Page 130 of Unmasked

“You also said I didn’t have a choice. Vaughn.” My lids narrowed as tears slipped free. “You said you were keeping me no matter what. That I’d never leave. Yes, I love you. I can’t imagine ever losing that love. But at the beginning… you made it clear I had no choice.”

Fingers pushed into my hair, fisting gently on each side of my head. There was a panic within him. One that was bleeding through the desperation as he held to me.

“I love you. … And you love me. Don’t do this. Don’t—” His head shook, and he lowered, brushing his lips to mine. There was such longing. Such…. need for me. “Kiss me back. Penelope, kiss me.”

And I did… because that’s what the uncertain woman inside me knew what to do. She went through the motions while she tried to make sense of things.

But didn’t I already know?

“More. Kiss me, more. Kiss me like you love me, because you do.”

“I do… love you.”

His mouth left mine, moving to my neck as he began to suck over the surface. His hands were greedy, moving faster as he gripped into my hip, grinding his hard cock against me.

“You love me. I know you do.” He pulled at my panties, jerking them down as he came back to my mouth. When his fingers eased into me, I couldn’t deny how much I wanted him. And not just sexually. He was everything to me. He said the sun and air, but I felt the same way. Maybe this had started as conditioning… maybe… but love replaced it.

Love.

Love.

Yes…

I loved him.

“Wait.” I gasped as his fingers left and his cock began to stretch me. “You said—” A yelp left me as he pushed deeper. His kiss cut me off and he withdrew, only to bury himself inside me.

“The trials are tomorrow. If you’re not waiting to take them, what’s the point of prolonging the inevitable? You’re going to pass. You will.”

“Stop.” I cupped his face, making him look at me. “I could die.”

“Then tomorrow we both die and there’s no point in holding back.”

I gasped as Vaughn withdrew, only to surge forward. His thrusts were steady, half savage as he lowered, wrapping around me. My knees drew up as I cried out. Vaughn’s hand pushed through my hair to cradle the back of my head, and his eyes didn’t leave mine.

“If this isn’t real, I don’t want to know the truth. You love me. Say it.”

“…I love you.”

“He’s not going to take you away from me. Not physically, and not here either. Not in your mind.”

My nails dug into his back, and I arched, welcoming him deeper. A low rumble left him, and he moaned as his forehead dropped to rest against mine through the slowing thrusts.

“Say it again, Penelope. Say it.”

“I love you. I do love you.”

“Because we’re meant to be together. We’ll be the strongest king and queen there ever was. Nothing will come between us. Not King Lawrence. Not The Council. Not a country or the world. It was always supposed to be us.”

My mouth dropped open as he pushed into uncharted territory, grinding into me as my orgasm built. Minutes passed as I cemented in the truth.

“He got in my head.” My head shook, trying to force King Lawrence’s words away. “It’s not true.”

“No. You love me.”

“Yes.” I put my focus on what I felt. Not what anyone else said. “It’s me and you. It’s only us.”

I met his lips, wrapping around his neck and holding tightly.