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“Very well, Rose then. Sleep well.” She winks at me, leaving only three of us.
Although I haven’t ever spoken to Vivia, I feel as if I know her through Mina. She talks about her wife often and she is well respected by my husband. I already feel a budding friendship forming.
“I should find my mate,” Vivia says. “I hear we are keeping Cyrus until we can locate his family.”
My face heats. “Yeah, sorry about that. He can stay with me if that’s too much trouble.”
“No trouble at all.” Her gaze flickers over to Malix, who still stands tense and looks as if he wants to break a window or two. “You already have your hands full. Good luck, Rose.”
Vivia is the last to leave and I’m alone with a man with murder in his eyes. If I could scrounge up enough energy, I might be fearful. But with each second that goes by, standing upright is more of a chore.
My body sways and I reach for the chair to steady myself. Did this sudden exhaustion come from reviving Cyrus? Before I can contemplate the thought, Malix curses and comes to my aid. His strong arms engulf me in an instant. “You’re tired.”
I bite back my laughter. “Really, what gave it away?”
He growls at my answer. My husband, the growly dragon. “We shouldn’t have conducted the meeting. I should have trusted my gut and made you go to bed.”
“Made me? And how would that have worked out for you, hmm?” I glare at him. “You can’t make me do a damn thing, Malix. I agreed to this meeting and I don’t regret that. You need to trust that I can make my own decisions.”
“And you need to listen to your body and not push yourself to the brink of exhaustion. I’m taking you to bed, little dragon.” He doesn’t wait for my answer as he picks me up, carrying me bridal-style.
I shouldn’t want this.
I can’t want this.
But I don’t want to fight it either.
The truth is, I am fucking tired. Drained physically and emotionally. Walking all the way back to Malix’s chamber—our chamber—was not something I was looking forward to. This damn castle is so huge and maybe if I had wings, getting from point A to point B wouldn’t take so damn long.
Needless to say, I relish the fact that Malix wants to carry me. There would be no protests on my end. I rest my head against his chest, eyes drooping. “This is nice. You should carry me more often.”
He chuckles and I feel it deep within his chest. “Maybe I will.”
“See to it that you do.” Talking to him like this comes so naturally. For once I feel completely at ease and don’t feel the pressures of daily life trying to crush me.
It is…refreshing.
And terrifying, because yesterday I wanted to punch him in his too-handsome face.
By the time we make it back to our room, I’m half asleep. I hear Malix mumble something about changing. Sleeping in this dress with the corset isn’t ideal, but my limbs feel like mush. My body has molded to the bed and I don’t want to move.
I say as much, but it comes out as more of a groan. Hands turn me over until I’m lying on my belly and slowly I feel the laces on my dress loosening.
Malix is…undressing me?
My brain reminds me that he’s already seen me naked, but this is more intimate. I should smack his hand away and demand he leave so I can change….but I don’t. Malix’s calloused hands roam over my body, being mindful of the vulnerable position he has me in.
My body shivers as soon as he moves me and discards my dress. I tell myself it’s from the cold and has nothing to do with the man that took off said dress. I wait for his hand to slide between my legs or caress my breast, but Malix is being a gentleman as he pulls a loose sleeping gown over my head.
I’m only a little disappointed.
My body flops down on the bed and I pull the covers tightly around me. I fall asleep almost instantly, but not before I feel the bed dip beside me and strong arms wrap me in a tight embrace.
Chapter 18
Malix
Sunlight flickers in through the gaps in the curtain, shining light across my bed. My eyes flutter, slow to wake up entirely. A warm body presses up against me, limbs entangled with my own.
