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I swallow hard, feeling my dejection quickly being replaced by hope.
“I missed you so much more than I thought possible,” he goes on softly. “And not only your body, but your quick wit and your . . .” He yanks on the strings of his cloak and flings it aside, clearly uncomfortable with this speech.
“My what?” I prod. “My sarcasm?”
His lip quirks. “Well, I was going to say your sharp mind. But yes, I missed your sarcasm, too.”
My mouth opens, but he puts his fingers over my lips. “Let me finish, little raven . . . please.”
I give him a nod, sure that my eyes are wide and glossy with emotion. His hand moves to cup my jaw and I lean into it.Thisis what I’ve needed so badly from him over the last day. Some kind of connection, some kind of reassurance.
“I spoke with Koda, Deve of the Wolves . . .”
“About me?”
“Yes. He asked me if you made me stronger, and it was then that I knew for sure.” His calloused thumb strokes my cheek, grounding me in this moment. “With you at my side, Rina, everything is clear to me. I don’t hesitate. I don’t falter. I know what needs to be done, and I do it. With no regrets.”
I smile weakly. Here is the crux of the matter. “But what of your people, Luka? I fear –”
“There’s nothing to fear. The women of the realm love you. You are a high-born lady with a commoner’s experiences.”
“But the men –”
“Shhh.” He leans down to rest his forehead to mine briefly. “The men will adjust. There was discord before you arrived, and there will be discord with you at my side.”
I bite at my lip, so afraid to believe in what he’s suggesting. “And you want that? Me at your side?”
“Yes,” he says firmly and my heart lurches. “Together, we are stronger. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes,” I whisper, swaying with his use of the wordtogether.“So much stronger.”Is he truly telling me all I’ve longed to hear?“We can protect and care for one another, and . . .” And that must be the wrong thing to say because the softness in his expression vanishes.
“Coming home to you being . . . abused.” He shakes his head at the memory. “That shouldneverhave happened.”
“I know, Luka. I’m so sorry. I made a terrible mistake. If I had –”
The hand at my jaw slides into the hair at the nape of my neck, tightening until I’m forced to stop my apology. “Woman, your safety is my responsibility. Though I won’t deny it chafes that you purposefully put yourself in harm’s way.”
I wince in his hold. “I thought maybe if I submitted myself to –”
Contempt, or maybe rage, darkens his features. “An a’deve submits herself to no one.” He gives me a jerk as if to punctuate his words.“Youwill submit yourself to no one. No one but me. Do you understand?”
The automatic need to remind him I’m my own person causes a flicker of defiance, but I try to cover it up by lowering my lashes. “Yes, okay.”
My tone must not be passive enough for him, though, because I lift my gaze in time to see his nostrils flare.
“Don’t do this right now,” he grits out, pulling me closer. He cranks my neck back further to maintain our eye contact and it causes a flare of heat between my thighs. “You’ve pushed me far enough today.”
“Ihave pushedyou?”I retort. “You are the one who –”
“Enough of this,” he rumbles, marching me over to the hearth without warning by the hand in my hair.
“Ow! Luka! What are you doing?”
His free hand undoes the tie on my fur cloak with a tug, dropping it onto the floor in front of the fire.
I paw at his arm. “Would you let go of me?”
“No. We seal this bargain between us now.”
