The Vangar leathers suited him—fierce, rugged, powerfully built. As he unlaced the leather bracers, I bit the inside of my lower lip. Forearms shouldn’t be so sexy—or maybe I’d just never seen forearms like his.
Sinewed muscle, tightly corded to the elbow, a dusting of dark hair. The sculpted biceps, the broad shoulders—he moved with the ease of a warrior who knew his own strength. The feral instinct to glide my hands up those arms and be wrapped in his embrace took over rational thought.
He lifted his gaze to me then, as though noticing the heat of my stare, and the barest hint of a smirk tugged at his lips.
Gods, that chest.
He was so jaw-droppingly gorgeous that it made my thighs ache. I pressed my knees together. The tattoo from the rune oath on his neck and shoulder blended seamlessly with the Seal that wrapped around from the back.
Mine.
Possessiveness slunk through me. Plenty of women had watched him with admiration in their eyes during the sparring matches. But he was my husband.
And I want him. No matter who he is.
A shiver went through me as I stared at Rykr, the question burning deeply inside me. Though I could barely remember it now, Rykr’s hair was golden when I’d met him. And he was Unbound … Ederyn.
My breath went shallow as a possibility took shape.
He might not be Rykr Westhaven.
Or a spy, either.
“Rykr,” I whispered. I didn’t want him to be anyone else. The idea was terrifying, opening doors I didn’t want to consider. “Are you …” I couldn’t force the words out.
Rykr’s jaw tensed as though he knew and understood my thoughts. With a steady gaze, he came closer and pulled me to stand in front of him.
“I do need to tell you something.” His voice was quiet, but sure. “I’m in love with you, Seren. And since we might die tomorrow, you deserve to know the truth. It’s not the bond. Not magic. It’s you. I love you with every beat of my heart.”
I sucked in a shattered breath, the trembling in my body stilling. As I closed my eyes, he drew me closer, and I sagged against his chest. He’d become the air I needed to breathe, even when my mind couldn’t fully accept or believe in his trustworthiness.
His lips dipped against my temple, kissing me with a tenderness I didn’t expect. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
I didn’t even know what he was apologizing for.
Then he pulled away. “I wish we weren’t Lirien and Viori. There’s no one I want to be enemies with less than you. I know you might not want to hear it, but I love you.”
Despite my best efforts, despite the pain and the uncertainty and everything else between us, the tightness around my heart nearly suffocated me.
“Rykr …” I lifted my eyes to his, my heart aching at the reality of what I refused to admit—of who he might be. “I love you, too,” I managed in a whisper.
He cupped my face in his hands. “You’re making it impossible for me to stay away from you, Seren.” His thumb swept across my cheek, eliciting a shiver through me, then settled on the soft, fullest part of my lower lip. As he drew his thumb down slowly, my lips parting, I released a gentle, throaty moan, my eyes fluttering shut.
Then his lips were on mine, warm and insistent, one hand sliding around my waist and pulling me against him. He kissed that spot on my mouth where his thumb had been, as his hand cradled the nape of my neck, and his fingers tangled in my hair. With gentle pressure, his lips moved expertly against my own, urging them to part, his tongue teasing a gentle swipe against mine.
“Fuck, I missed the way you taste.”
His voice in my head unraveled me. I clung to him, my arms twining around his neck, my weight melting into his. My mouth opened to his and the kiss deepened, his taste, his breath, his tongue consuming mine as my body burned with desire for him.
His hands glided down my sides, deftly unfastening my vest. The fabric slipped away, and before I could draw another breath, he tugged my shirt over my head, the heat of his gaze searing my skin.
His pants and shirt came off just as quickly.
His eyes darkened as they roamed over me, hunger sharpening every line of his face. “You have a fucking perfect body.”
Oh gods. Only someone a lot stronger might have resisted the temptation he offered, but I didn’t want to resist.
I wanted his hands on me. Now.
