Page 46 of Savage Little Queen

He frowned as he watched me, his hands balled into fists.

Maybe it would be better if we faked our deaths. Dominic and I could run away together and plan how to save everyone in the meantime. . .

“I, uh, when I was away, I did some things—”

“I did some things, too,” Dominic said immediately. “And I told you it didn’t fucking matter. Whatever you did, it’s over. We’re past it. We love one another, and we’re better for all our mistakes.”

“Dominic—”

“I don’t want to know,mia regina,” he said. “Just. . . let it go and we’ll—”

“Dominic! Stop! Just. . . listen to me!” I shouted.

He snapped his mouth closed and stared at me, a muscle thrumming along his jaw.

“Just say it,” Levin said, his voice quaking. “What happened?”

I glanced to him and dragged in a fortifying breath. We’d not spent an immense amount of time together since arriving at the horsemen’s place. We needed to change that.

“When I was away, I fell for someone. Someone who isn’t one of you,” I said.

Dominic’s face fell. He quickly looked away from me and blinked rapidly.

Levin sat forward.

“I thought you guys were done with me. I was in a really dark place. He kept me from drowning,” I continued. “He-he matters to me. I care for him.”

“Do you love whoever it is?” Dominic asked softly, finally looking back to me. “Is that it? We just got things sorted, and you’re here to tell us we can all fuck off now?”

“No.” I shook my head. “No! It’s not like that. I love you. I love you all so much. I just… also feel for him.”

Dominic scrubbed his hands down his face and blew out a breath. “Who is it, wasp? What’s this prick’s name so I know what to put on his fucking tombstone?”

I ground my teeth.

“Listen to me,” I said fiercely. “I love you. I’m carrying your baby. I was given a choice on returning or staying with him. I choseyou. I choseallof you. I could have run, and you could still be believing I was dead. I didn’t. I came back because of my love for you guys.”

“Who is it, bumblebee?” Levin demanded gruffly as Dominic shook his head, his mouth pursed in anger.

I hauled in a deep breath. “Drake.”

“Oh fuck no!” Levin shouted, getting to his feet. “Not fucking happening! Not another goddamn Russian ass hair. I’m not fucking doing it. I’m not. Fuck this.”

“You fucked him?” Dominic asked as Levin paced the room, tugging at his blond hair and muttering about his hatred for all things Russian.

I nodded. “I did. I believed you’d left me, but that’s no excuse. He saved me. He kept me sane. He showed me what life could be if I stood up for myself.”

Dominic’s jaw trembled. “Because I hold you back. Because I fucking hurt you. Made you believe I didn’t. . . love you.”

I went to my knees in front of him and rested my hands on his thighs. “It was an ugly time for all of us.”

He reached out and cradled my face. “What are you asking of me,mia regina?

I swallowed hard. “I want Drake to join us.”

“What the fuck,” Levin muttered. “Just days ago you were planting your foot in his dick, and now you want to have him join us? Are you collecting cock like fucking Pokémon?”

“Shut up,” Vincent griped at him. “Fucking shut up for a minute.”

---