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EMBER
Someone clears his throat.
Heat flushes my cheeks, and Rafferty pulls back then rests his forehead against the top of my head. “Bad timing, lad,” he growls.
“I know, I know.”
Familiar.I turn my head, craning my neck to get a better view while still hiding my nakedness behind Rafferty’s much larger form.
Sullivan is standing a few yards away, Rafferty’s brother, Ridley beside him. Both men grin widely at us and every inch of skin on my body flushes with color. Nothing like having two men catching you naked and in the bath with the third.
“What do you bastards want?” Rafferty all but growls, clearly pissed at the interruption.
“I thought you’d be happier to see me, brother?” Ridley flashes yet another smile.
“I would have been happier in the morning,” he growls. “Maybe give us a few minutes to get dressed?”
“Not a problem.”
Ridley touches Sullivan’s shoulder, and the two disappear. Rafferty stands, water dripping from his naked body and falling to the floor. As soon as he’s free of the tub, he reaches in and helps me out then angles me back as he kneels to towel off my legs.
“You are glorious,” he whispers and leans in to press his lips to the inside of my thigh. “And I could kill my brother and your reaper for interrupting us.”
The way his eyes darken makes me uneasy, so I force a smile and touch the side of his face. “We have later.”
He nods and stands then lifts me and carries me over to the bed. As soon as I’m seated, he pulls a nightgown over my head and pulls the blankets up over my lap. Then, he dries off and pulls a pair of loose white pants on.
“You can come in now,” he calls out.
Ridley and Sullivan appear back inside the tent, both men grinning widely.
“To what do we owe this unwelcome interruption?” Rafferty questions.
“While you two were here entertaining one another, I was looking for a way to break the bond,” Sullivan replies.
“As was I,” Ridley adds.
Despite what Rina told me, hope burns in my chest. Rafferty goes completely still. I can’t even feel him breathing. “Well?” I demand.
“We weren’t quite sure how you’d care for the change, but after that little show, perhaps it will be easier than we thought.” Ridley and Sullivan exchange knowing looks, and I blush yet again—thank you pale skin.
“What is it?” Rafferty demands. “Or do I need to cut it out of the both of you?”
“Easy there, brother.” Ridley lets out a laugh. “It is truly not that complicated, though you will have to temporarily return to her homeworld.”
“We do that, and she dies,” Rafferty growls.
I put a hand on his chest and force a smile despite the unease churning in my belly. “For how long?” I ask.
“Merely long enough for the ceremony to be complete.”
“Ceremony?” I question. “And is there a reason it cannot be done here?”
“Yes. The original bond was forged here,” Ridley explains. “Therefore it is reinforced with the magic of this world—which, for all intents and purposes—is unbreakable.”
Which is what Rina told us. “And what type of ceremony?”
“A bonding ceremony. Essentially what you and Taranus went through, just with Rafferty.”
