I lower the bed slowly, along with the other floating décor and furniture until they’re perfectly placed.
“If anyone is in timeout, it’s me.”
She steps off the bed and I instantly clasp my hands behind my back as if it will somehow make a difference.
“Someone once told me control takes practice.” She reaches up, wrapping her hands behind my neck. “Consider tonight your first session.”
She stands up on her toes and I can’t resist the temptation of her curved lips beckoning me. I reach down and pick her up, spinning her around so that she’s pinned against the wall. Her legs squeeze tighter around me when I press my palms against the wall instead of where they really want to be.
There’s intensity and greed between our kisses now. Each of us wanting to claim dominance over the other. She bites my lower lip, and it’s enough to make me fall victim. I’ve never surrendered before, but she makes it impossible. I back away and set her back down on the ground.
“Giving up so soon?” she teases with a raised brow.
I quickly grab her hips, whirling her around so her back is to me. My hand wraps around her neck and jaw and I lift her head up.
“That’s the effect you have on me,” I whisper into her ear as we both look at the holes that mark the place my palms just were.
“I’m sorry.” There’s no teasing tone now. Only sincerity.
“It’s okay,” I assure, turning her back around to face me. “We just have to take things slow.”
It’s the last thing I want to do after waiting this long, but I don’t have a choice. Not if I want to keep her safe.
“We have time,” she promises with the seal of a kiss. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter 59
Reign
“Wake up! Wake up!” Ryder jumps out of my bed and immediately conjures his sword of shadows. The sight of his panic makes me giggle and I suddenly feel bad for waking him up so abruptly. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Put your sword away.”
“What the hell, Reign?”
He looks so disheveled that I can’t help but laugh.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He gives me a sidelong glance as if to tell me, “What did you think was going to happen?”
While his heart rate settles back down, I slip out of bed and begin getting dressed.
“Why are you puttingon your Shadow Land clothes?”
I pause, leaving my boots unlaced. “Can you go get Nio, Ion, and Danielle? I want to leave Zaro out of it. Tomorrow is his wedding, and he doesn’t need any distractions.”
“Leave him out of what? Reign, what’s going on?”
“I think I figured out how to find the island,” I tell him as I start tying my laces. “Look, I’ll explain it all once everyone is downstairs at the dining table. Just trust me, okay?” I give him a quick kiss on the cheek before I sprint out the door.
Amaya, Zane, and Damien all look disoriented when they step out into the hallway.
“What’s going on?” Zane asks with a yawn.
“I need you all to follow me!”
“Right now?” Amaya grunts, rubbing her tired eyes.
“Yes, right now!” I grab her wrist and pull her behind me.
