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Rehan tried and failed to suppress his ever-growing smile as he slipped the ring onto her finger. “Perfect fit.”
He stood staring into her bright eyes. A single hand trailed up the length of her arm, over her shoulder, the curve of her neck, and slipped along her jaw and into her hairline to tip her chin up to him. There was a gentleness in his touch despite the strength she knew he carried. The sweep of his thumb against her skin heated her as she tried to banish the overwhelming awareness of the difference in how she felt around Rehan and Shelby.
Rehan was staring at her mouth. She remembered to breathe when she noticed. They were engaged. It would only be expected to share a kiss. Right?
How would it compare to Shelby’s?
Parting her lips, she leaned into him. An offering. A gift in return.
He tipped his head down to hers, trapping heat between them. Ace was overly aware, the closer he got, how sweat was dampening her underarms and dotting at her brow. Nerves flipped her stomach as if she were riding a carriage far too fast down a steep hill.
She let her eyes flutter closed.
One of Shelby’s rare smiles flashed through her thoughts. She tried to shove it away but in its place was the image of him hovering above her and the reminder that she’d wanted him to kiss her so badly she’d practically melted.
Rehan’s skin skimmed against her cheek, his mouth searching out her ear instead of her lips. “I am so thankful to have you as my bride but I will not kiss you till I’m the only one on your mind.”
His hand dropped from her hair. His gaze lowered to her finger. The smile that always lit his face had disappeared, leaving his expression somber, and his eyes shining with a sadness that made her chest ache.
“Thank you for saying yes,” he whispered. Warmth enveloped her fingers as he took her hand, the new diamond glittering under the lantern lights. He pressed a kiss to her fingers instead.
Queen Ambrose
Queen Ambrose had forgotten how much she hated this version of herself. Farah had been her saving grace, the babe who was born and bred as her best friend and then the warrior that stood between her and Ophelia.
The door was closed behind her. A lock twisted back into place.
She started her pacing, wondering when she’d wear the floorboards clean through. It would serve Ophelia right to have locked her up in here only to have a piece of her beautiful castle ruined. Ambrose paced a little faster.
The hem of her dress swayed at the tops of her feet as she twisted. A shadow moved along the wall. A shape took form in the darkness of her private bathroom. In a second her hands were reaching for her staff. Her outstretched fingers were unable to make it to the wood before arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her backward.
Firm muscle aligned with her body, one hand followed the curve of her hips down, the other slipping over her breasts to settle into a gentle hold against her throat. Sharp teeth scraped against her earlobe sending familiar sensations straight to her core.
“Were you going to run me through with that magic of yours?”
That voice flooded her with relief, fear, and want all at the same time. The emotions swirled into an uneasy concoction that made her gut feel heavy.
She let her hands fall to his. “Perhaps.”
Oh, how she missed those fucking hands.
The fingers at her throat tightened only slightly but they stroked the burning coals that ignited within her.
“Ephram. How did you get in here?” She let herself relax against him. Brown messy curls caught on the simple fabric of his black shirt. Dark eyelashes curved against her cheekbones, as she closed her eyes.
She was so tired and he was her rest.
As much as she wanted him far far away from her sister, she couldn’t help the excitement of his sudden appearance. She wanted him with her always and hiding him away was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do. And that was probably telling of the terrible creature she had turned into. Hiding away this handsome Fae was so much harder than putting someone to death, something she’d done more than enough times.
“Oh, you know, I charmed my way in. Won them over with my dazzling smile and remarkable good looks.” Hot breath warmed Ambrose’s neck.
“Liar.” He tipped her chin up, planting a kiss at her jaw and stealing her breath. Head lolling to the side to give him better access she was barely able to finish her thought. “We both know if anyone saw you, they’d run screaming or try to kill you.”
“Alas, there was no terror or death threats.” Teeth nipped at one of the tendons in her neck, his tongue swirling over the bite a moment later.
Her breath was already coming faster, warmth swirling in her belly and lower between her legs where want began to pool.
The door was locked. It was just her and him.
