Page 130 of Born for Silk

“She wishes to see the Redwind and?—”

“Absolutely not!”

Words bunch on my tongue. “Rome. Please. I—” I pause, shaking my head; he is utterly unreasonable. Fur men and women, Common communities, and hundreds of people living outside gated sanctuaries still survive.

I press, “This may be the last time I am able to leave The Estate for quite some time. I am getting bigger. Please.”

“It is not safe. For either of you.”

I find a small growl in my jaw, letting it loose.

He sits up and stares at me. “Did you just growl at me? That was somewhat of a kitten call, sweet creature.”

I huff. “I do not believe in quarrelling with you. So, yes, maybe it is not entirely safe. But I do not wish to live in a glass dome. I grew up in one. And Tuscan—” I clear my throat when his brows furrow. “The queen will adore the journey. Please. We could see the never-ending Windmill Forest.”

“No.” He rises from the bed, tension a tangible presence rolling across his muscular back. Walking to the drink cabinet, he manifests his dominance and authority with each heavy step. “You don’t know what you are asking of me. What if something happens to you? Or to her?”

I stand up on nervous legs, pleading. “What if something wonderful happens to me? Or to her? Imagine her smile when she sees the propellers?”

All his muscles freeze.

He goes quiet with his back to me, and silence cracks through the air as I wait. My hope flitters on the electrical current, encouraging my feet toward him?—

“No.”

I stop midstride. “Rom?—”

“I said”—he barks the word— “NO!”

My pulse leaps into my neck.

He hisses, “Fuck.” He spins around and heads straight at me, forcing my feet to shuffle backward as he charges.

He catches my neck and drags me to stand before him, using his thumb to crane my chin. Catch my wide-eyed expression. Stare. “I need your pussy pinned to my tongue until you obey and submit to me. It is not your place to heal wounds you know nothing about, not mine, not Tusc?—”

A knock at the door severs his warning.

My throat rolls within his fist, my eyes holding his blue stare. Fearless.

Stepping onto his feet, I reach to touch his rough jaw, not letting his temper scare me. He has never hurt me, never laid a hand on me that wasn’t welcome.

I gaze up at him. I am not afraid of you, Rome. I love you so wildly. “Please.”

“Boy,” Kong calls.

Rome stares down his long, dark lashes at me, his eyes searing heat that makes my core clench. His threat to dominate me until I submit swirls in his fractured blue gaze, but the love I radiate for him finds a mark. And digs in.

He softens. “Aster…”

“Sire?” Kong tries again. “The Silk Girl is about to give birth. She is in the ward as we speak, and Cairo is less than an hour outside of The Estate. You need to prepare.”

My eyes veer to the closed door. “Ana.”

Rome releases me, heading into the washroom. “Do not leave this room without me, little creature. Wait.”

I have every intension of obeying him as I dart around, gathering my clothes, dressing in a hurry, throwing on my favourite mauve silk gown.

Dressed. Ready. Cloaked.

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