The muscles of her sheath continued to contract around my cock as she came down from her high, and the scent of her filled my nostrils.Everythingabout her was so right.
“You’re mine. Always and forever,” I told her.
“I’m yours. And you’re mine.”
“I’m yours.”
And I would protect her from everything that was soon to come. Ellery was an anomaly among amsirah, the first female lightning bearer and the first to control all five weathers. When that came out, and it would, everyone with a thirst for power would seek to use her… or destroy her.
I’d burn them to the ground for daring to try.
“I’m going to keep you safe,” I vowed.
She bent her head to nuzzle my cheek before kissing me. “I know. I’m going to keep you safe too.”
My hands tensed on her ass. “You’rethe bigger concern. Don’t worry about me.”
Leaning back, she gazed at me with a wonder and love that stole my heart again. “I have to worry about you; I love you.”
I smiled as I kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you too, and one day, everyone in all the realms will know you belong to me.”
“I can’t wait.”
CHAPTER FORTY
Ryker
I kissedher again before reluctantly pulling out of her. I’d just gotten her back and didn’t want to separate from her again.
For the first time, we had an agreement about our relationship. For the first time, I knew everything about this woman and was sure she had nothing left to hide.
I’d much prefer to spend the next days or weeks holding her and making up for lost time, but we’d already been gone too long, and no matter how badly I wanted to leave this place with her, I couldn’t.
I set her on her feet and stepped away. “I hate being trapped here.”
Ellery smoothed the front of her skirt and brushed back the hair that had fallen from its confines. “So do I. Have you seen my underwear?”
I pulled my pants back up as she searched the ground. I discovered her underwear near the base of a hedge and picked them up. She slipped them on while I buttoned my pants.
“I’m going to steal from the earl tonight,” I told her.
She froze in the act of smoothing her skirt down again. “What?”
“He deserves to lose a little something, and Tucker should gain it.”
Her eyes widened as her mouth parted. “Are you crazy? You can’t do that. What if you get caught?”
“I won’t.”
“Ryker.” Although we were alone, she glanced around nervously before lowering her voice. “We just stole from the king. They’ll suspect you if you get caught stealing something from the earl. The sheriff told me the new orders are to kill all thieves, not just maim them.”
“I’m not going to get caught.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “Whyare you being so stubborn about this? It’s a dangerous and unnecessary risk. If I was the one taking it, you’d be pissed.”
She was right, but… “They’ve taken too much from everyone. It’s time to start getting it back.”
“We already got some back from the king.”
