He blinks slowly as if he wasn’t expecting to hear me say that. I gather his hand in mine and cross my legs.
“I know you, Gabriel.” Clutching his fingers, I press his palm flat against my chest. “My heart beats for you.”
I suspect it always will.
I’m dancing around those three words I feel deep inside—this isn’t the right time for them. Not now, when he’s revealed such a heavy truth about his family.
But soon.
“I don’t deserve you, Wren,” he says hoarsely.
How can he think that?
“Yes, you do. You may share the king’s blood, but you are not like him. He is cruel and heartless, and to be honest, I think he might be insane.”
The Hunter lets out a surprised laugh. “All of those are true. Especially the last one.”
“I’m not shocked,” I say dryly, remembering those crimson sparks and the way he raged when Kadyn died. “You are different from him, Gabriel. You would never hurt someone the way he hurt you because you have morals. That’s why you gave me the head start, right?”
He nods.
“See? Your father would never have done such a thing.” I kiss his cheek, his stubble rough beneath my lips. “Kindness exists within you, Gabriel Moreau. You are loyal and strong andcourageous. Just look at where we are. You brought me here even knowing what they might do to you.”
“Your safety is my priority, Birdie. It has been for a very long time.”
Warmth suffuses my chest. “And that’s why I want you to stay.” That’s why I love him. I arch a brow. “You’re not hiding anything else, right? I’m not going to find out in a fortnight that the head priestess is your sister?”
He snorts. “Fuck, no. I have no sisters, that I’m aware of.”
“Thank the gods. I have two, as you know, and I’m fairly certain that’s enough. You can share mine.” My smile is teasing. “Fair warning, though. The twins can be a handful sometimes.”
“What?” He gasps in mock shock, and the air between us feels lighter than before. “One ofyourrelatives is a handful?”
“Stop it.” I hit his arm playfully. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” The corners of his mouth twitch before dropping. His eyes turn serious. “Then, you’re sure? You still want me now that you know everything?”
“Do you still want me, even knowing that your father wants me dead?” I counter.
He looks shocked that I’d even ask. “Of course.”
“I feel the same way, Gabriel. Let’s put this to bed, please. I want you, and the fact that your father is a gods-damned monster isn’t going to change that.”
Then, before he can say anything else, I fuse our lips together.
This kiss isn’t like the ones we shared yesterday. There is a slow desperation to it, as though we’re both seeking reassurance that the other is there. It’s paired with a palpable sense of relief that didn’t exist before, as if we’ve fought a battle and emerged victorious on the other side.
And maybe, in a way, we have. Not a physical one, but emotionally.
Gabriel’s mouth moves against mine, and he takes control of the kiss. He slides his hand behind my head, tugging me onto his lap. He is hard beneath me, and my fingers splay on his naked chest.
Our kisses may be languid, but they are filled with the weight of everything that has passed between us this morning... and with those three words, still left unsaid. The kisses are deep and unhurried... until suddenly, they’re not.
I’m not sure which one of us moves first, but our hands shift lower. Gabriel raises my shirt and cups my breasts. I brush my fingers down his chest and groan into his mouth, grinding on his erection.
I slide my fingers into his pants, teasing the tip of his cock. Gabriel lifts his hips, shifting to the edge of the bed and planting his feet on the floor. Together, we work to pull down his trousers, and I free his length, taking him in my hand and slowly pumping him.
He moans, and I swallow the sound. Gods, this man. I cannot get enough of him.
