I shivered as his husky voice layered the air.

Ever so gently, with his eyes full of love, he dried me off from the top of my head to my toes. Once I was dry, I took the towel and repaid him. It took me a little longer and more awkward not having full use of two arms, but by the time I tugged his cock in the towel, he didn’t care about a few remaining droplets on his shoulders.

Guiding me by the wrist, he stalked to the head of the bed and ripped back the sheets. Swooping me off my feet, he placed me gently on the mattress and tucked me tight. Moving to the other side of the bed, he climbed in and immediately grabbed me, spooning my back against his warm chest.

A huge sigh escaped him. For a moment, we just were. Just lived and relaxed and hovered in the anticipation of sex while soothed by the happiness of connection.

His cock remained hard, wedged against my lower back. His feet stroked mine, twitching like the tail of a predator.

“I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“I do. You’re mine. You’re Kite.”

“I’ll never be able to tell you what happened tonight.”

“I know. I don’t expect you to.”

His arm squeezed my middle, and I arched into his erection.

Breathing faster, he turned me to face him, pressing his nose against mine.

His eyes delved past my soul into the epicentre of who I was. He sought answers to his fearful questions. He hunted for any lie that I didn’t love him as much as I said I did. That I regretted any inch of what’d happened.

I wasn’t afraid.

He would find no such farce or hidden secret.

Only once he’d searched every facet did he relax a little. Only once he fully accepted I loved him with no lie tainting the truth did he touch me. Truly believe me.

“I’ve done so much to you. I’ve hurt you so terribly.” His hand cupped my cheek. “I don’t deserve you or your forgiveness, but I give you my vow, Nila. I will never hurt you again. I will never put you in harmful circumstances. I will never ask more of you than you can give. I need you to be strong for me. Like I told you the night after the Third Debt, loving a creature like me is hard work. I’ll drain you of every reserve. I’ll feed off your love. I’ll crave everything you can because you save me from life itself. But I vow that whatever I take from you, I’ll give back a hundred-fold. I entrust my heart, my wealth, my very fucking soul to you forever.”

His voice dwindled, fading to an almost-whisper. “I will never be able to discuss what I did, and I will never do anything like it again. I can’t promise I won’t have bad days. I can’t assure you I won’t need space or time if emotions get too strong to bear. But I will promise I will never love anyone as much as I love you.”

His gaze entrapped me. “Can you live with that? Can you be so fucking selfless to take me at my worst, my best, my messed-up self and stand by me even when I break?”

I swallowed tears, pressing my cheek deeper into his hold. “I can.”

He didn’t speak, letting me gather my thoughts because I had more to say…I just didn’t have the words in which to say it. “You’ll never be on your own, Jethro. You never have to fear I won’t understand or I’ll push you away. You’ll never have to run because I suddenly stopped loving you. I accept your promises and give you my own.

“I promise that no matter what happens in the future, we will work it out. I vow that no matter how life goes, I’ll be by your side. I’ll always love you because I’ve seen the worst of you and I’ve seen the best, and I know just how lucky I am to have met my perfect match.”

The room seemed to solidify and melt as he surrendered. “I fucking adore you. I’d lay down my life—”

My good hand shot up, my fingers pressing against his lips. “No more talk of dying. Not now.” My eyes drifted to his mouth; my fingertips warming as the pinkness of his tongue licked me gently.

The air between us changed.

Rapturous ecstasy replaced my blood as Jethro gathered me closer. My hand fell from his lips as his head tilted toward mine. His body heated, scalding me, drugging me with unspoken words and fleeting fondles.

I needed him.

He needed me.

We needed each other to wipe away a lifetime of conditioning and destinies. This was our new destiny. Right here. And no one—not debts, family, or contracts—could take that away from us.

His eyes flashed gold-bronze with brutal intention as his head bowed the final distance. His lips caressed mine before his tongue fluttered over my bottom lip. “Nila…”

My muscles turned limp, reacting to the desire in his voice.

I kissed him back.

Our lips danced, turning primal, taking, giving, wet, consuming. He sucked on my tongue, gruff sounds of lust and possession vibrating in his chest.

He tugged my hair, forcing my head back. With my neck exposed, he kissed his way down my chin and throat, over my collar, to my breasts. He never let go of my hair as his mouth settled over my nipple.

I cried out as he pulled hard and deep, tugging on the invisible cord between breast and core. My womb clenched, wetness wept, and I opened my legs with blatant invitation.

Rolling me onto my back, he slipped his hard body over mine. His hips fit perfectly between my open thighs, and he sighed heavily as his cock nudged erotically against my delicate flesh.

Securing my head with fistfuls of my hair, he kissed me deeply, his flavour making me drunk. Satisfaction, relief, desperation—they all had a flavour. Musky, smoky, sweet. He gave me everything. His fear. His happiness. His regret. His hope.