, Valentina.”
Her breath catches.
“I will never force you to give yourself to me,” I continue, my voice low but steady. “I will never raise a hand to you. And I will never allow anyone else to hurt you.”
The words settle between us, heavy with promise.
“But I will kill to protect you,” I say quietly. “I will destroy anyone who threatens you. And I will do whatever it takes to make you mine.”
“What if… what if I don’t want to be yours? What if I decide to be with someone else?”
I let out a low laugh. “Then I’d find him.” My voice drops, calm and certain. “And I’d make sure he died slowly. Painfully.” My gaze is locked on hers.
“Then I’d bring you back to my bed.”
A beat.
“Because that’s where you belong, Valentina. Nowhere else.” My fingers pause against her skin. “Those are my lines.”
“And what I want doesn’t matter?”
I let out a slow breath.
“What you want matters more than you realize.”
I glance around at the dark, empty grounds before looking back at her.
“That’s why I’m sitting on wet grass at three in the morning instead of sleeping in my bed. That’s why I walked away tonight when every instinct in me told me to stay.”
My gaze holds hers.
“Because what you want, what you choose, matters to me.”
