Page 59 of King of the Dawn

“Stop doing that.” Her hands flew up to grasp around the nape of my neck. “Don’t do that anymore.” Her eyes were wide, brimming with tears. “Please, stop doing that.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “I did all this to make you happy. Don’t you want to be happy? Please…”

I tried to push her away, but my body felt weak. Like I couldn’t summon the strength to do it. She slapped at my hands, and secured her thighs tighter to mine.

“Fuck,” I said through gritted teeth as my cock decided to wake up and join the conversation.

I shut my eyes. Maybe that would help. Maybe that would get me to summon my strength again.

“Please go, Evie,” I whispered. No, I begged. “I can’t let you go a second time. Please… Do it for yourself.”

“I’m doing this for myself,” she said, her hands coming back to my neck, massaging the tension on my shoulders. “You can’t get rid of me. I won’t let you.”

I shook my head, bringing my palms up to my eyes again as the sting of tears was back.

“Please,” she whispered, that throaty voice of hers coiled itself into my consciousness. “Choose me. Don’t let me go. Please…” Was she begging me? “Don’t you want me anymore?”

Good God, what world did she live in, if she didn’t think that I wanted her?

“I can’t let you go a second time, Evie. It would kill me.” I wanted to wail like a child. “You belong somewhere that makes you happy. Even if it’s with… Ryan.”

I spat out that cursed name. That fucking imbecile. The asshole bookstore owner who had, without trying, bested me in the only competition that mattered. Over the only prize that I had ever wanted.

“I’m happy with you.” I could hear the tears in the waiver of her voice. Shit.

I opened my eyes, as a beautiful stream went down her cheek.

“Don’t do that,” I said, reaching out to her face. “I hate you in pain, but you’re also… so fucking beautiful when you cry.”

I pulled her to me, wrapping my arm around her ribs, crushing her against me. She clutched me back, her hand around my neck and fingers twining through my short hair, tugging at the strands.

“A single tear could drive me to burn the world down.” I crushed her until her body was flush against mine. Her hair tickled the side of my face, and I buried myself in it until it covered me like the most delicious shroud.

“I’m not asking you to burn the world.” She wept into my neck, I felt her tears running down my collar. “I’m asking you to let me stay. Please.”

“It was never my choice.” I was in complete agony.

How could I ever set her free now?

“Then it must be my choice, yes?” Her little hand came up in a fist and hammered down onto my shoulder. “I choose you. Let me make the choice. Please.”

“That’s a stupid choice.”

“It’s the only one.” She hit me again, and the pain reminded me that I was here. That this was real. That she was in my arms. Without it, this would be a dream. A delusion of my own making. “I love you.”

The words sent a shiver through my body, from the hairs on my head, to the sudden tension down to my toes. My cock bobbed underneath her, and I felt her moan as it pressed against her through her skirt. Every cell in my body responded to those three beautiful words.

“I love you,” she whispered again. “Mr. Jericho Vasiliev, please. Don’t turn your wife away.”

She leaned back so that her weight rested on my lap, and she looked down at me from her superior height. How ridiculous it was for an angel to tell a sinful man to let her stay.

“I love you, Aoibheann,” I whispered.

“You can say my name?” She let out a sad little laugh.

“I’ve always known how to say it. From the first time I met you.”

“Then what was all this Evie nonsense?”

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