Page 57 of Ivory Ashes

"Tell yourself whatever you need to justify what you're doing. I don't need to stick around for it." She spins around to leave.

I spent the last six years looking for her. Not because of Dante. Not because of an heir or because she was in danger.

But because I wanted her.

I still do.

All the while, she was running in the opposite direction.

She still is.

I catch her arm and pull her against me. We slam together, chest to chest. My hand fits perfectly around her throat. My fingers curl into her hair. She smells like sweet vanilla.

I have no fucking idea what I’m going to do to her right now, but she can’t leave. Not yet. Not until I understand why she can get under my skin when no one else ever has.

Then I see the tears pouring down her face.

“Viviana.”

She twists her face away and shoves against my chest, but I don’t let go.

“You’re crying.”

“I’m surprised a robot like you recognizes human emotions.” The words come out watery and weak. There’s no real punch behind them.

“What’s wrong?” I brush my thumb over her wet cheek and it sets off a new wave of tears.

“This is a new low,” she chokes out. “You’re what’s wrong. You know that, right? You’re the reason I’m crying. I’m trapped here and I have no idea what’s going to happen. But for some reason?—”

I can’t remember the last time I held someone while they cried. Usually, if someone is crying, it’s because I’m standing on their broken femur or my thumb is in their eye socket.

“What?” I press.

Viviana looks up at me, her hazel eyes green through the tears. Then she rests her weight against me, her cheek against my chest. “This feels nice.”

My hand finds the curve at the small of her back. I stroke my thumb down her spine. We stand like that for a long time. Until her breathing evens out and the tears stop falling.

“Are you done freaking out?” I ask softly.

She rolls her eyes. “Almost definitely not. Being married to you, expect it to happen a lot.”

I laugh and Viviana looks up at me. Her lips are full and pink. They part as she exhales. We’re so close. All it would take is the tilt of my head.

“I should go to bed,” she breathes. But I can tell by the way she says it that she doesn’t want to.

She should go to bed. Instead, she might stay here with me… depending on what I do next.

Viviana’s hand is still on my chest. I reach for it, curling my fingers around hers. “One more thing before you go.”

Her lashes flutter against her cheekbones, expectant. “Yeah?”

I slide the gaudy ring onto her finger. “I never want to see you without this on.”

I watch the moment shatter in her eyes.

Viviana pulls away from me and grabs the bags from the kitchen floor. She’s halfway into the hall before she calls back, “Don’t forget to wear your ring, too, hubby. Otherwise, I’ll superglue it on while you’re sleeping.”

I’d love to see her try.

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