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I took a breath.
Until we work it out. Apollo truly believed we’d find a way to break our contract. I didn’t want to risk anyone dying for me and my selfish choices, but I was being handed a chance at a life I wanted, even just a semblance of one, and it was so tempting to just reach out and take it.
“Me, too,” Florence added. “Fuck, I’ll pretend I’m fucking Valen if it helps.”
I took another breath, this one shaking with a small laugh.
“It’s Harlow’s choice,” Valen said.
We all knew what my choice was. I’d told them all. I just had to admit it to myself and take the risk on owning it was still what I wanted.
“I agree. In theory. But if you think I’m going to forgive him that easily, you’ve got another thing coming. If you want to be with me, Valen, you have to fucking earn it.”
Valen dropped to his knees in front of me. “You have my oath I will.”
Apollo fake-gagged but was smiling. “Flo, I think we probably need to go and see something…not in this room.”
Florence nodded as she stepped gingerly around Valen and me. “Yes. Definitely. I’m sure there was a…suit of armour I haven’t seen yet.”
“Yes. It’s…new,” Apollo added.
I rolled my eyes. “Just get out, the both of you,” I told them.
They ushered each other out, whispering and laughing between themselves. No doubt thinking they were terribly clever in getting Valen and me back together. But it left me alone with Valen.
I looked down at him. Seeing him on his knees in front of me was a pleasant sight.
“You want me to save you?” I asked him.
He nodded. “Yes.”
“That’s a lot to put on me, Valk,” I said slowly, taking a step back.
He actually crawled towards me, and my heart lurched expectantly. “Except, you know it’s not,” he countered, and I knew he was right; wanting to save the person you loved wasn’t a hardship, especially when just loving them could do it.
I looked him over shrewdly. “Even on your knees, you’re defiant.”
A smirk lit his eyes. “How else would you have me?”
To get what I wanted here, I had to walk a very fine line. We weren’t the kind for romantic soliloquies, as nice as they were. If he gave me one now, I’d start to doubt he was the man I wanted. And if I expected one from him now, I wasn’t the woman he thought I was.
“You don’t strike me as the kind to grovel, Valk.”
“Maybe it wasyouwho tamed the big, bad wolf after all?”
I scoffed and made to step away, but he wrapped his arm around my legs. I leant down, touching my fingertip under his chin. There was a challenge in his eyes, but I met it with one of my own.
“I didn’t fall in love with God’s tame wolf,” I told him pointedly.
“And I didn’t fall in love with God’s timid princess,” he replied, just as pointedly.
“If you want me, Valen, then take what’s yours,” I demanded.
As he stood up, his hand went to my throat. “You think I answer to you, princess?”
“There are worse powers to obey,” I sassed.
A smirk lit his eyes. “The only place I ever want to be is on my knees at your feet.”
